81R9156 BEF-F

By: Howard of Travis H.B. No. 1738

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a study of nursing educational programs that require a single clinical competency assessment.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 301, Occupations Code, is amended by adding Section 301.1571 to read as follows:

Sec. 301.1571. STUDY OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS REQUIRING SINGLE CLINICAL COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT. (a) The board shall study whether graduates of a nursing educational program that requires students to pass only a single clinical competency assessment are able after graduation to practice in a clinical setting at a level substantially equivalent to the graduates of a nursing educational program that requires students to complete a required number of supervised clinical learning experiences involving multiple, ongoing assessments and feedback.

(b) In conducting the study, the board may consider a nursing educational program that requires students to pass only a single clinical competency assessment only if the program:

(1) has been requiring only a single clinical competency assessment for at least 10 years;

(2) has students who reside in this state;

(3) has graduates who have been considered by the board to be eligible to apply for a registered nurse license as a result of graduating from the program on or before January 1, 2007; and

(4) conducts the single clinical competency assessment at a facility located in this state under the supervision of a registered nurse who holds a master's or doctoral degree in nursing and who has at least five years of experience on the faculty of a nursing program approved to operate in this state.

(c) If a nursing educational program that requires students to pass only a single clinical competency assessment has students who are already licensed registered nurses, the study may consider only students who are not already licensed registered nurses.

(d) The board shall begin the study, including the research design and the compilation of results, not later than January 1, 2010, and shall conclude the study not later than June 30, 2012, except that the board may extend the study until June 30, 2014, if additional time is needed to complete the study or compile the results.

(e) If the study finds that graduates of a nursing educational program that requires students to pass only a single clinical competency assessment are not able after graduation to practice in a clinical setting at a level substantially equivalent to the graduates of a nursing educational program that requires students to complete a required number of supervised clinical learning experiences, the board shall allow a program participating in the study to modify its program, not later than December 31, 2017, to meet any standards required for graduates of the program to be eligible to apply to the board for a license. The board may not disqualify graduates of a program that is modifying its program under this subsection from receiving a license under this chapter before December 31, 2017.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.