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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing the equivalency of competency-based |
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nursing education programs in other states that meet standards of |
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quality equivalent to nursing education programs approved by the |
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Texas Board of Nursing. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 301.157, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (d-4) and adding Subsection (d-4-a) to read as |
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follows: |
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(d-4) The board may recognize and accept as approved under |
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this section a school of nursing or educational program operated in |
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another state and approved by a state board of nursing or other |
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regulatory body of that [another] state. The board shall develop |
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policies to ensure that the other state's [state board's] standards |
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are substantially equivalent to the board's standards. For |
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purposes of this subsection, a nursing program shall be deemed to |
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meet standards substantially equivalent to the board's standards if |
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it: |
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(1) is part of an institution of higher education |
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located outside this state that is approved by the appropriate |
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regulatory authorities of that state; |
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(2) holds regional accreditation by an accrediting |
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body recognized by the United States secretary of education and the |
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Council for Higher Education Accreditation; |
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(3) holds specialty accreditation by an accrediting |
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body recognized by the United States secretary of education and the |
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Council for Higher Education Accreditation, including the National |
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League for Nursing Accrediting Commission; |
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(4) requires program applicants to be a licensed |
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practical or vocational nurse, military service corpsman, or |
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paramedic or to hold a degree in a clinically oriented health care |
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field with demonstrated experience providing direct patient care; |
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and |
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(5) graduates students who: |
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(A) achieve faculty-determined program outcomes |
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including passing criterion-referenced examinations of nursing |
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knowledge essential to beginning a registered nurse practice, |
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including a transition to the role of registered nurse; |
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(B) pass a criterion-referenced summative |
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performance examination developed by faculty subject matter |
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experts that measures clinical competencies essential to beginning |
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a registered nurse practice and that meets nationally recognized |
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standards for educational testing, including the educational |
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testing standards of the American Educational Research |
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Association, the American Psychological Association, and the |
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National Council on Measurement in Education; and |
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(C) pass the National Council Licensure |
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Examination for Registered Nurses at a rate equivalent to the pass |
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rate for students of approved in-state programs. |
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(d-4-a) An applicant for licensure under this chapter who |
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has successfully completed a professional nursing education |
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program in another state meeting the requirements of Subsection |
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(d-4) and who satisfies the other requirements of this chapter is |
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eligible for licensure as a registered nurse. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |