Code of Massachusetts Regulations
244 CMR - BOARD OF REGISTRATION IN NURSING
Title 244 CMR 6.00 - Approval of Nursing Education Programs, Standards and Procedures
Section 6.04 - Standards for Nursing Education Program Approval

Universal Citation: 244 MA Code of Regs 244.6

Current through Register 1537, December 20, 2024

Out-of-state nursing education programs must comply with the following standards to the extent specified in 244 CMR 6.03(2). In-state nursing education programs must comply with all of the following standards:

(1) Program Accreditation, Mission and Governance.

(a) The program shall be affiliated with a parent institution that has and maintains its accreditation.

(b) The program shall obtain and maintain program accreditation as follows:
1. A program that receives written notice of Full approval status dated before July 1, 2016, and has never obtained program accreditation, shall obtain program accreditation candidacy on or before December 31, 2022 and program accreditation on or before the December 31, 2025.

2. A program that receives written notice of Initial approval status shall apply for and obtain program accreditation within the time period specified in the notice.

3. Except as provided in 244 CMR 6.04(1)(b)1. and 2., programs receiving written notice of Full approval status shall maintain program accreditation at all times.

(c) Accredited nursing education programs must submit to the Board a copy of accreditation-related correspondence with the program's Board-recognized accrediting agency in nursing within 15 days of receipt.

(d) A program shall have a published mission or philosophy, or both, and nursing education outcomes, which shall be consistent internally and with those of its parent institution, or with differences that are justified by the program outcomes.

(e) The parent institution shall appoint an Administrator, qualified under 244 CMR 6.04(2)(a), on a full-time basis and shall provide adequate resources to effectively administer the program.

(f) The Administrator, faculty and students shall participate in the governance of the parent institution and the program, as appropriate, for the accomplishment of the goals of the parent institution and nursing education outcomes.

(g) Faculty shall develop, implement and evaluate policies which are consistent with the policies of the parent institution, or with differences that are justified by the nursing program outcomes.

(h) Faculty shall develop and implement a plan for systematic evaluation. The plan shall include, but need not be limited to, measurable expected levels of achievement, evaluation methodologies, frequency of evaluation, responsible person(s), aggregated and trended data and other findings, actual outcomes and resulting actions. The results of the evaluation shall be used for the development, maintenance and revision of the program.

(i) Faculty shall:
1. provide instruction, advice and oversight; and

2. evaluate student acquisition of nursing competence.

(j) The Administrator shall respond to Board requests for information.

(k) The program shall, within seven business days, notify the Board in writing of a change in administrative personnel within the program, or a change in the chief executive officer of the parent institution, or both.

(l) The program shall have a written policy for the maintenance and retirement of school, faculty, student and graduate records.

(m) The program shall publish information about the program including, but not limited to: program approval and accreditation status, number of graduates in each class, the annual NCLEX pass rate for first time writers and transferability of credits from other educational institutions (transfer credit policy). The program shall ensure accuracy, consistency and integrity of the information about the program in its publications, including catalogs and websites.

(2) Administrator, Faculty and Preceptor Qualifications.

(a) Administrator. The Administrator of the program shall:
1. hold a current Massachusetts Registered Nurse license in good standing;

2. possess an earned graduate degree in nursing;

3. develop and maintain competence appropriate to administrative responsibilities including, but not limited to:
a. orientation and mentoring to the administrator role;

b. knowledge of M.G.L. c. 112, §§ 74 through 81C and 244 CMR

c. participation in professional development in nursing education such as certification, continuing education; and

4. possess a minimum of five years full-time nursing experience with at least three years full-time experience, or its equivalent, in nursing education in either:
a. a nursing education program designed to prepare a graduate to practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse or a Registered Nurse; or

b. a post-licensure graduate nursing education program.

(b) Faculty shall:
1. hold a current Massachusetts Registered Nurse license in good standing;

2. develop and maintain competence appropriate to teaching responsibilities including, but not limited to:
a. orientation and mentoring to the nurse educator role;

b. knowledge of M.G.L. c. 112, §§ 74 through 81C and 244 CMR;

c. participation in professional development in nursing education such as certification, continuing education;

3. possess a minimum of two years full-time experience in nursing, or its equivalent, within the last five years and evidence of clinical competence in the area(s) of clinical instruction; and

4. possess the following academic and experiential qualifications as appropriate to the faculty member's appointment:
a. faculty appointed to a Practical Nursing program shall possess:
i. an earned baccalaureate degree in nursing; or

ii. an earned graduate degree in nursing.

b. faculty appointed to a Registered Nursing program, teaching the theoretical component of a nursing course, shall possess an earned graduate degree in nursing;

c. faculty appointed to a Registered Nursing program, teaching the clinical or skills lab component of a nursing course, shall possess:
i. an earned graduate degree in nursing; or

ii. an earned baccalaureate degree in nursing and also meet at least one of the following:
(i) be matriculated in a graduate nursing program with an expected graduation date within five years of the date of the appointment; or

(ii) possess a related non-nursing graduate degree; or

(iii) possess a current Nurse Education certification by a Board recognized certifying organization; or

(iv) possess a minimum of five years full-time Registered Nurse experience within the last eight years, be mentored by faculty who possesses a graduate degree in nursing; and

- have been appointed before January 6, 2023; or

- be matriculated in a graduate nursing program within one year of appointment with an expected graduation date within five years of the date of matriculation; or

- obtain a current Nurse Education certification by a Board recognized certifying organization within three years of appointment.

(c) Preceptors shall:
1. possess a Massachusetts nursing license in good standing or authority to practice under federal law, or both;

2. possess a minimum of one year full-time experience in nursing, or its equivalent, within the last five years;

3. maintain competence in the clinical area precepting including, but not limited to, orientation and mentoring to the preceptor role; and

4. be educationally prepared at or above the level of the student.

(3) Students. The program shall:

(a) require all candidates for admission to provide satisfactory evidence of secondary school graduation, or its equivalent, and compliance with the immunization requirements specified by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health;

(b) publish current policies which describe the specific nondiscriminatory criteria for admission; progression; attendance; academic integrity; use of social media; course exemption; advanced placement; transfer; advanced placement or transfer of military education, training or service for a military health care occupation; educational mobility; withdrawal; readmission; graduation; and student rights and grievances;

(c) publish the common clinical placement requirements among the cooperating agencies; and

(d) provide opportunities for students to regularly participate in the development and evaluation of the program.

(4) Curriculum.

(a) Program faculty shall develop a nursing curriculum plan which shall provide a variety of learning experiences consistent with the program mission or philosophy, or both, and nursing education outcomes. The sciences, arts, humanities, M.G.L. c. 112, §§ 74 through 81C, and 244 CMR, and other foundations of the profession, shall be an integral part of the nursing curriculum plan, including experiences that promote the development of nursing judgment, leadership and management skills, and professional role socialization consistent with the level of licensure. This includes demonstration of the ability to delegate, supervise others, and provide leadership.

(b) The curriculum shall:
1. extend over a period of time sufficient to provide essential, sequenced learning experiences which enable a student to develop nursing competence appropriate to the level of licensure and educational preparation;

2. be based on an organized pattern of instruction consistent with principles of learning and educational practice with expected levels of achievement at defined points in the program;

3. provide instruction in the discipline of nursing, appropriate to the level of licensure and educational preparation, with articulated student learning outcomes, and legal, ethical and professional responsibilities; and

4. be designed in accordance with generally accepted academic standards.

(5) Resources. The parent institution shall allocate resources to the program in a manner appropriate to meeting the program outcomes. The resources must be sufficient to allow the program to:

(a) maintain an adequate number of full-time and part-time faculty and support personnel;

(b) develop written agreements with cooperating agencies utilized as clinical learning sites;
1. Agreements shall be reviewed annually by both program and agency personnel.

2. Agreements shall be current and specific in defining the responsibilities of the program and the cooperating agency.

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