Wyoming Administrative Code
Agency 054 - Nursing, Board of
Sub-Agency 0002 - General
Chapter 6 - STANDARDS FOR NURSING EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Section 6-4 - Programmatic Standards for Wyoming Nursing Education Programs

Universal Citation: WY Code of Rules 6-4

Current through September 21, 2024

(a) Curriculum.

(i) Overview. The curriculum for all programs shall enable the student to develop the nursing knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for the level, scope, and standards of competent nursing practice expected at the level of licensure or recognition. The program shall revise its curriculum to maintain a program reflecting advances in health care and its delivery.

(ii) Principles. The curriculum, as defined by nursing education, professional, and practice standards, shall include:
(A) A sound foundation in biological, physical, social, and behavioral sciences;

(B) Integration of legal and ethical issues and professional responsibilities into didactic and clinical experiences;

(C) Learning experiences that promote the development of evidence based clinical judgment, skill in clinical management, and the professional commitment to collaborate in continuously improving the quality and safety of the healthcare system for patients;

(D) Evidence-based learning experiences and methods of instruction, including distance education methods if used, consistent with the written curriculum plan;

(E) Delivery of instruction consistent with the program curriculum plan, which enables students to meet the goals, competencies, and outcomes of the program; and

(F) Instruction on the Wyoming Nurse Practice Act and Administrative Rules which shall include:
(I) The mission and purpose of the Wyoming State Board of Nursing relative to licensure, discipline, practice, and nursing education program approval;

(II) Nurse licensure process in Wyoming including eligibility, temporary permits, renewal, continued competency, and inactive status;

(III) The purpose of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) and requirements for a multi-state license;

(IV) The scope of practice for nurses and Certified Nurse Aides in Wyoming; and

(V) The process and potential reasons for disciplinary action.

(iii) Prelicensure Curriculum. The curriculum of prelicensure programs shall include didactic content and supervised clinical experience in the prevention of illness and the promotion, restoration, and maintenance of health in patients across the lifespan and from diverse cultural, ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds.

(iv) APRN Curriculum. The curriculum of the APRN nursing education program must prepare the graduate to practice in one of the four identified APRN roles, i.e., CRNA, CNM, CNS, or CNP, and at least one of the six population foci, i.e., family/individual across the lifespan, adult-gerontology, neonatal, pediatrics, women's health/gender-related, or psychiatric/mental health. The APRN curriculum shall include:
(A) Three separate graduate level courses (the APRN core) in:
(I) Advanced physiology and pathophysiology, including general principles that apply across the lifespan;

(II) Advanced health assessment, which includes assessment of all human systems, advanced assessment techniques, concepts, and approaches; and

(III) Advanced pharmacology which includes pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacotherapeutics of all broad categories of agents.

(B) Instruction in diagnosis and management of disorders across settings and body systems appropriate to the APRN focus; and

(C) Instruction in the principles for clinical decision-making in the identified role.

(v) APRN programs preparing for two population foci or combined nurse practitioner/clinical nurse specialist shall include content and clinical experience in both functional roles and population foci.

(vi) There shall be provisions for the recognition of prior learning and advanced placement in the curriculum for individuals who hold a graduate degree as an APRN and are seeking preparation in a different role or population focus. Post-masters nursing students shall complete the requirements of the APRN program through a formal graduate level certificate or degree in the desired role and population focus. Certificate students must meet the same APRN outcome competencies required of other students.

(b) Clinical Learning Experiences.

(i) Prelicensure.
(A) The program shall provide clinical hours comparable to those provided by an approved program of equivalent size and program type or, in the case of no equivalent program, clinical hours scaled relative to an approved program.

(B) Faculty supervised clinical practice shall include:
(I) Development of skills in direct patient care;

(II) Making clinical judgments; and

(III) Care and management of both individuals and groups of patients across the lifespan; and

(IV) Delegation to, supervision of, and collaboration with, as appropriate to the level of education, and other health care providers.

(C) Measurement of student competency shall focus on student demonstration of care management and decision-making skills when providing patient care in a variety of clinical settings with diverse patients.

(D) All student clinical experiences, including those with preceptors, shall be directed by nursing faculty.
(I) The faculty/student ratio shall not exceed eight (8) students to one (1) faculty member for each clinical learning experiences involving direct patient care.

(II) When preceptors are used in a clinical setting, one (1) preceptor shall supervise a maximum of two (2) students.

(III) Nursing faculty should not be responsible for more than sixteen (16) students involved in preceptor relationships at one time.

(ii) APRN. Each instructional track/major shall have a minimum of five hundred (500) supervised clinical hours or as required for national certification exam. The supervised experience shall relate directly to the role and population focus, including pharmacotherapeutic management of patients.

(c) Administrator Responsibilities. The nurse administrator shall:

(i) Have continuous, active, daily, and direct responsibility and authority at all locations for the nursing program;

(ii) Oversee the daily governing organization, nursing education unit, and nursing program matters such as, but not limited to, personnel matters, student matters, curricular matters, and resource matters; and

(iii) Have adequate time and resources on a daily basis at all locations to administer the nursing program.

(d) Administrator Qualifications. The administrator shall have the education and experience necessary to direct the program in preparing graduates for the safe practice of nursing. All program administrators shall:

(i) Hold an active, unencumbered, single-state Wyoming or multi-state RN or APRN license;

(ii) Have at least five (5) years of experience practicing nursing; and

(iii) Have experience in teaching and knowledge of learning principles for adult education, including nursing curriculum development, administration, and evaluation.

(iv) The associate degree and/or practical nursing program administrator shall have a minimum of a master's degree in nursing.

(v) The baccalaureate nursing program administrator shall have a doctoral degree in nursing or a related field.

(vi) The post-licensure nursing program administrator shall have a doctoral degree in nursing or a related field.

(vii) The APRN program administrator may have responsibility for the oversight of multiple program tracks. This administrator shall:
(A) Have a doctoral degree in nursing or related field; and

(B) Hold current national certification as an APRN.

(viii) The APRN program shall also appoint a lead faculty member for each track to coordinate the educational component specific to that track, including curriculum development. This lead faculty member shall:
(A) Meet APRN faculty qualifications defined in Section 4, (f) and (j); and

(B) Hold current national certification in the same role and population focus.

(e) Programmatic Faculty Standards. All programs shall:

(i) Employ sufficient qualified faculty, both in number and expertise, to meet the purpose, philosophy, and outcomes of the program;

(ii) Develop clear workload policies comparable to those of an approved program of equivalent size and type;

(iii) Provide substantive, periodic workshops or presentations devoted to faculty development;

(iv) Provide formal mentoring by established peers for new full-time and part-time faculty; and

(v) Provide formal orientation for new clinical faculty.

(f) Faculty Standards. All faculty shall:

(i) Hold an active, unencumbered, single-state Wyoming or multi-state RN or APRN license;

(ii) Demonstrate pedagogical competence by:
(A) A graduate degree in nursing education; or

(B) A minimum of ten (10) hours of educational preparation obtained within six (6) months of the hire date which shall include:
(I) Methods of instruction including the use of technology;

(II) Teaching in clinical practice settings;

(III) Teaching in simulation settings;

(IV) How to conduct assessments, including test item writing; and

(V) Management of the educational environment such as legal and ethical issues, diversity, and incivility.

(g) Prelicensure Faculty. Full and part-time prelicensure faculty shall meet the following educational requirements:

(i) Graduate degree in nursing; or

(ii) Obtain a graduate degree in nursing within five (5) years of hire date. The administrator shall:
(A) Notify the Board, in writing, within thirty (30) days of the hire of a non-graduate prepared faculty member; and

(B) Submit a written plan, within six (6) months of the hire date, outlining how this faculty member will obtain a graduate degree within the specified timeframe.

(iii) Adjunct or part-time clinical faculty shall be educationally prepared with a minimum of a baccalaureate degree in nursing.

(iv) A minimum of fifty percent (50%) of the full-time faculty shall hold a graduate degree with a major in nursing.

(h) Post-licensure Faculty. Faculty teaching in a post-licensure program shall be educationally prepared with a graduate degree in nursing.

(j) APRN Faculty. Faculty teaching in an APRN program shall:

(i) Be educationally prepared with a graduate degree in nursing; and

(ii) Demonstrate at least two (2) years of APRN clinical experience.

(k) Interprofessional Faculty. Interprofessional faculty teaching non-clinical nursing courses shall have advanced preparation appropriate for the content being taught.

(l) Preceptors.

(i) Preceptors may be used to enhance faculty-directed clinical learning experiences.

(ii) Programs shall clearly define the role and performance expectations for preceptors with respect to teaching, supervision, and student evaluation.

(iii) Preceptors shall:
(A) Hold a current unencumbered license as an RN or APRN or unencumbered privilege to practice in the jurisdiction where the clinical practicum is conducted; and

(B) Demonstrate competency related to the area of assigned clinical teaching responsibilities.

(m) Students.

(i) The program shall admit students based upon the number of faculty, available educational facilities, resources, and the availability of clinical learning experiences.

(ii) The program shall hold students accountable for professional behavior, including honesty and integrity, while in their program of study.

(iii) All policies relevant to applicants and students shall be readily available in writing.

(n) Program Evaluation.

(i) The program shall implement a self-evaluation plan which is updated at least yearly and shall be submitted to the Board upon request.

(ii) The evaluation report prepared by the program for the national nursing education accreditation body may be substituted in lieu of the required self-evaluation plan.
(A) If the evaluation report to the national nursing education accreditation body is submitted in lieu of the self-evaluation plan, the program must submit an addendum addressing where the standards pursuant to this chapter are found in the report.

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