PURPOSE: This rule defines the educational program, curriculum plan and requirements, and distance education requirements for programs of practical nursing.

1. (1) General Purpose.

   1. (A) The program shall have a philosophy and/or mission which guides the curriculum practices.
   2. (B) The curriculum incorporates established professional standards, guidelines, and competencies with clearly stated objectives, graduate competencies, and program outcomes.
   3. (C) The educational program shall provide planned learning experiences essential to the achievement of the stated philosophy and/or mission and graduate competencies of the program and shall demonstrate logical progression.
   4. (D) The educational program shall provide clinical education to facilitate transition to practice as a practical nurse.

2. (2) Curriculum Organization and Development.

   1. (A) The nursing faculty shall have the authority and the responsibility to develop, implement, and evaluate the curriculum.
   2. (B) There shall be a written curriculum plan that is logically structured to achieve expected individual and aggregate student outcomes.
   3. (C) Curriculum design of programs of practical nursing shall foster seamless articulation toward a program of professional nursing.
   4. (D) The curriculum shall be planned so that the number of hours/credits/units of instruction are distributed between theory and clinical hours/credits/units to permit achievement of graduate competencies and program outcomes.
   5. (E) Curriculum shall be planned so that each division of the curriculum (whether it be a quarter, term, or semester) has a reasonably equal number of credit hours of instruction and has a beginning and ending date.
   6. (F) The number of credit hours required for completion of the nursing program shall not exceed the number of credit hours required for a comparable degree program.
   7. (G) Student learning experiences shall be directed and evaluated by the faculty and be consistent with the curriculum plan.

3. (3) Curriculum Requirements. Content may be developed as a separate course or integrated. Integrated concepts shall be evident in the course objectives. Instruction shall be provided in the following areas:

   1. (A) Biological and Physical Sciences. Content from these sciences shall include:

      1. 1. Anatomy and physiology;
      2. 2. Nutrition; and
      3. 3. Pharmacology;

   2. (B) Social and Behavioral Sciences. Content from these sciences shall include concepts of:

      1. 1. Communication;
      2. 2. Interpersonal relations;
      3. 3. Culturally and spiritually sensitive

care;

1. 4. Patient involvement in decision mak-

ing and care management; and

1. 5. Promotion of healthy lifestyles for

patients and populations;

1. (C) Growth and development/life span;

2. (D) Nursing Science. Theory and clinical instruction in nursing shall be based on the nursing process and encompass the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of physical and mental health and the prevention of illness for individuals and groups throughout the life cycle. Content shall enable the student to develop competency in each of the following areas:

   1. 1. Fundamentals of nursing;
   2. 2. Nursing of adults;
   3. 3. Nursing of children;
   4. 4. Nursing of the elderly;
   5. 5. Maternal and newborn nursing;
   6. 6. Mental health concepts;
   7. 7. Administration of medications;
   8. 8. IV therapy;
   9. 9. Leadership/management concepts, to

include coordinating and managing continuous patient care;

1. 10. Evidence-based practice;
2. 11. Patient-centered care, to include

respect for patient differences, values, preferences, and expressed needs;

1. 12. Patient safety;
2. 13. Quality of care; and
3. 14. Use of information technology to

communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making;

1. (E) Personal and vocational concepts shall exist as a discrete course in the curriculum and include the following content:

   1. 1. Ethical and legal aspects of nursing;
   2. 2. Nursing history and trends;
   3. 3. Role of the practical and professional

nurse;

1. 4. Inter-professional approach to patient

care; and

1. 5. Quality improvement processes; and
2. (F) External nursing examinations, if used, shall not be used solely for program progression or graduation.

1. (4) Syllabus Construction. Syllabi shall be current and available to all faculty, students, and cooperating agencies. Each syllabus shall include:

   1. (A) Course description;
   2. (B) Course objectives;
   3. (C) Teaching or learning strategies;
   4. (D) Evaluation methodologies;
   5. (E) Grading scale;
   6. (F) Course policies; and
   7. (G) Clock or credit hour requirements related to theory, lab, and clinical instruction.

2. (5) Distance Education. Courses/programs of study that utilize distance education shall have—

   1. (A) A course management/delivery platform that is reliable and navigable for students and faculty;
   2. (B) Budgetary support;
   3. (C) Collaborative and interactive learning activities that assist the student in achieving course objectives;
   4. (D) Clinical courses shall be faculty supervised and include direct patient care activities with faculty oversight;
   5. (E) Learning and technology resources, to include library resources, that are selected with input of the faculty and are comprehensive, current, and accessible to faculty and students;
   6. (F) Technical support services for faculty and students;
   7. (G) Access to appropriate and equivalent student services;
   8. (H) Faculty and student input into the evaluation process; and
   9. (I) Recurring interaction between faculty and students.

AUTHORITY: section 335.036, RSMo Supp. 2012, and section 335.071, RSMo 2000.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 200-3.100. Original rule filed Jan. 29, 1974, effective Feb. 8, 1974. Amended: Filed Dec. 12, 1975, effective Dec. 22, 1975. Rescinded and readopted: Filed Oct. 14, 1981, effective Jan. 14, 1982. Amended: Filed May 6, 1983, effective Aug. 11, 1983. Rescinded and readopted: Filed March 25, 1993, effective Dec. 9, 1993. Amended: Filed Aug. 6, 1998, effective Feb. 28, 1999. Moved to 20 CSR 2200-3.100, effective Aug. 28, 2006. Rescinded and readopted: Filed April 17, 2007, effective Dec. 30, 2007. Amended: Filed Jan. 11, 2013, effective July 30, 2013.

*Original authority: 335.036, RSMo 1975, amended 1981, 1985, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2007, 2008, 2011 and 335.071, RSMo 1975, amended 1981, 1999.