1. (a) The program of study shall include both didactic and clinical learning experiences and shall be:

   1. (1) a minimum of 1,398 clock hours: 558 hours for classroom instruction and 840 hours for clinical practice;
   2. (2) planned, implemented, and evaluated by the faculty;
   3. (3) based on the philosophy/mission and objectives/outcomes;
   4. (4) organized by subject and content to meet the needs of the program;
   5. (5) scheduled with the placement of courses or course content throughout the entire length of the program;
   6. (6) based on sound educational principles;
   7. (7) designed to prepare graduates to practice according to the Standards of Nursing Practice as set forth in the Board's Rules and Regulations;
   8. (8) designed and implemented to prepare students to demonstrate the Differentiated Entry Level Competencies of Graduates of Texas Nursing Programs, Vocational (VN), Diploma/Associate Degree (Dip/ADN), Baccalaureate (BSN), September 2002 (DELC); and
   9. (9) designed to teach students to use a systematic approach to clinical decision making and safe patient care.

2. (b) The faculty shall be responsible for the development, implementation and evaluation of the curriculum based upon the following guidelines:

   1. (1) There shall be a reasonable balance between non-nursing courses and nursing courses which are offered in a supportive sequence with rationale which are clearly appropriate for the study of vocational nursing.
   2. (2) Instruction shall be provided in nursing roles; biological, physical, social, behavioral, and nursing sciences, including body structure and function, microbiology, pharmacology, nutrition, signs of emotional health, human growth and development; vocational adjustments; and nursing skills. Courses may be integrated or separate.

3. (c) Instruction shall include, but not be limited to, organized student/faculty interactive learning activities, formal lecture, audiovisual presentations, simulated laboratory instruction, and actual patient care clinical learning experiences.

   1. (1) Class hours shall include actual hours of classroom instruction in nursing and non-nursing Board-required courses/content;
   2. (2) Laboratory activities/instruction may be counted as either classroom or laboratory hours for the purpose of calculating the hours in the curriculum;
   3. (3) Clinical hours shall be sufficient to meet program of study requirements;
   4. (4) Clinical practice shall include actual hours of practice in clinical areas, clinical conferences, and simulated lab experiences, if counted as clinical hours for the purposed of calculating the hours in the curriculum;
   5. (5) The total weekly schedule throughout the length of the program shall not exceed 40 hours per week, including both class and clinical practice hours;
   6. (6) Students shall be assigned two consecutive non-class/clinical days off each week;
   7. (7) Students shall be allocated at least 18 days leave for vacation and/or holidays;
   8. (8) All scheduled holidays are to be observed on the holidays designated by the controlling agency/governing institution; and
   9. (9) Vacation time shall be scheduled at the same time for all students.
4. (d) Educational mobility shall be a consideration in curriculum design.

5. (e) The program of study shall include, but not be limited to, the following areas:

   1. (1) Nursing Care of Children. Opportunities shall be provided for students to gain an understanding of the common health deviations, physical, psychological, and neurological handicaps, and nutritional needs of pediatric patients. Day care and clinic settings may be utilized as supplementary experiences. Normal growth and development and the influences of the family, home, church, school, and community shall be emphasized. Student practice in caring for and understanding the needs of newborn infants shall also be included. A variety of settings, including acute and non-acute, may be utilized for the provision of pediatric nursing experiences.
   2. (2) Maternity Nursing. Opportunities shall be provided for students to gain an understanding of the psychological and physiological aspects of pregnancy, labor, and puerperium. Assisting mothers in the care of their infants shall be emphasized. A variety of settings, including clinics, organized maternity units, and maternity cases in non-segregated units, may be utilized for provision of maternity nursing experience.
   3. (3) Nursing Care of the Aged. Opportunities shall be included for the care of individuals experiencing specific changes related to the aging process. Students shall develop an understanding of the physical and mental changes associated with aging and the implications of aging in planning nursing care.
   4. (4) Nursing Care of Adults. Opportunities shall be provided to the student through the use of various resources to care for adults who have health deviations. Resources used shall include learning experiences to illustrate the individual as a member of the family, the responsibilities and functions of the community in the provision of nursing care, and the types of agencies where nursing is practiced. Preventive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative aspects shall be provided. Experiences shall also include the physical, psychological, and spiritual components of health and disease. Experience shall include, but not be limited to, the acute care settings.
   5. (5) Nursing Care of Individuals With Mental Health Problems. Learning opportunities shall include an understanding of personality development, human needs, common mental mechanisms, and factors influencing mental health and mental illness. Common mental disorders and related therapy shall be included. Clinical experience in a unit or facility specifically designed for psychiatric care is optional.

6. (f) The selection and organization of the learning experiences in the curriculum shall provide continuity, sequence, and integration of learning.

   1. (1) The learning experiences shall provide for progressive development of values, knowledge, judgment, and skills.
   2. (2) Didactic learning experiences shall be provided either prior to or concurrent (at the same time) with the related clinical learning experiences.
   3. (3) Clinical learning experiences shall be sufficient in quantity and quality to provide opportunities for students to achieve the stated outcomes.
   4. (4) Students shall have sufficient opportunities in simulated or clinical settings to develop manual technical skills, using contemporary technologies, essential for safe, effective nursing practice.
   5. (5) Learning opportunities shall assist students to develop communication and interpersonal relationship skills.

7. (g) Course content shall be appropriate to the role expectations of the graduate.

   1. (1) Professional values, including ethics, safety, diversity, and confidentiality shall be addressed.
   2. (2) The Nursing Practice Act, Standards of Nursing Practice, Unprofessional Conduct Rules, and other laws and regulations which pertain to various practice settings shall be addressed.
   3. (3) The curriculum plan, including course outlines, shall be kept current and available to faculty and Board representatives.

8. (h) Faculty shall develop and implement evaluation methods and tools to measure progression of students' cognitive, affective and psychomotor achievements in course/clinical objectives, according to Board guidelines.

   1. (1) A system of grading shall be in place which does not allow grades of less than a "C" on any subject areas required for licensure eligibility listed in this chapter.
   2. (2) Programs may allow individuals to challenge the vocational nursing educational curriculum, and shall develop and define such policies to meet theory and practice requirements for challenging credit.

9. (i) Curriculum changes shall be developed by the faculty according to Board standards and shall include information outlined in the Board guidelines. The two types of curriculum changes are:

   1. (1) Minor curriculum changes not requiring prior Board staff approval, and may include:

      1. (A) Editorial updates of philosophy/mission and objectives/outcomes; or
      2. (B) Redistribution of course content or course hours.

   2. (2) Major curriculum changes requiring Board staff approval prior to implementation, including:

      1. (A) Changes in program philosophy/mission and objectives/outcomes which result in a reorganization or re-conceptualization of the entire curriculum, including but not limited to, changing from a block to an integrated curriculum;
      2. (B) Revisions in program hours; and
      3. (C) Addition/reduction of course(s) in the program of study.
10. (j) Documentation of controlling agency/governing institution approval, and approval from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) if approved/licensed by the TWC or THECB, must be provided to the Board prior to implementation of changes, as appropriate.

11. (k) Nursing educational programs that have full approval status and are undergoing major curriculum changes shall submit an abbreviated proposal, as outlined in Board guidelines, to the Board office for approval at least four (4) months prior to implementation. The abbreviated proposal shall contain at least the following:

    1. (1) new and old philosophy/mission, major concepts, program objectives/outcomes, course objectives/outcomes;
    2. (2) new and old curriculum plans;
    3. (3) clinical evaluation tools for each clinical course; and
    4. (4) additional information, as requested, in order to provide clarity for Board staff.
12. (l) Nursing educational programs not having full approval status, but proposing a major curriculum change shall submit a full curriculum change proposal, as outlined in Board guidelines, to the Board office and meet the requirements as outlined in subsection (i) of this section.
13. (m) All nursing educational programs implementing a curriculum change shall submit an evaluation of the outcomes of the implemented curriculum change through the first graduating class under the new curriculum.

Source Note:The provisions of this §214.9 adopted to be effective February 13, 2005, 30 TexReg 545; amended to be effective July 10, 2005, 30 TexReg 3996; amended to be effective October 19, 2008, 33 TexReg 8501.