1. (a) A nursing education program shall employ faculty with graduate preparation and expertise necessary to enable the students to meet the program goals.
2. (b) Documentation of faculty qualifications shall be included in the official files of the program.

3. (c) Each nurse faculty member shall:

   1. (1) hold a current license to practice as a registered nurse in the State of Texas;
   2. (2) show evidence of maintaining current knowledge, clinical expertise, and safety in subject area of teaching responsibility;

   3. (3) hold a master's degree, preferably in nursing. Graduate preparation with a major in nursing provides the essential knowledge base necessary to teach in a nursing education program. A faculty member holding a master's degree in a discipline other than nursing shall hold a bachelor's degree in nursing from an accredited baccalaureate program in nursing; and

      1. (A) if teaching in a diploma or associate degree nursing program, shall have at least six semester hours of graduate level content in nursing appropriate to his/her teaching responsibilities; or
      2. (B) if teaching in a baccalaureate level program, shall have at least 12 semester hours of graduate level content in nursing appropriate to his/her teaching responsibilities.
4. (d) An increasing number of faculty members, teaching in baccalaureate programs, should hold doctoral degrees appropriate to their responsibilities.
5. (e) Faculty who teach non-clinical nursing courses, e.g., issues and trends, research, management and statistics, have advanced preparation appropriate to these areas of responsibility.

6. (f) In addition to meeting requirements specified in subsection (c)(1) and (3) of this section, the dean/director shall also:

   1. (1) hold a doctoral degree, if administering a baccalaureate or master's degree program;
   2. (2) have a minimum of three years teaching experience in the type of program being administered; and
   3. (3) have demonstrated competence in education and administration.
7. (g) If an individual to be appointed as faculty or dean/director does not meet the requirements for faculty as specified in subsection (c) of this section, the dean/director or governing institution shall petition for a waiver of the board's requirements prior to the appointment of said individual.

8. (h) Clinical preceptors, if used, shall have the following minimum qualifications:

   1. (1) a bachelor's degree in nursing preferred and current licensure as a registered nurse in Texas; or
   2. (2) a bachelor's degree as a health care professional and current licensure in Texas as a health care professional; and
   3. (3) competence in designated area of practice;
   4. (4) philosophy of health care congruent with that of the nursing program.

9. (i) Teaching assistants, if used, shall:

   1. (1) hold a current license to practice as a registered nurse in the state of Texas;
   2. (2) have the clinical expertise to function effectively and safely in the designated area of teaching; and
   3. (3) hold a bachelor's degree in nursing from an accredited baccalaureate program in nursing.

Source Note:The provisions of this §215.7 adopted to be effective September 1, 1994, 18 TexReg 8905.