Section R4-19-206. Curriculum

A.      A nursing program shall assign students only to those clinical agencies that provide the experience necessary to meet the established clinical objectives of the course.

B.       A nursing program shall provide a written program curriculum to students that includes;

1.        Student centered outcomes for the program;

2.        A curriculum plan that identifies the prescribed course sequencing and time required;

3.        Specific course information that includes:

a.         A course description;

b.        Student centered and measurable didactic objec- tives;

c.         Student centered and measurable clinical objectives, if applicable;

d.        Student centered and measurable simulation objec- tives, if applicable;

e.         A course content outline that relates to the course objectives;

f.         Student centered and measurable objectives and a content outline for each unit of instruction.

g.        Graded activities to demonstrate that course objec- tives have been met.

C.      A nursing program administrator and faculty members shall ensure that the curriculum:

1.        Reflects the nursing program’s mission and goals;

2.        Is designed so that the student is able to achieve program objectives within the curriculum plan;

3.        Is logically consistent between and within courses and structured in a manner whereby each course builds on previous learning.

4.        Incorporates established professional standards, guide- lines or competencies; and

5.        Is designed so that a student who completes the program will have the knowledge and skills necessary to function in accordance with the definition and scope of practice specified in A.R.S. § 32-1601(16) and R4-19-401 for a practical nurse or A.R.S. § 32-1601(20) and R4-19-402 for a registered nurse.

D.      A nursing program shall provide for progressive sequencing of classroom and clinical instruction sufficient to meet the goals of the program and be organized in such a manner to allow the student to form necessary links of theoretical knowledge, clin- ical reasoning, and practice.

1.        A nursing program curriculum shall provide coursework that includes, but is not limited to:

a.         Content in the biological, physical, social, psycho- logical and behavioral sciences to provide a founda- tion for safe and effective nursing practice consistent with the level of the nursing program;

b.        Content regarding professional responsibilities, legal and ethical issues, history and trends in nursing and health care;

c.         Didactic content and supervised clinical experience in the prevention of illness and the promotion, resto- ration and maintenance of health in patients across

the life span and from diverse cultural, ethnic, social and economic backgrounds to include:

i.         Patient centered care,

ii.        Teamwork and collaboration,

iii.      Evidence-based practice,

iv.       Quality improvement,

v.        Safety, and

vi.       Informatics,

2.        A registered nursing program shall provide clinical instruction that includes, at a minimum, selected and guided experiences that  develop a student's ability to apply core principles of registered nursing in varied set- tings when caring for:

a.         Adult and geriatric patients with acute, chronic, and complex, life-threatening, medical and surgical con- ditions;

b.        Peri-natal patients and families;

c.         Neonates, infants, and children;

d.        Patients with mental, psychological, or psychiatric conditions; and

e.         Patients with wellness needs.

2.        A practical nursing  program shall  provide clinical instruction that includes, at minimum, selected and guided experiences that develop a student’s ability to apply core principles of practical nursing when caring for:

a.         Patients with medical and surgical conditions throughout the life span,

b.        Peri-natal patients, and

c.         Neonates, infants, and children in varied settings.

E.       A nursing program may provide precepted clinical instruction. Programs offering precepted clinical experiences shall:

1.        Develop and adhere to policies that require preceptors to:

a.         Be licensed nurses at or above the level of the pro- gram either by holding an Arizona license in good standing, holding multi-state privilege to practice in Arizona under A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 15, or if practicing in a federal facility, meet requirements of A.R.S. § 32-1631(5);

b.        For LPN preceptors, practice under the general supervision of an RN or physician according to A.R.S. § 32-1601(16).

2.      Develop and implement policies that require a faculty member of the program to:

a.         Together with facility personnel, select preceptors that possess clinical expertise sufficient to accom- plish the goals of the preceptorship;

b.        Supervise the clinical instruction according to the provisions of R4-19-204(C) and (D), and

c.         Maintain accountability for student education and evaluation.

F.       A nursing program may utilize simulation in accordance with the clinical objectives of the course. Unless approved under R4-19-214, a nursing program shall not utilize simulation for an entire clinical experience with any patient population iden- tified in subsection (D) of this Section.

G.      A nursing program shall maintain at least a 80% NCLEX® passing rate for graduates taking the NCLEX-PN® or NCLEX-RN® for the first time within 12 months of gradua- tion. The Board shall issue a notice of deficiency to any pro- gram that has a NCLEX® passing rate less than 80% for two consecutive calendar years or less than 75% for one calendar year.

H.      At least 45% of students enrolled in the first nursing clinical course shall graduate within 100% of the prescribed period. “Prescribed period” means the time required to complete all

courses and to graduate on time according to the nursing pro- gram’s curriculum plan excluding the time to complete pro- gram pre-requisite or pre-clinical courses.

Historical Note

Adopted effective February 20, 1980 (Supp. 80-1). For- mer Section R4-19-16 repealed, former Section R4-19-17 renumbered and amended as Section R4-19-16 effective July 16, 1984 (Supp. 84-4). Former Section R4-19-16 renumbered as R4-19-206 (Supp. 86-1). Section repealed; new Section adopted effective July 19, 1995 (Supp. 95- 3). Amended by final rulemaking at 7 A.A.R. 5349, effec- tive November 8, 2001 (Supp. 01-4). Amended by final

rulemaking at 11 A.A.R. 451, effective March 7, 2005 (05-1). Pursuant to authority of A.R.S. § 41-1011(C), Laws 2012, Ch. 152, § 1, provides for A.R.S. references to be corrected to reflect the renumbering of definitions.

Therefore the A.R.S. citations in subsection (B)(3) were updated. Agency request filed July 12, 2012, Office File No. M12-242 (Supp. 12-3). Amended by final rulemak- ing at 19 A.A.R. 1419, effective July 6, 2013 (Supp. 13-

2).