2785-2789
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE
SECTION 2785-2789
2785. The board shall prepare and maintain a list of approved schools of nursing in this state whose graduates, if they have the other necessary qualifications provided in this chapter, shall be eligible to apply for a license to practice nursing in this state. 2785.5. The board shall establish a workgroup, or use an existing committee, to encourage and facilitate efficient transfer agreements or other enrollment models between associate degree nursing programs and baccalaureate degree nursing programs so students are able to complete the baccalaureate program without unnecessary repetition of coursework. 2786. (a) An approved school of nursing is one that has been approved by the board, gives the course of instruction approved by the board, covering not less than two academic years, is affiliated or conducted in connection with one or more hospitals, and is an institution of higher education or is affiliated with an institution of higher education. For purposes of this section, "institution of higher education" includes, but is not limited to, community colleges offering an associate of arts or associate of science degree and private postsecondary institutions offering an associate of arts or associate of science degree. An approved school of nursing that is not an institution of higher education shall make an agreement with an institution of higher education in the same general location to grant an associate of arts or associate of science degree to individuals who graduate from the school of nursing or to grant a baccalaureate degree in nursing with successful completion of an additional course of study as approved by the board and the institution involved. (b) The board shall determine by regulation the required subjects of instruction to be completed in an approved school of nursing for licensure as a registered nurse and shall include the minimum units of theory and clinical experience necessary to achieve essential clinical competency at the entry level of the registered nurse. The board's standards shall be designed to encourage all schools to provide clinical instruction in all phases of the educational process. (c) The board shall perform or cause to be performed an analysis of the practice of the registered nurse no less than every five years. Results of the analysis shall be utilized to assist in the determination of the required subjects of instruction, validation of the licensing examination, and assessment of the current practice of nursing. 2786.6. The board shall deny the application for approval made by, and shall revoke the approval given to, any school of nursing which: (a) Does not give to student applicants credit, in the field of nursing, for previous education and the opportunity to obtain credit for other acquired knowledge by the use of challenge examinations or other methods of evaluation; or, (b) Is operated by a community college and discriminates against an applicant for admission to a school solely on the grounds that the applicant is seeking to fulfill the units of nursing required by Section 2736.6. The board shall prescribe, by regulation, the education for which credit is to be given and the amount of credit which is to be given for each type of education. The word "credit," as used in the preceding sentence, is limited to credit for licensure only. The board is not authorized to prescribe the credit which an approved school of nursing shall give toward an academic certificate or degree. 2788. It shall be the duty of the board, through its executive officer, to inspect all schools of nursing in this state at such times as the board shall deem necessary. Written reports of the executive officer's visits shall be made to the board, which shall thereupon approve those schools of nursing that meet the requirements provided by the board. Upon receiving the report of the executive officer, if the board determines that any approved school of nursing is not maintaining the standard required by the board, notice thereof in writing specifying the defect or defects shall be immediately given to the school. If the defects are not corrected within a reasonable time, the school of nursing may be removed from the approved list and notice thereof in writing given to it. 2789. None of the provisions of this chapter shall be applicable to any school or schools conducted by any well recognized church or denomination for the purpose of training the adherents of such church or denomination in the care of the sick in accordance with its religious tenents.