Virginia Law

An institution wishing to establish a nursing education program shall:

1. Provide documentation of attendance by the program director at a board orientation on establishment of a nursing education program prior to submission of an application and fee.

2. Submit to the board an application to establish a nursing education program along with a nonrefundable application fee as prescribed in 18VAC90-27-20.

a. The application shall be effective for 12 months from the date the application was received by the board.

b. If the program does not meet the board's requirements for approval within 12 months, the institution shall file a new application and fee.

3. Submit the following information on the organization and operation of a nursing education program:

a. A copy of a business license and zoning permit to operate a school in a Virginia location, a certificate of operation from the State Corporation Commission, evidence of approval from the Virginia Department of Education or SCHEV, and documentation of accreditation, if applicable;

b. The organizational structure of the institution and its relationship to the nursing education program therein;

c. The type of nursing program, as defined in 18VAC90-27-10;

d. An enrollment plan specifying the beginning dates and number of students for each class for a two-year period from the date of initial approval including (i) the planned number of students in the first class and in all subsequent classes and (ii) the planned frequency of admissions. Any increase in admissions that is not stated in the enrollment plan must be approved by the board. Also, transfer students are not authorized until full approval has been granted to the nursing education program; and

e. A tentative time schedule for planning and initiating the program through graduation of the first class and the program's receipt of results of the NCLEX examination.

4. Submit to the board evidence documenting adequate resources for the projected number of students and the ability to provide a program that can meet the requirements of this part to include the following information:

a. The results of a community assessment or market analysis that demonstrates the need for the nursing education program in the geographic area for the proposed school. The assessment or analysis shall include employment opportunities of nurses in the community, the number of clinical facilities or employers available for the size of the community to support the number of graduates, and the number and types of other nursing education programs in the area;

b. A projection of the availability of qualified faculty sufficient to provide classroom instruction and clinical supervision for the number of students specified by the program;

c. Budgeted faculty positions sufficient in number to provide classroom instruction and clinical supervision;

d. Availability of clinical training facilities for the program as evidenced by copies of contracts or letters of agreement specifying the responsibilities of the respective parties and indicating sufficient availability of clinical experiences for the number of students in the program, the number of students, and clinical hours permitted at each clinical site and on each nursing unit;

e. Documentation that at least 80% of all clinical experiences are to be conducted in Virginia, unless an exception is granted by the board. There shall be documentation of written approval for any clinical experience conducted outside of Virginia by the agency that has authority to approve clinical placement of students in that state. The use of any clinical site in Virginia located 50 miles or more from the school shall require board approval;

f. A diagram or blueprint showing the availability of academic facilities for the program, including classrooms, skills laboratory, and learning resource center. This information shall include the number of restrooms for the student and faculty population, classroom and skills laboratory space large enough to accommodate the number of the student body, and sufficient faculty office space; and

g. Evidence of financial resources for the planning, implementation, and continuation of the program with line-item budget projections for the first three years of operations beginning with the admission of students.

5. Respond to the board's request for additional information within a timeframe established by the board.