Resolution by the State Board of Community Colleges
Regarding Changes Proposed by the N.C. Board of Nursing
WHEREAS, the North Carolina Board of Nursing has recommended revisions to rules in the NC Administrative Code regarding nursing program accreditation. The proposed revision to Existing Nursing Program Rule 21 NCAC 36.0303 will require that every nursing program in the state obtain national program accreditation by December 31, 2015 and maintain national accreditation to remain Board approved. The proposed revision to the Faculty Rule 21 NCAC 36.0318 requires all faculty if initially employed after December 31, 2014 to have a master’s degree or a nursing doctorate degree; and
WHEREAS, current NLNAC guidelines for the ADN program states that nursing faculty (full and part-time) are credentialed with a minimum of a master’s with a major in nursing. It allows the program to provide a rationale for acceptance other than the minimum credential. In the Practical Nurse Education (PNE) guidelines it requires a majority of full and part-time nursing faculty to be credentialed with a minimum of a master’s with a major in nursing. The remaining faculty (full and part-time) is credentialed with a baccalaureate; and
WHEREAS, the requirement by the Board of Nursing that all faculty initially employed after December 31, 2014 would be required to have a master’s degree would be more stringent than the NLNAC requirements; and
WHEREAS, the State Board of Community Colleges supports the recommendations of the N.C. Association of Community College Presidents, the N.C. Association of Community College Instructional Administrators, the N.C. Community College Deans and Chairs of Health Sciences, and the N.C. Community College Associate Directors of Nursing with regard to the proposed changes the N.C. Board of Nursing has recommended to Rule 21 NCAC 36.0303 Existing Nursing Program and to Rule 21 NCAC 36.0318 Faculty; and
WHEREAS, currently, ADN/diploma programs graduate 60 percent and BSN programs graduate 40 percent of our in-state entry level RN’s; and
WHEREAS, according to the N.C. Center for Nursing, during the fiscal year 2005-2006 there were 66 full-time and 91 part-time nursing faculty positions in the ADN programs that were vacant at some time; and
WHEREAS, the recruitment of part-time clinical faculty at a baccalaureate or master’s degree level is difficult in some regions. A significant percentage of clinical instructors and other part-time faculty lack the master’s degree, especially in rural counties. The pay for part-time faculty is insufficient to justify their returning to university to obtain their master’s degree. If the recommendations are approved, a number of community colleges would have to refrain from using non-master’s degreed faculty which would have a negative impact on many programs (several would probably not be able to continue to operate) and this would increase the current nursing shortage; and
WHEREAS, part-time clinical instructors hired, based on their clinical expertise, are bedside nurses with multiple years of experience. Frequently, they have no desire, time, or funding to pursue a master’s degree. If the master’s degree is required for the part-time clinical faculty, an invaluable pool of instructors will be lost; and
WHEREAS, between 2000 and 2010 the N.C. Employment Security Commission predicts a 35 percent (21,975) increase in new jobs for RN’s and 12,837 replacement openings. North Carolina will need a total of 34,812 additional RNs to meet the demands by 2010; and
WHEREAS, the N.C. Center for Nursing notes that due to the current aging of the nursing workforce, the general aging of our population, and the steady increase in North Carolina’s population growth we are at the beginning of a nursing shortage that will become more severe by 2020. For 2007 the state’s estimated demand for RN’s is 8.9 percent short. This shortage is predicted to increase to 20.8 percent in 2015 and 29.6 percent in 2020 if our supply and demand remain unchanged; and
WHEREAS, according to the N.C. Center for Nursing, approximately 65percent of the entry level RN students in 2006 were ADN students:
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That the State Board of Community Colleges acknowledges the following: 1) National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc. (NLNAC) accreditation is encouraged by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). 2) NLNAC is recognized as the gold standard in measuring the quality of associate degree nursing programs in the United States. 3) In North Carolina the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) programs have consistently scored at or above the national NCLEX-RN average, demonstrating success in this outcome measurement. 4) NLNAC accreditation standards are set by an expert panel and program review is conducted by peer review. 5) The mission of the NC Board of Nursing is evolving to be more reflective of other state’s Boards of Nursing which rely on NLNAC for the approval of their nursing programs. 6) It has been estimated that it would cost $7.2 million to meet all the requirements for national accreditation in the community colleges plus significantly more in salary dollars to recruit and retain the master’s degreed faculty to meet this standard. Dramatically increased funding support needs to be provided to achieve this requirement; and
That the State Board of Community Colleges supports Rule 21 NCAC 36.0303 that would require existing nursing programs in the state to become nationally accredited by December 31, 2015, and to maintain national accreditation, but does not support credential requirements that exceed NLNAC requirements; and further
The State Board of Community Colleges recommends suspending Rule 21 NCAC 36.0318 Faculty revisions that would require all nursing faculty (full-time and part-time) initially employed after December 31, 2014, to have a master’s degree or a nursing doctorate degree.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
The State Board of Community Colleges supports its longtime requests of the North Carolina Legislature for the appropriate funding commensurate with needs to upgrade the quality of its nursing programs and to meet the proposed accreditation changes.
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This the 16th day of November, 2007.