| I | Mission and Governance |
| II | Faculty |
| III | Students |
| IV | Curriculum and Instruction |
| V | Resources |
| VI | Integrity |
| VII | Educational Effectiveness |
The 2002 Standards and Criteria become effective as of April 23, 2002. Programs coming for review Fall 2002 and Spring 2003 has the option to use 1999 or 2002 Standards and Criteria. Beginning Fall of 2003, all programs will use the 2002 Standards and Criteria.
I. Mission and Governance
There are clear and publicly stated mission and/or philosophy and purposes
appropriate to postsecondary or higher education in nursing.
1. Mission and/or philosophy of the nursing education unit is congruent with that of the governing organization, or differences are justified by the nursing education unit purposes.
Documentation confirms:
a. philosophy/mission of the program in nursing is congruent with the mission and purposes of the governing organization.b. program purposes and objectives/competencies are:
· congruent with the program philosophy/ mission;
· clearly stated;
· publicly accessible;
· appropriate to legal requirements and scope of practice; and
· consistent with contemporary beliefs of the profession.
c. commitment to cultural, racial, and ethnical diversity of the community in which the institution and the nursing education unit exist.
d. programming for distance education is congruent with the philosophy and purposes of the governing organization and the nursing education unit.
2. Faculty, administrators, and students participate in governance as defined by the parent organization and nursing education unit.
Documentation confirms:
a. participation in the governance of the parent organizationb. participation in the governance of the nursing education unit.
3. Nursing education unit is administered by a nurse who is academically and experientially qualified, and who has authority and responsibility for development and administration of the program.
Documentation confirms:
a. academic credential of the nurse administrator is a graduate degree in nursing; explain acceptance of other graduate credential for the nurse administrator.
b. knowledge of the program type is reflected in the experience of the nurse administrator.
c. authority and administrative responsibilities are documented within the position of the nurse administrator.
d. nurse administrator has adequate time to fulfill the role responsibilities.
4. Policies of the nursing education unit are consistent with those of the governing organization, or differences are justified by nursing education purposes.
Documentation confirms:
a. congruency between policies affecting nursing faculty and staff and governing organization:· non-discrimination
· faculty appointment
· academic rank
· grievance procedures
· promotion
· salary and benefits
· tenure
· rights and responsibilities
· termination
· workloadb. accessibility of nursing education unit policies.
c. rationale for policies that differ from governing organization.
SUGGESTED INDICATORS:
SUGGESTED TABLES:
II. Faculty
There are qualified and credentialed faculty, appropriate to accomplish the
nursing education unit purposes
and strengthen its educational effectiveness.
unit to fulfill its purposes.5. Faculty members (full- and part-time) are academically and experientially qualified, and maintain expertise in their areas of responsibility.
Documentation confirms:
a. nursing faculty are credentialed at a minimum with a master’s in nursing degreeb. rationale for acceptance of other than the minimum required graduate credential.
c. faculty credentials meet the requirements of the governing organization and any state agency which has legal authority for educational programs in nursing.
d. academic and experiential preparation and variety of faculty backgrounds (full- and part-time) are appropriate for responsibilities of the nursing education unit.
e. expertise of non-nurse faculty is appropriate to the area of their responsibility.
f. maintenance of faculty expertise in their areas of responsibility, such as: teaching, service, clinical practice, and/or scholarship.
6. Number and utilization of full- and part-time faculty meet the needs of the nursing education
:Documentation confirms
c. number and type of faculty are adequate to carry out the purposes and objectives of the program.
7. Faculty performance is periodically evaluated to assure ongoing development and competence.
Documentation confirms:
a. process for faculty performance evaluation.
b. evaluation of faculty is in keeping with the mission/philosophy of the nursing education unit and includes areas such as: teaching, scholarship, service, and practice.
8. The collective talents of the faculty reflect scholarship through teaching, application, and the integration and discovery of knowledge as defined by the institution and the nursing education unit.
Documentation confirms:
a. scholarship is defined by the institution and the nursing education unit.
b. faculty record of scholarship.
SUGGESTED INDICATORS
SUGGESTED TABLES
III. Students
The teaching and learning environment is
9. Student policies of the nursing education unit are congruent with those of the governing organization, publicly accessible, non-discriminatory, and consistently applied; differences are justified by the nursing education unit purposes.
Documentation confirms:
a. congruency, availability, and accessibility of student policies with the governing organization and the nursing education unit, including but not limited to:
· non-discrimination
· selection and admission
· academic progression
· student evaluation/grading
· retention
· withdrawal/dismissal
· graduation requirements
· grievance/complaints and appeal procedures
· financial aid
· transfer of credit
· recruitment
· health requirements
· validation of prior learning/articulation
b. rationale for policies that differ from the governing organization policies.
c. process by which policies are changed and communicated to students.
d. admission and academic progression policies are established by faculty who teach in the associate degree program and are congruent with nursing education unit purposes and governing organization.
10. Students have access to support services administered by qualified individuals that include, but are not limited to: health, counseling, academic advisement, career placement, and financial aid.
Documentation confirms:
a. availability of student support services.b. academic/experiential qualifications of individuals responsible for student services.
c. distance education students have access to appropriate range of student services.
11. Policies concerned with educational and financial records are established and followed.
Documentation confirms:
a. procedures for maintenance of educational recordsb. procedures for maintenance of financial records
SUGGESTED INDICATORS:
SUGGESTED TABLES
next page - Standards and Criteria IV to VII