Sec.20-90-51. Nursing faculty

(a) The faculty and administrator must maintain an active R.N. licensure in Connecticut.

(b) Faculty Education and Experience

(1) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the administrator of the program shall be a registered nurse and shall have an earned advanced degree in nursing, teaching experience in a program in nursing, and administrative experience.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, nurse faculty members in programs preparing registered nurses shall have earned advanced degrees in nursing and shall have appropriate nursing education or experience in their teaching area(s).

(3) Nurse faculty members in programs preparing practical nurses shall have earned baccalaureate and master's degrees, one of which shall be in nursing, and shall have appropriate nursing education or experience in their teaching area(s) except:

(A) faculty who meet the requirement in subsection (c) of this section; or

(B) faculty members who do not have an earned master's degree must complete a master's degree within four (4) years of hire, but shall hold a minimum of an earned baccalaureate degree in nursing upon hire and shall have three (3) years of clinical experience in nursing; and

(C) faculty members in nursing education programs requiring state teacher certification will have an additional two (2) years to complete the master's degree.

(c) Grandfathering

(1) Any faculty member or program administrator employed by a nursing education program approved by the board who was employed as such on the effective date of this section, shall be determined to have met the educational degree requirements in subsection (b) of this section provided such person holds the minimum of an earned master's degree.

(2) This provision shall apply even if the individual changes his or her place of employment provided that such individual remains employed in a faculty or administrative capacity in a nursing education program approved by the board.

(d) Temporary Waiver

(1) The board, in its discretion, may grant a temporary waiver of the educational requirements of subdivision (b)(2) or (b)(3) of this section to address emergency situations. Such waiver shall be granted for an individual up to a maximum of two years. Emergency situations include but are not limited to:

(A) the discharge or unexpected resignation of a faculty member;

(B) the death of a faculty member or extended illness of a faculty member that prevents the performance of teaching or clinical responsibilities;

(C) the inability to obtain faculty who satisfy the requirements of sections 20-90-45 to 20-90-56, inclusive, of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, even after advertising for faculty qualified as provided in subsection (b) of this section.

(2) In evaluating an application for a temporary waiver requested by a nursing education program, the board may consider the following:

(A) Whether the program demonstrates an acceptable level of graduates' performance as defined in subsection 20-90-47(b) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies; and

(B) Whether the faculty member to be hired possesses qualifications which include:

(i) competence and experience as a registered nurse in the clinical area in which the faculty member will be teaching;

(ii) a bachelor of science degree in nursing; and

(iii) matriculation in a master of science in nursing program.

(3) No waiver shall be granted unless at least 90% of full and part-time faculty members are in compliance with subsection (b), (c) or (e) of this section.

(4) A temporary waiver may be renewed if deemed appropriate by the board, based on consideration of the conditions in subdivisions (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection, except that no waiver shall be renewed unless the faculty member is matriculated in a master of science in nursing program.

(e) Permanent Waiver

(1) The board, in its discretion, may grant a permanent individual waiver of subsection (b)(2) of this section for faculty holding an advanced degree in a field other than nursing.

(2) In evaluating a request by a nursing education program for a permanent waiver, the board shall consider the appropriateness of the advanced degree for the particular course work the faculty member engages in.

(f) Preceptors used to guide and direct advanced levels of students in registered nursing education programs shall hold an active license as a registered nurse in Connecticut or in the state in which precepting occurs, a baccalaureate degree in nursing, and a minimum of two (2) years of experience in the role or specialty being experienced by the student.

(Effective December 30, 1994; Amended May 4, 2004)