(1) Nursing education programs meeting the requirements of WAC 246-840-511 through 246-840-556 may be approved by the commission for a maximum of ten years.

(2) To ensure continuing compliance with nursing education standards, nursing education programs may be required to participate in self-studies, self-evaluations and commission site visits at various times in the approval cycle depending on program outcomes and complaints received by the commission and as deemed necessary by the commission.

(3) Any proposed substantive nursing education program change must be presented to the commission for approval at least three months prior to implementation.

(a) Substantive changes include the following:

(i) Changes in legal status, control, ownership, or resources of the institution;

(ii) Faculty numbers below the required staff for clinical as found in WAC 246-840-532 or clinical simulation sections identified in WAC 246-840-534 (1)(g);

(iii) Changes in faculty composition when their expertise or experiences are not adequate to teach those areas of nursing described in WAC 246-840-523, 246-840-539, 246-840-541, 246-840-542, 246-840-543, and 246-840-544;

(iv) Changes in the number of students admitted requiring one or more additional clinical or practice groups, or changing the required faculty to student ratios of 1:10 for prelicensure programs and 1:6 for nursing education programs preparing students for advanced practice registered nurse licensure; or

(v) Major curriculum revision or changes in the length of the program.

(A) Major curriculum revisions include:

(I) Changes in curricular delivery method;

(II) Changes in nursing model or conceptual framework;

(III) Changes in curriculum meaning or direction of the curriculum such as philosophy, program goals, program terminal objectives, course objectives and descriptions;

(IV) Changes in total program credits; or

(V) Addition or deletion of a satellite or extended campus.

(B) The following changes do not require commission approval:

(I) Movement of content from one course to another; or

(II) Formatting changes in syllabi.

(b) The nurse administrator of the program shall submit the following when requesting approval for substantive changes:

(i) A letter explaining the substantive change request;

(ii) The rationale for the proposed change and anticipated effect on the program including faculty workload, students, resources, clinical or practice experiences, and facilities;

(iii) A summary or grid that explains the difference between the current practice and proposed change;

(iv) A timeline for implementation of the change; and

(v) The methods of evaluation to be used to determine the effect of the change.

(4) The program shall submit annual reports on forms provided by the commission and on the date specified.