(1) The commission may accept accreditation by a commission-recognized national nursing education accreditation body approved by the United States Department of Education as evidence of compliance with the standards of nursing education programs.

(a) The nursing education program shall submit to the commission a copy of any self-study submitted to the national nursing education accrediting body at the time the report is sent to the national nursing education accrediting body.

(b) The nursing education program shall submit to the commission within thirty days of receiving any report or accreditation letter from the national nursing education accreditation body to include, but not limited to: Continuous improvement progress reports, substantive change notification and accreditation action letters, site visit reports and program response letters, final site visit report and letter.

(c) The nursing education program shall submit notice of any change in program or institution accreditation status with the commission within thirty days of receipt of notice from the national accreditation body.

(d) Failure to submit notice of accreditation survey results within thirty days may result in a site visit or other sanctions as described in WAC 246-840-558.

(e) Programs holding approval based upon national nursing education accreditation must comply with WAC 246-840-511 through 246-840-556.

(f) The commission may grant approval for a continuing period, not to exceed ten years, to nursing education programs with maximum continuing national accreditation.

(g) If the nursing program is accredited for less than maximum accreditation, the program must provide the commission with a copy of the report and a plan of correction for the items of noncompliance within thirty days of receipt from the accreditation body. The commission may require an additional report regarding noncompliance, or may conduct a site visit.

(2) Programs not nationally accredited by a commission-recognized national nursing accreditation body are subject to a site visit made by representative(s) of the commission on dates mutually agreeable to the commission and the nursing education program.

(a) Prior to the site visit, a nursing education program shall submit a self-evaluation report at least thirty days before the visit providing evidence of compliance with the standards of nursing education as identified in WAC 246-840-511 through 246-840-556.

(b) Prior to commission consideration, a draft of the commission site visit report will be made available to the school for review for corrections in statistical data.

(c) Following the commission's review and decision, the commission will send the program nurse administrator, the president and vice president of instruction or provost written notification regarding approval of the program.