Bill > SB6267

This bill, concerning nursing education program standards, aims to streamline the accreditation process for nursing programs by preventing the state board from imposing standards beyond those required for national accreditation. Specifically, it clarifies that nursing education programs accredited by a national body do not need to create separate studies aligning their policies with the state board, as their accreditation self-studies and submitted documentation will suffice. The bill also states that if a program is required to produce findings, recommendations, or a corrective action plan for a national accreditor, they only need to provide those to the state board, without additional requirements from the board. For programs with a national council licensure examination pass rate below 80 percent, the board will offer technical assistance for their corrective action plans. Furthermore, the bill mandates expedited approval for new nursing program applications from institutions that already have approved and nationally accredited nursing programs. It also limits the certification requirement for simulation to only the simulation director and lead nurse educator, and allows for continued professional development for nurse educators only if funding or resources are available. The bill defines "national nursing education accreditation body" as an independent nonprofit entity approved by the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate nursing program quality, and "nursing education program" as a division within an educational institution preparing students for nursing practice.

Health and Social Services

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6267&Year=2025&Initiative=false