HB 2509

Abstract

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that the Board of Nursing shall review and make a recommendation for the approval or disapproval of a program by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation based on, among other criteria, a measurement of program effectiveness based on a passage rate of all graduates over the 3 most recent calendar years without reference to first-time test takers. Provides that a graduate who does not take an examination for licensure within the first 90 days after graduation and a graduate who has failed the exam will be required to return to the institution of higher education for remediation prior to repeating or taking the exam. Provides that a graduate may retake the exam only after the institution of higher education provides approval once remediation has been successfully completed. Provides that institutional approval to retake expires 6 months after issuance of the approval to retake. Provides that a graduate with an expired approval is required to repeat the remediation and reapproval process. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that an applicant who graduates from a professional nursing program in the State on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act and does not take the licensure examination within 180 days after his or her degree is conferred by the institution of higher education or fails the licensure examination for a second time shall be required to demonstrate proof of completion of a National Council Licensure Examination preparatory class or a comparable examination preparatory program before taking a subsequent licensure examination or the graduate may return to the institution of higher education from which he or she graduated which shall provide remedial educational resources to the graduate at no cost to the graduate. Provides that such an applicant must contact the institution of higher education from which he or she graduated prior to retesting. Provides that such an applicant shall contact the institution of higher education from which he or she graduated prior to retesting. Provides that prior to September 1, 2026, no professional nursing program shall be placed on probationary status for failing to reach a passage rate of less than 75%.