Meeting of the Board of Regents | October 2007

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:
FROM:	Frank Muñoz
SUBJECT:	Regents Permission to Operate in New York State: Yale University (Adult Advanced Practice Nursing Program)
DATE:	October 10, 2007
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goal 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

 

Should the Regents approve the proposed extension of permission to operate in New York State for Yale University?

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

 

Required by State statute.

 

Proposed Handling

 

This question will come before the Higher Education and Professional Practice Committee at its October meeting where it will be voted on and action taken.  It will then come before the full Board at its October meeting for final action.

 

Procedural History

 

Regents permission to operate in New York State is required by Section 224 of the Education Law which prohibits out-of-state colleges and universities from transacting business in New York without Regents permission.

 

Background Information

 

Yale University is seeking an extension of Regents permission to operate in New York State in order to place its students in health care agencies for supervised clinical experiences in its master’s degree program titled Adult Advanced Practice Nursing with clinical specializations in cardiovascular and oncology nursing, and nurse practitioner specializations in acute care and oncology.  Section 6908 of the Education Law restricts the practice of nursing to licensed persons or students enrolled in educational programs that the State Education Department has registered.  Each specialty program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).  The programs meet the standards for registration as set forth in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.

 

Recommendation

 

It is recommended that the Regents approve the proposed permission to operate effective October 23, 2007, to authorize Yale University to use clinical agencies in New York for clinical education of students in its Master of Science in Nursing degree programs.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

This approval will be effective until October 31, 2012.

 

 

INFORMATION IN SUPPORT OF RECOMMENDATION

 

              The Adult Advanced Practice Nursing program with clinical specializations in cardiovascular and oncology nursing and nurse practitioner specializations in acute care and oncology was initially registered in September 2002, with authorization to place five to six students a year for clinical experiences at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Mount Sinai Hospital.  The current request for extension of this authorization involves the placement of up to four nurse practitioner students and two clinical nurse specialist students at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Hospital or New York University Medical Center.  The acute care nurse practitioner student will complete 24 precepted clinical hours a week as part of an advanced specialty practicum course.  Two to three oncology nurse practitioner students will complete 12 hours a week of precepted clinical experiences as part of a clinical practicum course.  The clinical nurse specialist students will complete two specialty practicum courses, each consisting of 12 hours a week of precepted clinical experiences.  Each nurse practitioner student will be precepted by a nurse practitioner or physician with a practice in the appropriate specialty area.  Clinical nurse specialist students will be precepted by individuals with a minimum of a master’s degree in nursing and specialization in cardiovascular or oncology nursing.  Preceptors receive appointments as clinical faculty members and are responsible for completing a clinical evaluation for each student at the end of the clinical experience.  Seven Yale University School of Nursing faculty are involved in instructional activities.  Six of these faculty have master’s degrees in nursing, three are nurse practitioners and three are doctorally prepared.  The seventh faculty member is a physician.  Full-time Yale University School of Nursing faculty will be in contact with preceptors during the semester.  The full-time faculty will monitor students’ clinical practices through weekly clinical conferences. 

 

The cardiovascular and oncology clinical specialist programs require completion of 42 and 46 credits respectively, while the nurse practitioner programs in acute care and oncology require completion of 57 and 48 credits, respectively.  All students take core course work in physical assessment, pharmacology, pathophysiology, nursing research, statistics and nursing theory, and complete between 21 and 28 credits of course work in the area of specialization.  Graduates are eligible to become certified by national accrediting organizations as nurse practitioners or clinical nurse specialists.  The School of Nursing is accredited by both the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).

 

              Currently, Yale University has Regents permission to annually place in New York State up to two students in its Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner programs, as well as up to six students in the programs for which it is now seeking extension of permission.

 

              Like programs preparing practitioners in other professions, nurse practitioner programs typically use a large number of health facilities for students’ clinical experiences.  These facilities may be in several states.  Because of statutes like New York’s that restrict practice by students to those enrolled in state approved programs, institutions must undergo a variety of state review processes to assure lawful practice by students.  In New York, this entails receiving the Regents permission to operate and Department registration of the program so that a small number of students each year may practice in the State.

 

              Staff have determined that there would be no reduction in access to clinical experiences at cooperating facilities if authorization is granted.  Because of the limited nature of the University’s authorization to operate in New York State, it should have no effect on New York institutions.

 

              The Office of the Professions has determined that Yale University meets the standards for registration set forth in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.