BILL NUMBER: AB 2344	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Nielsen

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2010

   An act to amend Section 2786 of the Business and Professions Code,
relating to nursing.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2344, as introduced, Nielsen. Nursing: approved schools.
   Existing law, the Nursing Practice Act, provides for the licensure
and regulation of registered nurses by the Board of Registered
Nursing. Existing law requires the board to prepare and maintain a
list of approved schools of nursing in this state and defines an
approved school of nursing as one that, among other requirements, is
an institution of higher education or is affiliated with an
institution of higher education. For purposes of this provision,
existing law specifies that the term "institution of higher education"
includes community colleges offering an associate degree.
   This bill would instead specify that the term "institution of
higher education" includes, but is not limited to, community colleges
and private postsecondary institutions offering an associate of arts
or associate of science degree.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 2786 of the Business and Professions Code is
amended to read:
   2786.  (a) An approved school of nursing is one  which
  that  has been approved by the board, gives the
course of instruction approved by the board, covering not less than
two academic years, is affiliated or conducted in connection with one
or more hospitals, and is an institution of higher education or is
affiliated with an institution of higher education. For purposes of
this section, "institution of higher education" includes  , but
is not limited to, community colleges offering an associate 
of arts or associate of science  degree  and private
postsecondary institutions offering an associate of arts or associate
of science degree  . An approved school of nursing 
which   that  is not an institution of higher
education shall make an agreement with an institution of higher
education in the same general location to grant an associate of arts
 or associate of science  degree to individuals who graduate
from the school of nursing or to grant a baccalaureate degree in
nursing with successful completion of an additional course of study
as approved by the board and the institution involved.
   (b) The board shall determine by regulation the required subjects
of instruction to be completed in an approved school of nursing for
licensure as a registered nurse and shall include the minimum units
of theory and clinical experience necessary to achieve essential
clinical competency at the entry level of the registered nurse. The
board's standards shall be designed to encourage all schools to
provide clinical instruction in all phases of the educational
process.
   (c) The board shall perform or cause to be performed an analysis
of the practice of the registered nurse no less than every five
years. Results of the analysis shall be utilized to assist in the
determination of the required subjects of instruction, validation of
the licensing examination, and assessment of the current practice of
nursing.