HOUSE BILL 103

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Eleanor Chavez

AN ACT

RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION; REQUIRING THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP A STATEWIDE NURSING PROGRAM.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of Chapter 21 NMSA is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] STATEWIDE NURSING PROGRAM.--

          A. The higher education department shall develop a statewide nursing program that shall be used by all public post-secondary educational institutions that offer a nursing program. The program shall provide for the following:

                (1) a common curriculum, including clinical education and the effective use of distance learning and simulation, including standard prerequisite and core courses required for the state nursing program;

                (2) shared use of nursing faculty among the public post-secondary educational institutions;

                (3) an articulation plan for dual credit among post-secondary educational institutions and between secondary schools and post-secondary educational institutions;

                (4) coordination and shared use of clinical sites;

                (5) allocation of credit hours and tuition when students take classes from multiple schools;

                (6) faculty workload and reimbursement when engaged with students from multiple institutions;

                (7) determination of student financial aid for students taking classes from multiple schools;

                (8) early entry into master's of science in nursing and nursing doctoral programs;

                (9) a compensation package and implementation plan to improve nursing faculty compensation;

                (10) funding allocation transparency in the higher education funding formula and other revenue sources; and

                (11) comprehensive data collection and analysis.

          B. The statewide nursing program shall be implemented at all public post-secondary educational institutions that offer nursing degrees by the fall semester of 2013."