Pre-Licensure Nursing Program Educator

Faculty Information

Faculty of non-accredited pre-licensure nursing programs must be approved by the BRN before teaching in a course that is designated to teach content in the following nursing content areas: geriatrics, medical-surgical, mental health/psychiatric nursing, obstetrics, and pediatrics.

Faculty must meet the direct care/clinical competence in each designated nursing area listed above which they plan to teach.
Each faculty member shall assume responsibility and accountability for instruction, evaluation of students, and planning and implementing curriculum content. This includes:
- Developing program goals and objectives.
- Participating in faculty orientation and periodic evaluations.
- Participating in curriculum planning; being cognizant of how content area taught fits into total curriculum plan.
- Scheduling time to meet with students for evaluation and counseling purposes.
- Assisting in development and being knowledgeable of program policies and procedures.
- Participating in planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating the nursing program.
- Facilitating consistent student participation in the program.
- Facilitating and ensuring individual/collective faculty compliance with specified regulations governing continuing approval of the program.

Faculty of any course in a pre-licensure nursing program that does not include instruction in the above designated content areas do not require a BRN faculty approval.

It is recommended that you become BRN approved even if you work at an accredited program. This allows for greater mobility between nursing programs and the ability to continue to teach if the program decides not to continue the optional accreditation.

Apply through your online BreEZe account to become a BRN approved faculty. Faculty will be responsible for renewing their nursing content area approvals every five years through the BRN.

There are three possible faculty approvals: Clinical Teaching Assistant (CTA), Assistant Instructor (AI), and Instructor (I); two administrative approvals: Assistant Director (AD) and Program Director (PD); and a Content Expert (CE) designation.

Once approved the faculty approval will show up on the BRN license verification site with your RN license.

Approved faculty can be remediated to become clinically competent in a new nursing area not previously approved in. Additionally, there are equivalencies that will be considered to meet the requirements for approval.

Clinical Teaching Assistant (CTA)

Active RN license.
One (1) year continuous, full-time or its equivalent experience in the designated nursing area within the previous five (5) years as an RN providing direct patient care.

This educator role requires supervision by an approved instructor, who has the final responsibility for students’ course grade and curriculum delivery. Supervision, however, does not require the Instructor to be physically present. While the CTA can participate in a manner similar to a guest lecturer, responsibility for the design and administration of the course lies with the Instructor of record. The CTA cannot have any responsibility for classroom instruction. They must participate with an approved instructor; can act as a co-teacher; cannot ‘own’ any student group or class; can provide input; can assist with teaching theory similarly to a guest lecturer; and can assist with teaching clinical/skills. The CTA cannot be instructor of record.

Assistant Instructor (AI)

Active RN license.
One (1) year continuous, full-time or its equivalent experience in the designated nursing area within the previous five (5) years as an RN providing direct patient care OR one (1) academic year (2 semesters or 3 quarters) of registered nurse level clinical teaching experience providing direct patient care in the clinical facility.
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college which shall include courses in nursing, or in natural, behavior or social sciences relevant to nursing practice.

This educator role may teach in a classroom but may not take full responsibility for the course. Requires supervision by an approved Instructor, who has the final responsibility for students’ course grade and curriculum development and delivery. May not serve as content expert. May be assigned their own clinical group and be instructor of record of that clinical group when working with a lead instructor. Must be paired with a lead instructor for theory/clinical instruction, although this does not require the Instructor to be physically present.

Instructor (I)

Active RN license.
One (1) year continuous, full-time or its equivalent experience in the designated nursing area within the previous five (5) years as an RN providing direct patient care OR 1 (one) academic year (2 semesters or 3 quarters) of registered nurse level clinical teaching experience providing direct patient care in the clinical facility.
A master’s or higher degree from an accredited college or university which includes course work in nursing, education, or administration its equivalent that demonstrates clinical competency.
Completion of at least one (1) year of experience teaching courses related to registered nursing or completion of a post-baccalaureate course which includes practice in teaching registered nursing (if there is a practicum teaching RN student, practicum can be counted towards the one required year).

Assistant Director (AD)

Active RN license.
BRN approval does not require recent clinical competency for approval and maintenance. You must have experience working in direct patient care as a registered nurse full time for one (1) year in your work history.
A master's or higher degree from an accredited college or university which includes course work in nursing, education or administration.
Completion of two (2) years of teaching experience in a pre or post licensure registered nursing program or its equivalence.

Assistant Director is the registered nurse administrator that is designated by the director to assist in the administration of the program and perform the functions of the director when needed.

Program Director (PD)

Active RN license.
BRN approval does not require clinical competency for approval and maintenance. You must have experience working in direct patient care as a registered nurse full time for one (1) year in your work history.
A master's or higher degree from an accredited college or university which includes course work in nursing, education or administration.
Completion of two (2) years teaching experience in a pre or post licensure registered nursing program or its equivalence.
One (1) year serving as an Assistant Director or Administrator, or its equivalence with validated performance of administrative responsibilities.

Director is the registered nurse administrator who has the authority and responsibility to administer the program. The director coordinates and directs all activities in developing, implementing, and managing a nursing program, including its fiscal planning.

Director functions include the responsibility and authority to:

Develop and implement the program budget,
Plan, manage and evaluate all aspects of the program including, but not limited to:
- a. Faculty and staff,
- b. Curriculum development and implementation,
- c. Compliance with Board rules and regulations, and
Act as a student advocate.

Remediation

To teach in a new nursing/clinical area, the faculty member must be able to function at the level of a staff RN in the designated nursing area (Geriatrics, Medical-Surgical., Mental Health/Psychiatric Nursing, Obstetrics, or Pediatrics).

Plan to gain clinical competency for approved faculty:

The Program Director, in consultation with the content expert and faculty member being remediated, formulates a written remediation plan that includes:
- Specific measurable theory and clinical objectives sufficient to validate competency in the new content/clinical area(s)
- Specific plan of activities sufficient to validate theory/clinical competency
The program director may elect to send the assigned NEC a copy of the proposed remediation plan for comment prior to implementation (Optional).
The faculty member being remediated meets with the facility or agency representative or program’s content expert, or both, to implement the remediation plan.
Upon completion of the plan, the faculty member being remediated presents the director written verification from the RN preceptor or content expert, that the faculty member has demonstrated the competency level of a staff RN and met the theory and clinical objectives specified in the remediation plan.

Documents to submit to the BRN:

Remediation plan
Written letter of verification of competency

If the board accepts the remediation plan submitted, the board may approve the faculty to instruct in theory under the mentorship and supervision of the content expert identified in the plan for up to one year.

Equivalency

Equivalent experience and/or education, as determined by the board.

Experience

Direct patient care experience:

One (1) year continuous, full-time (or equivalent) experience providing direct patient care as a registered nurse in the designated nursing area
- The Board will accept 1 academic year of clinical teaching experience at a registered nurse level, therefore this one year’s continuous full-time equivalent can be equivalent to 2 semesters or 3 quarters if competency is established.
One (1) academic year (or equivalent) of registered nurse level clinical teaching experience providing direct patient care in the clinical facility in the designated nursing area that demonstrates clinical competency
- The Board will accept a remediation plan as described above to demonstrate clinical competency.

Teaching experience:

Completion of at least one (1) year experience teaching courses related to registered nursing.
- Pre- or post-licensure teaching experience in a registered nursing program such as associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degree in nursing. If the person does not have a BRN faculty approval to teach in specific nursing content areas the Board will accept teaching of other coursework within the prelicensure nursing program (e.g. dosage calculations, nursing theory, pharmacology, nursing leadership etc.) as long as the course includes teaching strategies, course outline and lesson plan development, evaluation, and practice teaching.
- Teaching experience can be demonstrated though validated nonacademic instruction of registered nurses as long as the teaching experience utilizes teaching strategies, course outlines and lesson plan development, evaluation, and practice teaching (ex. hospital educator).
Completion of a post-baccalaureate course which includes practice in teaching registered nursing.
- This is demonstrated by submitting a transcript showing successful completion of a course that includes practice in teaching registered nursing as well as the course description in the college or university catalog that confirms the course contains this practice in teaching (practicum).

Program Director Administrative responsibility:

One (1) year experience as an administrator with validated performance of administrative responsibilities consistent with the coordination and direction of all activities in developing, implementing, and managing a nursing program, including its fiscal planning.
- This can be demonstrated through a job description that shows administrative responsibility of a registered nursing education program, which includes diploma, associate, baccalaureate and post-licensure RN programs;
- This administrative responsibility can also be completed as a registered nurse administrator of a hospital professional nursing education services program as long as it encompasses development and implementation of education of registered nurses and fiscal planning/budget responsibilities. This can be demonstrated through a job description.

Content Expert (CE)

Each school must have at least one content expert in each area of nursing. This designation does not require BRN approval. This will be reviewed at any school inspection such as a regularly scheduled continuing approval visit.

A content expert has the responsibility to review and monitor the program’s entire curricular content for each designated nursing area (geriatrics, medical-surgical, mental health/psychiatric nursing, obstetrics, or pediatrics).

A content expert must be an approved Instructor with a master’s degree in the designated nursing area (e.g. a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner can meet the Content Expert Requirements for pediatrics without any additional requirements).

Lacking a master’s degree in the designated nursing area, this requirement can be met by completing one of the following two options:

Option 1:

30 hours of continuing education in the nursing content area OR completing 2 semester units or 3 quarter units of nursing education related to the designated nursing content area, AND
Two hundred forty (240) hours of clinical experience within the previous three (3) years in the designated nursing area OR have a minimum of one (1) academic ear of registered nurse level clinical teaching experience in the designated nursing area within the previous five (5) years.
- This is typically met through the Instructor’s recent direct patient care experience requirement.

Option 2:

Possession of a national certification in the designated nursing area from an accredited organization, such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), AND
Completing two hundred forty (240) hours of clinical experience within the previous three (3) years in the designated nursing area; or have a minimum of one (1) academic ear of registered nurse level clinical teaching experience in the designated nursing area within the previous five (5) years.
- This is typically met through the Instructor’s recent direct patient care experience requirement.