Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

r . EA. RNEX- GENERAL ~FTEXAS Mrs. Marjorie Taber Ogle Opinion No. M-738 Executive Secretary Board of Vocational Nurse Be: May persons such as Examiners military hospital corpsmen, 1008 Sam Houston Building who complete nursing courses Austin, Texas 78701 which are not accredited by State Boards of Nursing, receive credit for such training or be offered advanced standing examina- tions toward a license as a vocational nurse, under Article 4528~. V.C.S. Dear Mrs. Ogle: In requesting the opinion of this office, you have provided the following information: "We receive numerous requests from military hospital corpsmen, and others who,,completed nursing courses in programs which were not accredited by state boards of nursing, who desire application of credit toward either enrollment in an approved school of vocational nursing or for licensing examination. "The Vocational Nurse Act, Article 4528~ of Vernon's Civil Statutes, Section 5a. requires duration of enrollment of not less than twelve (12) months in an accredited school of vocational nursing for eli- gibility for licensing examination. "The Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners would like to know whether schools of vocational nursing could be permitted to offer advanced standing examinations -3392- . l Mrs. Marjorie Taber Ogle, page 2 (M-738) (challenging courses). If successful, could credit be applied toward fulfillment of curriculum requirements to the extent of graduation without an actual 12 months time spent in the school? May the Board accept such graduation for licensing examination?" Among the requirements for admission to the license examination is the following, from Section 5(a), Article 4528c, Vernon's Civil Statutes: > ...and has completed an accredited course of not less than twelve (12) months in an accredited school for training Vocational Nurses. An accredited school as used herein shall mean one accredited by the Board." The Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners has the duty of prescribing, surveying and accrediting courses of study for individual schools of vocational nursing. Such curricula must, according to statute, be based upon a twelve-month period. We cannot say that in all cases a twelve-month curriculum must result in a student spending precisely twelve months at his or her studies. We view it as being perfectly possible for an industrious,and capable student to double up on courses or laboratory work, and thus complete an entire twelve-month curriculum in less than twelve months time, if the curriculum offered by the school and approved by the Board is structured so as to permit such acceleration. If a school desires to offer advanced standing examinations to persons with some prior training, and the Board determines that the basis upon which such examinations are offered properly merges with the requirement for a twelve-month curriculum, it is our view that there would be no violation of either the letter or the spirit of the statute. The key fact is that the individual must clearly demonstrate his educational level in a manner sufficient to qualify him for a certificate of graduation from the school of vocational nursing. Normal procedure will find the great majority of students following the, customary steps in the curriculum, but we find nothing improper in permitting particularly qualified individuals to shorten the time period necessary for graduation. -3393- / . Mrs. Marjorie Taber Ogle, page 3 (M-738) We do not believe that the Board could properly authorize the granting of credit for course work completed at a non- accredited school of nursing, no matter what the reason for such non-accreditation may be. It is our opinion that any edu- cational experience so acquired may be utilized only through advanced standing examinations, if such examinations are acceptable to the Board in the exercise of its sound discretion in approving individual school curricula. The possession of a certificate of graduations from an accredit school of vocational nursing entitles an individual to admission to the licensing examination conducted by the State Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners. SUMMARY The Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners has the power to accredit schools of vocational nursing that offer advanced standing examinations to persons who can demonstrate experie,nc,eand qualification for such truly yours, n C. MARTIN General of Texas Prepared by Malcolm Quick Assistant Attorney General APPROVED: OPINION COMMITTEE Kerns Taylor, Chairman W. E. Allen, Co-Chairman Robert Davis Joe K. Longley David Longoria Sarah Phillips EEADE F. GRIFFIN Staff Legal Assistant -3394- F L Mrs. Marjorie Taber Ogle, page 4 (M-738) ALFRED WALKER Executive Assistant NOLA WHITE First Assistant -3395-