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## EA. RNEX- GENERAL ~FTEXAS

Mrs. Marjorie Taber Ogle Executive Secretary Board ofVocational Nurse Examiners 1008 Sam Houston Building Austin, Texas 78701

Dear Mrs. Ogle: Opinion No. M-738 Be: May persons such as military hospital corpsmen, who complete nursing courses which are not accredited by State Boards ofNursing, receive credit for such training orbe offered advanced standing examinations toward a license as a vocational nurse, under Article 4528~. V.C.S.

In requesting the opinion of this office, you have provided the following information:

"Wereceive numerous requests frommilitary hospital corpsmen, and others who,,completednursing courses inprograms which were not accredited by state boards ofnursing, who desire application of credit toward either enrollment in an approved school ofvocational nursing or for licensing examination. "TheVocational NurseAct, Article 4528~ of Vernon's Civil Statutes, Section 5a. requires duration of enrollment of not less than twelve (12)months in an accredited school ofvocational nursing for eligibility for licensing examination. "TheBoard ofVocational Nurse Examiners would like toknow whether schools ofvocational nursing could be permitted to offer advanced standing examinations

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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: >

...andhas completed an accredited course of not less than twelve (12)months in an accredited school for training Vocational Nurses. An accredited school asused herein shall mean one accredited by the Board." The Board ofVocational Nurse Examiners has the duty of prescribing, surveying and accrediting courses of study for individual schools ofvocational nursing. Such curricula must, according to statute, be based upon a twelve-month period. We cannot say that inall cases a twelve-month curriculum must result ina student spending precisely twelve months at his orher studies. We view itasbeing 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 topermit such acceleration. If a school desires to offer advanced standing examinations topersons with someprior 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 ourview that therewould be noviolation of either the letter or the spirit of the statute. The key fact is that the individual must clearly demonstrate his educational level inamanner sufficient toqualify him for a certificate of graduation from the school ofvocational nursing. Normal procedure will find thegreat majority of students following the,customary steps in the curriculum, but we find nothing improper inpermitting particularly qualified individuals to shorten the timeperiod necessary forgraduation.

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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 anonaccredited school ofnursing, nomatter what the reason for such non-accreditation may be. It isour opinion that any educational experience so acquired may be utilized only through advanced standing examinations, if such examinations are acceptable to theBoard in the exercise of its sound discretion inapproving individual school curricula. The possession of a certificate of graduationsfrom an accredit school of vocational nursing entitles an individual to admission to the licensing examination conducted by the State Board ofVocational Nurse Examiners. SUMMARY The Board ofVocational Nurse Examiners has thepower to accredit schools ofvocational nursing that offer advanced standing examinations topersons who can demonstrate experie,nc,e and qualification for such truly yours, n

C.MARTIN General ofTexas Prepared byMalcolm 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-Mrs. Marjorie Taber Ogle, page 4

ALFRED WALKER Executive Assistant NOLAWHITE FirstAssistant F L

(M-738)

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