CURRENT SITUATION:

Nursing Education Consultants (NEC) Leslie Moody and Miyo Minato conducted a visit to the National University, Los Angeles campus on December 16, 2010. Current enrollment at the campus totals 73 students: 15 in Cohort 1 (graduation 12/2010); 19 in cohort 2 (graduation 8/2011); 20 in Cohort 3 (graduation 2/2012); 19 in Cohort 4 (graduation 8/2012). There are currently 26 faculty assigned to the LA campus: 3 full-time, one of which has been serving as the assistant program director; 23 part-time. Meetings were held with the program administration, faculty and students, and a tour was made of the physical plant. Findings of concern at this campus of the program were similar to those at the Fresno campus regarding faculty qualifications and assignments, faculty responsibility for the curriculum, student participation and program evaluation. Additional areas of concern identified are

clerical/administrative support for the program and student requests for additional physical library resources.

Mary Kracun, PhD, RN is the Chair and director of the program but will be leaving that position effective January 3, 2011 at which time Dr. Mary McHugh will assume the position of program director. Ms Jocelyn Corrao is currently assigned as the LA campus assistant program director.

In discussions with Dr. Kracun, Dr. McHugh and Ms Jocelyn Corrao, it was identified that the nursing program administration and faculty have one administrative/clerical staff person that is shared with the school’s health sciences division (for the San Diego, LA and Fresno sites), resulting in very little dedicated time to serve the nursing program’s main campus and two satellite campuses. This one support staff is located at the main San Diego campus which is a barrier to provision of support to students and faculty at the extended campus sites in Los Angeles and Fresno. There is inadequate clerical/administrative support staff for the program to allow the director and assistant directors to perform their duties of program oversight and delivery.

The faculty roster of qualifications and assignments was reviewed. It was found that the faculty member currently assigned as the assistant program director was not approved by the BRN and does not meet the qualifications to serve in this designation. Of the 26 total faculty members, 11 faculty (2 full-time and 9 part-time) had been teaching courses for which they did not meet the qualifications requirements. The program director advises that the school has authorized hiring of additional faculty. Existing full-time faculty are inadequate in numbers and qualifications to effectively deliver the program.

A tour of the physical plant revealed adequate classroom, lab and office space to accommodate the needs of the program. Students are provided wi-fi access in all locations in the building and have a lounge area that offers space for study and interaction. The school has plans underway to begin construction on new office spaces for nursing program administration and faculty, and two additional lab spaces for simulation. This is planned to be completed by the end of February.

Twenty-six students attended the meeting with NECs. The students expressed overall satisfaction with clinical experiences, online library resources, computer lab and printing access, and faculty accessibility for support and academic problem-solving. They expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of open access skills lab time, lack of access to print resource material, lack of congruency between lecture materials and test items, lack of preparedness of some faculty, frequent last-minute changes of course meeting times, occasional lack of service from the campus’ financial aid staff. Students relate they are not invited to participate in program meetings and do not have the opportunity to give input into program

evaluation other than completing and submitting individual written course evaluations, and have no mechanism or opportunity to contribute to program or curriculum revision decisions.

Two faculty, one full-time and one part-time attended the scheduled meeting with NECs. They related that faculty generally did not have input into curriculum development, review or revision. Part-time faculty are not invited to faculty meetings. Full-time faculty attend two general meetings each year that are overall university gatherings and are not specifically focused on nursing program needs. Faculty are not provided program evaluation data for review and consideration as a step in program evaluation. There is no organized orientation for new faculty and there has been no faculty participation in regular meetings with clinical partners, making clinical placement assignments difficult. Faculty report there are often disconnects between theory and the associated clinical experience due to lack of coordination between the faculty. Part-time faculty are not compensated for time spent on course prep, student counseling, orientation or meetings which affects their willingness to participate and impacts the continuity of content delivery and coordination. Faculty additionally relate that there is no open lab skills time resulting in students being ill-prepared for clinical experiences. Students must make a special one-on-one appointment if they wish to access the lab for skills practice.

CONCLUSIONS:

Similar to the findings of non-compliance at the August visit to the Fresno campus of this San-Diego based program, the program is not in compliance with the following:

- Section 1424(b) The registered nurse assistant director shall meet the education requirements set forth in subsections (b)(1)

o The assigned assistant program director does not meet the qualifications

- Section 1424(d) The program shall have sufficient resources, including faculty, library, staff and support services, physical space and equipment including technology to achieve the program’s objectives.

o Print library resources are not available to meet student needs.

o Students do not have adequate access to the skills lab to practice skills.

o There is inadequate administrative/clerical support for the program’s administration and faculty support needs.

o There are inadequate faculty resources to provide for effective coordination and delivery of the program.

- Section 1425. All faculty, the director, and the assistant director shall be approved by the board pursuant to the document “Faculty Qualifications and Changes Explanation of CCR 1425.

o Faculty have been assigned to teach courses and to the role of assistant program director without meeting the qualifications or obtaining the approval of the board.

- Section 1425.1(A) Each faculty member shall assume responsibility and accountability for instruction, evaluation of students, and planning and implementing curriculum content.

o Faculty do not have responsibility for planning and implementing curriculum content. - Section 1425.1(b) Each faculty member shall participate in an orientation program, including,

but not limited to, the program’s curriculum, policies and procedures, strategies for teaching, and student supervision and evaluation.

o Faculty do not receive an orientation.

- Section 1428. Students shall be provided opportunity to participate with the faculty in the identification of policies and procedures related to students including but not limited to: (a) Philosophy and objectives; (b) Learning experience; and (c) Curriculum, instruction, and evaluation of the various aspects of the program including clinical facilities.

o Students are not invited to faculty meetings and do not have an established venue of participation in program review.

These areas of concern were reviewed with the program director. NECs advised that these issues need to be resolved without delay and a progress report reflecting complete implementation of all corrective actions for the program at all locations should be submitted no later than January 31, 2011.

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Mary L. McHugh, PhD, RN Director, Department of Nursing

National University

Report to the California Board of Registered Nursing January 31, 2011

In visits to National’s Fresno campus on December 8, 2010 and the LA Campus on December 8, 2011, the BRN Consultants found six (6) deficiencies in the National Nursing Program. There were deficiencies in resources, number and type of faculty, faculty qualifications, faculty

responsibilities, student participation, and clinical performance evaluation. This report addresses the deficiencies identified by the BRN Consultants and the steps that have been taken since Dr. Mary McHugh assumed the role of Director of Nursing at National University on November 30, 2010.

DEFICIENCY 1