Practical nursing programs; common curriculum, transferability to registered nursing programs.

Certain practical nursing programs; common curriculum; transferability to registered nursing programs. Requires the Virginia Community College System (the System), in consultation with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Board of Nursing, and representatives from both associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education and baccalaureate public institutions of higher education that offer nursing programs, to develop a common curriculum for practical nursing programs that shall be implemented at each comprehensive community college in the System that offers a practical nursing program. The bill requires such common curriculum, to the extent possible, to (i) align with the degree requirements for registered nursing programs offered at associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education and baccalaureate public institutions of higher education and (ii) be transferable to each registered nursing program offered at an associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education or a baccalaureate public institution of higher education. The bill (a) requires each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education and each baccalaureate public institution of higher education that offers a registered nursing degree program to participate in a practical nursing program to registered nursing program transfer agreement with the System that aligns with the practical nursing program common curriculum established pursuant to the bill and (b) permits any private institution of higher education that offers a registered nursing degree program to be consulted regarding and participate on a voluntary basis in such a transfer agreement. This bill was incorporated into SB 953.