Nursing programs: clinical hours.

Existing law, the Nursing Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of the practice of nursing by the Board of Registered Nursing and requires an applicant for licensure to have completed a nursing program at a school of nursing that is approved by the board. Existing regulatory law requires the curriculum of a nursing program to include clinical practice hours and requires 75% of clinical hours in a course to be in direct patient care in a board-approved clinical setting. This bill would provide that, during a state or local emergency declared on the basis of epidemic or contagious disease, only 25 % of clinical hours would be required to be in direct patient care in a hospital or other board-approved setting and would authorize up to 75% of clinical hours to be satisfied by simulation training.