The Virginia Organization of Nurse Executives (VONE) applauds the Board of Nursing commitment to ensure our nursing programs prepare safe and competent clinicians.  We are concerned, however, that a minimum of 500 hours for clinical experience of pre-licensure students may not be sufficient to adequately prepare new graduates for entry into practice.  Of greater concern is the fear that college administrators will use the 500 minimum as a de-facto maximum and encourage schools to cut their clinical hours in the guise of “compliance” with Board regulations.  Hence, rather than being a minimum, the 500 hours would become the new maximum.   We would encourage the Board to re-consider and make its decision based on evidence that a 500 minimum is sufficient to prepare students for safe entry into practice.

VONE is also concerned about the increasing ratio of faculty to students for preceptor experiences—from the current 1:10 to 1: 15.   VONE feels, especially in the acute care environment, that increasing the faculty to student ratio from 1:10 to 1:15 would not adequately serve the students or the nursing staff.

 Patient safety may be placed at risk and without adequate supervision of nursing students, the risk is immediate.  Even preceptors need faculty back-up and support, and faculty may have difficulty circulating to meet the needs of 15 students.  

I appreciate the opportunity to provide comments on the regulations.  Thank you for your continued efforts to serve the Commonwealth.