90-171.38. Standards for nursing programs.

(a) A nursing program may be operated under the authority of a general hospital, or an approved post-secondary educational institution. The Board shall establish, revise, or repeal standards for nursing programs. These standards shall specify program requirements, curricula, faculty, students, facilities, resources, administration, and describe the approval process. Any institution desiring to establish a nursing program shall apply to the Board and submit satisfactory evidence that it will meet the standards established by the Board. Those standards shall be designed to ensure that graduates of those programs have the education necessary to safely and competently practice nursing.

(b) Any individual, organization, association, corporation, or institution may establish a program for the purpose of training or educating any registered nurse licensed under G.S. 90-171.30, 90-171.32, or 90-171.33 in the skills, procedures, and techniques necessary to conduct examinations for the purpose of collecting evidence from the victims of first-degree forcible rape as defined in G.S. 14-27.21, second-degree forcible rape as defined in G.S. 14-27.22, statutory rape of a child by an adult as defined in G.S. 14-27.23, first-degree statutory rape as defined in G.S. 14-27.24, statutory rape of a person who is 15 years of age or younger as defined in G.S. 14-27.25, first-degree forcible sexual offense as defined in G.S. 14-27.26, second-degree forcible sexual offense as defined in G.S. 14-27.27, statutory sexual offense with a child by an adult as defined in G.S. 14-27.28, first-degree statutory sexual offense as defined in G.S. 14-27.29, statutory sexual offense with a person who is 15 years of age or younger as defined in G.S. 14-27.30, attempted first-degree or second-degree forcible rape, attempted first-degree statutory rape, attempted first-degree or second-degree forcible sexual offense, or attempted first-degree statutory sexual offense. The Board, pursuant to G.S. 90-171.23(b)(14), shall establish, revise, or repeal standards for any such program. Any individual, organization, association, corporation, or institution which desires to establish a program under this subsection shall apply to the Board and submit satisfactory evidence that it will meet the standards prescribed by the Board.