OAR 851-021-0051: Exception Requests for Clinical Experiences Due to Unforeseen Circumstances

(1) A nursing education program may request an exception to OAR 851-021-0050(3) and (4) when unforeseen circumstances, such as a work stoppage affecting healthcare services, pandemic, natural disaster, or other extraordinary event, prevent students from obtaining greater than 25% of their scheduled clinical placements within an academic term. Routine or reasonably foreseeable difficulties in securing clinical placements are not a basis for requesting an exception. (2) Exception Request Requirements: (a) The nursing program administrator of the affected nursing program must submit a written exception request to the Board representative. (b) The written request must include the following: (A) A description of the unforeseen circumstance leading to the lack of clinical placements and the anticipated impact on student progression; (B) The anticipated duration of the circumstances, if known, and the dates of the academic term affected; (C) A breakdown of the types of clinical placements (cohorted or final practicum) affected, the number of students affected, the total clinical clock hours for the current academic term, and the total planned clinical hours for the program; and (D) A plan which outlines how students will meet course and program outcomes following substitutions in planned clinical experiences. Substitutions may include: mid-fidelity and high-fidelity simulation and virtual simulation. The plan must describe the following: (i) Any changes in the use of simulation to meet educational requirements; (ii) Transition strategies to virtual learning platforms, if applicable; and (iii) Other course or programmatic strategies implemented to address the clinical placement gap. (3) The Board representative will review the exception request and will approve or deny the request based on the adequacy of the plan and compliance with this rule. Programs may not implement substitutions until receipt of approval. (4) Exceptions will be granted for no more than a single academic term. Programs may submit a new exception request if the unforeseen circumstances persist beyond the approved duration.