OAR 851-061-0090: Standards for Program Approval: Curricula

(1) Nursing assistant and medication aide education programs must use Board-approved curricula. The Board-approved curriculum for n ursing assistant education is found in Curriculum Content for Assistant Education Programs (approved 02/20/2025; effective 07/01/2025). The Board-approved curriculum for medication aide education program is found in Curriculum Content for Medication Aide Education Programs (approved 02/20/2025; effective 07/01/2025). (2) A nursing assistant education program must consist of at least 105 hours divided into: (a) At least 37 hours of classroom instruction, which may be provided via a live virtual platform; (b) At least 28 hours of supervised laboratory instruction with return student demonstrations of learned skills to determine comprehension and competency, in addition to facility orientation, preceding the students' care of clients; and (c) At least 40 hours of supervised clinical experience during which the student has the opportunity to perform the skills taught in the Board-approved nursing assistant curriculum. The supervised clinical experience must occur in a hospital, licensed nursing facility, licensed residential care facility, or licensed assisted living facility. An RN must be on duty during all scheduled supervised clinical experience hours. (3) An on-line nursing assistant education program must consist of at least 105 hours divided into: (a) At least the equivalent of 37 hours of the on-line didactic portion of the curriculum according to the nationally recognized standard of content to credit ratio; (b) At least 28 hours of supervised laboratory instruction provided no later than two weeks after the successful completion of the on-line portion of the curriculum. The laboratory portion of the program must include return student demonstration of learned skills to determine comprehension and competency, in addition to facility orientation, preceding the students’ care of clients; (c) At least 40 hours of supervised clinical experience during which the student has the opportunity to perform the skills taught in the Board-approved nursing assistant curriculum. The supervised clinical experience must occur in a hospital, licensed nursing facility, licensed residential care facility, or licensed assisted living facility. An RN must be on duty during all scheduled supervised clinical experience hours; (d) Ongoing technical support services to sustain the electronically offered program including provisions for staffing, reliability, privacy, and security; and (e) Ongoing technical support services for students on each required educational technology hardware, software, and delivery system. (4) Medication aide education program must consist of at least 80 hours divided into: (a) At least 45 hours of didactic, which may be provided via a live virtual platform; (b) At least 11 hours of supervised laboratory instruction with return student demonstrations of learned skills to determine comprehension and competency, in addition to facility orientation, preceding the students' care of clients; and (c) At least 24 hours of 1:1 supervised clinical experience during which the student has the opportunity to perform the skills taught in the Board-approved medication aide curriculum. The supervised clinical experience must occur in a hospital, licensed nursing facility, licensed residential care facility, or licensed assisted living facility. An RN must be on duty during all scheduled supervised clinical experience hours; and (d) All required clinical hours must be in medication administration related activities. (5) Admission requirements for medication aide education programs must be: (a) Current, CNA status on the Oregon CNA Registry maintained by the Board; (b) Documentation of graduation from an approved basic nursing assistant education program at least six months prior to enrollment in the medication aide education program; and (c) Documentation of at least six months full time experience as a nursing assistant or the equivalent in part time experience since graduation from a basic nursing assistant education program. (6) An on-line medication aide education program must consist of at least 80 hours divided into: (a) At least the equivalent of 45 hours of the on-line didactic portion of the curriculum according to the nationally recognized standard of content to credit ratio; (b) At least 11 hours of supervised laboratory instruction provided no later than two weeks after the successful completion of the on-line portion of the curriculum. The laboratory portion of the program must include return student demonstration of learned skills to determine comprehension and competency, in addition to facility orientation, preceding the students’ care of clients; (c) At least 24 hours of 1:1 supervised clinical experience during which the student has the opportunity to perform the skills taught in the Board-approved medication aide curriculum. The supervised clinical experience must occur in a hospital, licensed nursing facility, licensed residential care facility, or licensed assisted living facility. An RN must be on duty during all scheduled supervised clinical experience hours ; (d) All required clinical hours must be in medication adminsitration related activities; (e) Ongoing technical support services to sustain the electronically offered program including provisions for staffing, reliability, privacy, and security; and (f) Ongoing technical support services for students on each required educational technology hardware, software, and delivery system. (7) Classroom and clinical faculty to student ratios for nursing assistant and medication aide education programs: (a) Classroom: (A) The ratio of students per Board-approved faculty in the classroom must be such that each trainee is provided with RN assistance and supervision and be no more than 30 students per instructor for nursing assistant and medication aide education programs. (B) The amount of students assigned per Board-approved faculty with self-directed, on-line instruction must be such that each student is provided with consultation and additional clarification by Board-approved faculty within 72 hours of a student’s inquiry. (C) The ratio of students per Board-approved faculty with faculty-directed, on-line instruction must be such that each student is provided with consultation and additional clarification by Board-approved faculty within 72 hours of a student’s inquiry, and the class size must be no more than 30 students per Board-approved faculty per on-line classroom. (b) Lab: The ratio of students per Board-approved faculty in nursing assistant and medication aide education programs must be no more than 10 students per Board-approved faculty at all times during the lab experience. (c) Clinical: (A) The ratio of students per Board-approved faculty in a nursing assistant education program must be no more than ten students per Board-approved faculty at all times during the clinical experience. (B) The ratio of students per Board-approved faculty in a medication aide education program must begin with a ratio of one clinical teaching associate to one medication aide student during the first 24 hours of the clinical experience. Less intensive supervision (either more students per Board-approved faculty or less direct supervision by Board-approved faculty) may occur after the first 24 hours, with satisfactory evaluation and approval of the primary instructor and clinical teaching associate. (8) Clinical experience and demonstration of competency for nursing assistant and medication aide education programs: (a) A clinical schedule must be prepared by program faculty for all students prior to the course start date, and provided to the clinical facility director of nursing, the clinical teaching associate, and the student. (b) Student practice and demonstration of competency for nursing assistant and medication aide education programs: (A) Students may provide direct client care within their authorized duties under the supervision of a Board-approved faculty member. (B) Students must be identified as students at all times while in the clinical area. (C) Students must not be counted as staff or utilized as staff during the hours that are scheduled for clinical experience. (D) Students may be on a unit, floor or wing of a facility only under direct supervision of a qualified faculty member. (E) Students must not be on a unit, floor, or wing without a CNA or licensed nurse. (F) Students must provide care only to the level they have been taught and determined competent by the approved clinical teaching associate. (c) In addition, for medication aide education programs, the clinical experience must be progressive with the Board-approved clinical teaching associate observing the medication administration and gradually increasing the number of clients to whom the student is administering medications; (9) Completion of a nursing assistant or medication aide education program means that: (a) The student has successfully completed 100% of the required classroom and clinical hours and content in the curriculum; (b) The student has successfully demonstrated the required skills on the laboratory and clinical skills checklist; (c) The student has achieved a score of 75% or higher on the program's final examination; (d) The student has successfully completed the clinical portion of the program no later than four months following the last date of classroom instruction or within four months after the successful completion of the on-line portion of the program; and (e) In addition, for nursing assistant education programs, the student has successfully completed current, adult CPR certification in accordance with Board-approved curriculum.