Ch. 603

LAWS OF MARYLAND

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That:

(1)  The Maryland Higher Education Commission and the
State Board of Nursing shall establish a task force that includes
representation of hospitals, nursing homes, and home care
agencies to investigate the feasibility of developing a 2-year
program leading to an Associate Degree in Nursing in which the
student is eligible to sit for the Licensed Practical Nursing
examination after the first calendar year and for the Registered
Nurse examination after the second year. creating a Licensed
Practical Nursing component within the Associate Degree of
Nursing Program that, if successfully completed, will satisfy the
requirements for taking the Licensed Practical Nursing
examination.

(2)  The Commission task force shall also investigate
the feasibility of awarding advanced credit standing to
unlicensed nursing care providers in college-based Licensed
Practical Nursing and Associate Degree Nursing programs, either
upon the completion of noncredit health care courses, through
demonstration of satisfactory levels of proficiency in subject
matter covered by noncredit health care courses, or in any other
way that is considered satisfactory by the Commission task force.

(3)  The Commission task force shall also investigate
the feasibility of establishing a program to assess, and
subsequently address, any educational deficiencies of existing
unlicensed nursing care providers to enable them to enter into
Licensed Practical Nurse and Registered Nurse education programs.

(4)  The Commission shall require task force, based on
its investigations, may recommend that community colleges
actively develop cooperative relationships with local health care
service facilities in order that unlicensed nursing care
providers employed in those facilities can have access to all
nursing education programs offered by the community colleges.

(5)  The Commission shall require task force, based on
its investigations, may recommend that community colleges
publicize the availability of nursing scholarships, the State
Loan Repayment Program, and existing educational articulation
agreements in order to encourage the supply of nurses into areas
of nursing shortage, to promote continuing education for nursing
professionals, and generally to promote recruitment into the
nursing profession.

(6)  The Commission task force shall report its
findings and make recommendations to the Legislative Policy
Committee, the Senate Economic and Environmental Affairs
Committee, and the House Constitutional and Administrative Law
Committee by September 1, 1989.

- 3654 -