AR HB1566

All practical nursing programs in Arkansas must adopt a statewide core curriculum of 44 credit hours by the 2029-2030 academic school year, developed by the Nurse Administrators of Nursing Education Programs as an advisory group to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.

A pilot program will begin in the 2025-2026 academic school year with a small group of practical nursing programs to test the core curriculum before statewide implementation.

Individual programs retain flexibility to determine the breakdown of didactic, laboratory, and clinical hours for each course, and may include additional standards for accreditation or institutional requirements.

Certified nurse aides and medication assistive persons will have two options to receive credit for prior learning without being required to take redundant coursework.

The Nurse Administrators of Nursing Education Programs and the Board of Nursing must identify implementation concerns and report to the General Assembly on any changes made based on the pilot year.