The Kansas State Board of Nursing Education Committee voted to accept an unscheduled site visit report and place Donnelly Collegeregistered nurse and practical nurse programs on conditional approval and to halt new admissions for at least six months.

The action followed a presentation from Donnelly College leaders and discussion of a series of recommendations from the boardstaff site visit. Lauren Fish, director of nursing at Donnelly College, told the committee the school "is actively engaged in ... actions to, resolve and improve all of the areas of recommendation that KSPN has made to us." Dean Anna Maria and Donnelly President Monsignor Stewart Swetland described steps the college has taken to stabilize the program, including hiring an academic/admissions advisor, reactivating and updating simulation labs, training faculty on testing platforms and consolidating program assessment tools.

Why it matters: The committee cited gaps observed during the visit, including inconsistent clinical attendance documentation, incomplete faculty orientation materials, and deficiencies in program assessment and student support that the visiting team judged significant enough to warrant conditional status. The committee said the pause on admissions is intended to protect current students and allow Donnelly to complete required corrective work before recruiting new cohorts.

What the college told the committee: Donnelly representatives described multiple corrective actions already underway: rehiring and reorganizing staff, investing in building and IT upgrades, returning to the ATI testing/support platform, reactivating the simulation lab and scheduling dedicated summer professional-development time for faculty. Fish said the majority of students who missed clinical time were expected to complete required hours before graduation, though a few students would take incompletes and finish time in the next weeks.

Committee decision and next steps: The committee motion (recorded in the meeting transcript) directed that both RN and PN programs be placed on conditional approval, that admissions be ceased for at least six months, and that a follow-up site visit be completed before restarting admissions. The committee agreed to review progress at its June meeting and to require Donnelly to submit the assessment and remediation documentation described in the site visit report. The motion carried.

Program and student effects: Donnelly will remain available to allow currently enrolled students to complete requirements; the board clarified that the pause affects new admissions only. The committee asked Donnelly to provide a timeline and documented evidence of completed recommendations (organizational chart updates, faculty handbooks, ATI implementation, clinical documentation improvements and program-assessment work) for staff review before the June meeting.

Closing note: Donnelly officials said they would continue communications with students and clinical partners, including scheduled student meetings to explain changes and a "pep rally" to encourage students and outline supports. The committee asked staff to present DonnellyNCLEX-improvement and remediation plans at the June meeting.