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Committee conditionally approves Samuel Merritt's Sacramento enrollment increase; requires proof no clinical displacement in Region 4
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Summary
The ELC recommended acceptance of Samuel Merritt University's Sacramento enrollment increase on the condition that the school provide documentation showing the clinical placements proposed in Region 4 would not displace existing programs; the motion passed after amendment.
The Board of Registered Nursing's Education and Licensing Committee voted to recommend acceptance of Samuel Merritt University's requested enrollment increases at its Sacramento campus, but only after amending the motion to require the university to submit documentation demonstrating that the additional clinical placements in Region 4 would not displace existing nursing programs.
Samuel Merritt asked to increase enrollment for its entry-level master (ELM) and accelerated (ABSN) programs by adding summer and additional cohorts so that Sacramento annual enrollment would rise by 72 students (24 for ELM and 48 for ABSN). School representatives, including Dr. Resch (program lead), told the committee they had identified clinical sites in Region 4, met with local hospitals and schools, and were prepared to place the new cohorts in that region. Dr. Resch said many of the Region 4 facilities expressed willingness to host students and that some prospective students already live in the valley.
Public comment included multiple program directors from Region 4 who raised concerns that clinical spots are limited and that adding cohorts from Samuel Merritt could displace established programs. Dr. Marla Seacrest (director, Stanislaus State nursing) told the committee she had not received direct outreach from Samuel Merritt and described an occasion in which her program was notified only one week before a semester that a hospital could not host its students. Dr. Jerry Nayan (Delta College director) opposed the request, saying the proposal added a substantial number of students to a region with tight clinical capacity.
Committee members discussed regulatory requirements: programs must confirm clinical-site arrangements and consider the impact of additional student groups on other nursing programs that already use the same facilities (16 CCR — 1427). BRN staff noted that clinical facilities can provide lists of other programs using their sites and that the BRN's annual clinical-data reporting process (by Dec. 31 each year) creates a further record of placements.
Given public comment and the potential for displacement, the committee amended the motion to require Samuel Merritt to submit documentation that the specific clinical facilities it plans to use for the 72 added students will not displace other programs. Committee members said that if the documentation shows displacement, the school would revert to its previously approved Sacramento enrollment; if the documentation demonstrates no displacement, the committee's recommendation will stand and be forwarded to the full board. The amended motion passed; committee members Jovita Dominguez, Dolores Trujillo and Tricia Winn voted yes.
