Texas Board of Nursing approves UTPB nursing program, adopts telemedicine rule changes and hears updates on Operation Nightingale and workforce pathways

The Texas Board of Nursing met Jan. 22 in Austin and approved several regulatory and program actions while hearing updates on enforcement work and nursing‑education innovations.

Board leaders voted to change the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) bachelor of science in nursing program from conditional to full approval after staff cited program improvements and a preliminary 2025 NCLEX pass rate that staff reported climbed to 88.61 percent from about 72.46 percent in 2024. Ken Johnson moved to change the program’s approval status and Maisie Jamieson seconded; the motion carried. Staff attached conditions for ongoing monitoring — the program director must provide data on student and faculty retention, attrition, program completion and licensure pass rates for the next two terms.

In rulemaking actions, the board adopted amendments to 22 Texas Administrative Code §217.24 related to telemedicine prescribing after staff incorporated stakeholder comments and removed prescriptive language deemed administratively unworkable. Dusty Johnston, general counsel, told the board staff had received an unusually large number of substantive comments and had proposed edits responsive to those concerns. The board voted to adopt the amendments and authorized publication of a summary of comments and responses.

The board also approved the proposal of multiple rule amendments to implement Senate Bill 912’s continuing‑education tracking requirement. The proposed changes would require nurses to upload…