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 continuing‑education documentation at renewal or have providers upload it on the nurse’s behalf; staff emphasized the nurse remains responsible for ensuring compliance. The item was approved for publication and public comment; staff said the system must be operational by Sept. 1, 2026 and that further operational details and vendor selection remain pending.

Board members received the agency’s fiscal 2025 highlights and enforcement update. Executive Director Kristen Benton said the agency’s licensed population is approaching 581,000 and that the agency closed thousands of enforcement matters tied to Operation Nightingale: "a summary of the actions leading to closure of a 179 cases now includes 18 denials of licensure, 68 licensure inactivation agreements, 8 default revocations, 27 proposals for decision, and 58 voluntary surrenders of licensure," Benton said, underscoring the scale of recent enforcement work and the continuing collaboration with the Attorney General’s office.

The board heard detailed education‑pipeline presentations. University and program leaders from UTPB described curricular revisions, a part‑time program director appointment and donor‑funded scholarships that have supported a recent rise in pass rates. Cisco College described a dual‑credit vocational nursing track with local hospital partnership and community funding that covered student costs; Cisco reported four early cohorts with strong outcomes and said its first graduating high‑school cohort achieved a 100 percent vocational‑licensure pass rate.

Britney Majewski, program director for the Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses, presented quarterly metrics: TPAP recorded 130 referrals in the reporting quarter (goal 150), 39 participation agreements signed, and after an internal audit reported 93 active peer‑support partners and 161 pairings of participants with peer partners. Majewski said outreach to employers and an employer workshop are planned to increase hiring pathways for participants.

During open forum, Simon Phillip, an RN and U.S. veteran, urged the board to repeal or revise Texas Board of Nursing rule 221.4, which requires applicants who delay licensure more than 24 months after graduation to complete 400 hours of supervised clinical practice in Texas before obtaining licensure. Phillip said the rule can prevent qualified nurses and APRNs who delayed sitting for certification exams from finding paid supervised roles needed to meet the requirement. The board acknowledged the concern and directed staff follow‑up; no immediate rule change occurred.

The board also approved the consent agenda (with one recusal): it approved the Howard College Big Springs vocational nursing program report after Ken Johnson recused himself because of an employment conflict.

The meeting closed after a budget and legislative‑process briefing showing the board’s biennial appropriations (~$17.3 million per fiscal year, cap 156.7 FTEs) and describing the LBB timeline for the next Legislative Appropriations Request.

Votes at a glance - University of Texas Permian Basin (BSN program): motion to change from conditional to full approval carried (mover: Ken Johnson; second: Maisie Jamieson; continuing monitoring required). - Adoption of telemedicine amendments (22 TAC §217.24): motion carried (mover: Mary Grace Landrum); staff authorized to publish summary of comments and responses. - Proposal of rule amendments to implement continuing‑education tracking (multiple 22 TAC sections per SB 912): board approved publication and public comment (mover: Rick Williams; request for public hearing noted). - Consent item 3.2.0.4.e Howard College, Big Springs VN program: motion carried; Ken Johnson recused.

Why it matters The UTPB approval affects workforce capacity in West Texas by allowing the program to admit students as a fully approved BSN program under the board's oversight, while the telemedicine and continuing‑education rule changes reflect near‑term regulatory shifts that will affect how nurses demonstrate compliance and how remote practice will be documented in Texas. Operation Nightingale enforcement activity remains a major driver of staff workload and of the board’s recent budget and staffing decisions.

What’s next Staff will publish rule materials for public comment, continue vendor evaluations for CE tracking, monitor UTPB’s two upcoming terms of outcome data, and follow up on the public comment concerning rule 221.4. The board’s next regular meeting agenda will include further LAR/budget planning and continuing rulemaking updates.