Section 515.760  Trauma Nurse Specialist Program Plan

a)         TNS Education Program Sites

1)         TNS courses shall be conducted only by Illinois designated trauma centers that have been designated by the Department as TNS education course sites.

2)         The Department shall designate TNS education sites based upon regional needs, the educational capabilities of interested hospitals to provide advanced trauma education to nurses, and participation in an EMS System.

3)         The TNS Program Plan shall serve as a standard TNS program plan. The Department will approve program plans based on compliance with this section.

4)         The Chief Executive Officer of the hospital designated as a TNS education site shall appoint, and endorse in writing to the Department, a TNSCC to plan, coordinate, implement and evaluate the TNS course and TNS program activities, who meets the following requirements:

A)        Is an RN with an unencumbered license in the state in which they practice;

B)        Is employed by the TNS education site;

C)        Has at least three years of experience as an RN in an emergency department or critical care setting in a trauma center;

D)        Holds a certificate of TNS course completion issued by the Department as provided in this Section; and

E)        Has a minimum of 50 hours of teaching experience in emergency/critical care nursing courses.

b)         A TNS program plan shall contain the following information:

1)         The name and address of the TNS site hospital;

2)         The names, resumes, and contact information of the appointed TNSCCs;

3)         Current letters of commitment from the following persons at the TNS site hospital that describe the commitment of the writer and his or her office to the development and ongoing operation of the TNS program and that state the writer's understanding of and commitment to TNS program staffing and educational requirements:

A)        The Chief Executive Officer of the hospital; and

B)        The administrative representative responsible for the TNS program;

4)         A letter of commitment from the above administrator that describes the TNS site's agreement to:

A)        Be responsible for providing initial TNS education and CE based on region needs, including coordinating didactic and clinical experiences;

B)        Provide travel and meeting time and expenses; clerical support including access to the devices, equipment and software needed to be compliant with Section 5C of this part;

C)        Ensure that the Department has access to all TNS program records under the authority of the TNS site during any Department inspection, investigation or site survey;

D)        Notify the Department of any known changes in TNS personnel;

E)        Be responsible for the total management of the TNS program at that site and collaborative management of the TNS program with all TNSCCs and the Department; and

F)         Be responsible for compliance with the provisions of Section 515.750.

5)         The TNS program manual maintained at each TNS site shall include the following components:

A)        TNS Education Program

i)          Content and curricula of the TNS educational program including:

ii)         Entrance and completion requirements;

iii)        Program schedules;

iv)        Goals and objectives;

v)         Standardized subject areas – no additional elective subject material;

vi)        Didactic requirements, as defined in the TNSCC Course Guidelines;

vii)       Testing formats.

B)        TNS Initial Licensing Policy:

i)          Verification of candidate meeting all initial licensure requirements;

ii)         Availability of Department approved TNS initial licensure application form(s) as applicable;

iii)        Submission of TNS initial licensure application and approval to the Department;

C)        Renewal Policy

i)          Verify TNS license requirements for renewal (515.750);

ii)         Approval of educational and trauma related programs applicable toward relicensure requirements;

iii)        Approval of academic course work applicable toward relicensure requirements;

iv)        Availability of Department approved TNS licensure renewal application form(s) as applicable;

v)         Submission of TNS licensure renewal approval to the Department;

vi)        Availability of Department approved TNS licensure renewal application form(s) as applicable; and

vii)       Submission of TNS licensure renewal approval to the Department;

D)        TNS continuing education and information, including:

i)          Distribution of policy and procedure changes;

ii)         Locations of resource materials, forms, schedules, etc.

c)         The responsibilities of the TNSCC, per the TNSCC Guidelines include:

1)         Archive TNS initial and renewal license approval records, education records, including: curriculum, handouts, and participant information for minimum of 7 years;

2)         TNSCC members committee meeting attendance as per TNSCC Guidelines;

3)         Any change to the TNS program must receive Department approval prior to its implementation;

4)         Quality improvement measures for testing and education shall be performed on a semiannual basis and be available upon Department request;

d)         The responsibilities of the TNSCC members committee, as designated by the Department, include:

1)         Curriculum and exam development and maintenance;

2)         Creation and maintenance of the program policies and procedures;

3)         Planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating the TNS course;

4)         Planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating CE offerings applicable towards TNS license renewal;

5)         Quality improvement measures for testing and education shall be performed on a semiannual basis and be available upon Department request; and

6)         Any change to the TNS program or course curriculum must receive Department approval prior to its implementation.

e)         The Department may suspend or revoke a TNS Education Course Site designation for any course site not meeting the requirements set forth in this Section.

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 16159, effective November 1, 2024)