(1)(a) A nursing education program must be located in a postsecondary educational institution with approval from either the Washington state student achievement council or state board of technical and community colleges to grant the appropriate degree or certificate; and

(b) A nursing education program must be located in an institution accredited by a United States Department of Education approved regional accrediting body or national institutional accrediting body.

(2) All nursing education programs having received full commission approval on or before the effective date of this rule, must become accredited or achieve candidacy status granted by a national nursing education accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education on or before January 1, 2020.

(3) New nursing education programs receiving full commission approval after the effective date of this rule, must obtain national nursing education accreditation within four years of receiving full commission approval.

(4) The commission may take action as identified in WAC 246-840-557 against a nursing education program that does not maintain national nursing education accreditation status.

(5) Any nursing education program not having national nursing education accreditation must disclose to students in all publications describing the program that it lacks national nursing education accreditation and this may limit future educational and career options for the students.