SECTION 490:10-1-3. Requirements for initial licensure for nursing/skilled nursing facility (includes ICF/MR) administrator (also known as nursing home administrator)

(a)   In addition to the general requirements found in this Chapter, each applicant for initial licensure shall meet the requirements in this Section.

(b)   Each applicant shall provide, or shall cause to be provided, written evidence satisfactory to the Board of the following:

(1)   "Official Proof" [see 490:10-3-1.1. (relating to evidence requirements)] of successful completion of a formal program or program(s) of study, wherein applicant received, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree:

(A)   applicant received a bachelor's degree from a college or university accredited by one of the regional accreditation organizations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Board if the applicant's degree is from a school domiciled in the United States; or

(B)   if the applicant received his degree from a college or university domiciled outside the United States [and, as such, the college/university does not fall under the accreditation purview of any of the six (6) regional accreditation organizations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and by the Board], applicant shall, at applicant's expense, cause a degree equivalency evaluation of his degree to be performed and the results sent directly to the Board. The Board shall assess the results of this degree equivalency evaluation and, at its sole discretion, determine if applicant's education and/or degree are equivalent, at a minimum, to a bachelor's degree earned from a regionally accredited college or university;

(2)   Receipt of a passing score on the national "NAB" NHA examination conducted by the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) as discussed in paragraph 10-3-2 of this document.

(3)   Receipt of a passing score on the Oklahoma State Standards examination within the twenty-four (24) months preceding the month in which the Board will be taking action to license the applicant, and if applicant is not licensed during this 24-month time period, applicant will have to pay all required fees and re-take the examination prior to any future licensing attempts;

(4)   Successful completion of Administrator University within the twenty-four (24) months preceding the month in which the Board will be taking action to license the applicant, and if applicant is not licensed during this 24-month time period, applicant will have to pay all required fees and re-take Administrator University prior to any future licensing attempts (if the candidate has a degree in long term care administration from an institution accredited by NAB, the Administrator University may be waived);

(5)   Successful completion of the Administrator-in-Training (AIT) program (or documentation of an equivalent internship as part of a degree in long term care from an institution accredited by NAB) within the twenty-four (24) months preceding the month in which the Board will be taking action to license the individual, and if applicant is not licensed during this 24-month time period, applicant will have to pay all required fees and complete another AIT program prior to any future licensing attempts; and

(6)   Payment of the required fee(s).

(7)   An applicant with the HSE credential/qualification will have been verified through/by NAB. This means the Board has been assured by NAB that the applicant has:

(A)   met or exceeded the minimum education requirement,

(B)   passed the NAB NHA exam as well as the NAB RCAL exam and NAB HCBS exam and

(C)   met or exceeded the requirement for AU and AIT, either by experience or education, and shall only be required to take and pass our State Standards examination and pay the required fees to be licensed as a NHA in Oklahoma.

(c)   The Board, at its sole discretion, may waive the Administrator University requirement and/or the Administrator-in-Training requirement if the applicant was previously licensed in Oklahoma as a long term care administrator, was in good standing with the Board while applicant was previously licensed in Oklahoma, and has been active in long term care for at least two (2) of the last five (5) years.

(d)   After the Board's staff has determined that all requirements for initial licensure have been met, an applicant may apply for a "temporary" license. The Executive Director may review and approve or disapprove issuance of a temporary license after an application has been made and additional licensure fees paid. An approved temporary license shall expire at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board when the application for licensure (no longer temporary) must be approved or disapproved by the Board.

[Source: Amended at 16 Ok Reg 2007, eff 7-1-99; Amended at 23 Ok Reg 1470, eff 7-1-06; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 1608, eff 7-1-07; Amended at 25 Ok Reg 2569, eff 7-11-08; Amended at 26 Ok Reg 2707, eff 7-25-09; Amended at 29 Ok Reg 1334, eff 7-1-12; Amended at 31 Ok Reg 2131, eff 9-12-14; Amended at 34 Ok Reg 1856, eff 9-11-17; Amended at 35 Ok Reg 1895, eff 10-1-18]