(a) Full-time nursing faculty members shall:

(1) Have a graduate degree with a major in nursing; have a bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing and be enrolled in a graduate degree program with a major in nursing within one year of employment as a faculty member; or have a bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing and at least 10 years of direct patient care experience in nursing;

(2) Have evidence of current experience in nursing practice and education sufficient to demonstrate professional competence. For faculty with less than two years’ experience in education, the nursing program administrator will submit to the board mentoring and orientation plans as defined by board guidelines and function under the guidance of a faculty member fully qualified in the specific teaching area and professional competence; and

(3) Have credentials which verify status as a registered professional nurse in West Virginia.

(b) Part-time nursing faculty members shall:

(1) Have a graduate degree with a major in nursing; have a bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing and be enrolled in a graduate degree program with a major in nursing within one year of employment as a faculty member; or have a bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing and at least two years of direct patient care experience in nursing;

(2) Have evidence of current experience in nursing practice and education sufficient to demonstrate professional competence. For faculty with less than two years’ experience in education, the nursing program administrator will submit to the board mentoring and orientation plans as defined by board guidelines and function under the guidance of a faculty member fully qualified in the specific teaching area and professional competence; and

(3) Have credentials which verify status as a registered professional nurse in West Virginia.

(c) The board may grant an exception to the requirements in §30-7-5a(a) and §30-7-5a(b) of this code for faculty members who have qualifications other than those set forth in these subsections which are acceptable to the board.