(1) Nursing education programs preparing students for licensure as advanced registered nurse practitioners shall include content culminating in a graduate degree with a concentration in advanced nursing practice as defined in RCW 18.79.059, WAC 246-840-010(2), and 246-840-300.

(2) The nursing education program preparing students for licensure as advanced registered nurse practitioners shall have as its primary purpose the preparation of advanced practice nurses for roles as defined in WAC 246-840-300 and 246-840-302.

(3) Post-master's nursing education programs preparing nurses for licensure as advanced registered nurse practitioners shall teach all competencies designated for the ARNP role including clinical practice. Post-master's students must meet the same ARNP outcome competencies as master's advanced registered nurse practitioner students.

(4) The curriculum of the nursing education program preparing nurses for licensure as advanced registered nurse practitioners shall prepare the graduates to practice in one of the four ARNP roles: Certified registered nurse anesthetist, certified nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse practitioner. The curriculum must include:

(a) Clinical and didactic course work preparing the graduate to practice in the role of the ARNP consistent with the designation being sought for licensure;

(b) Advanced physiology/pathophysiology, including general principles applied across the life span;

(c) Advanced health assessment, including assessment of all human systems, advanced assessment techniques, concepts, and approaches;

(d) Diagnostic theory and management of health care problems including diseases representative of all systems;

(e) Advanced pharmacology, which includes pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacotherapeutics of all broad categories of agent, and pharmacological management of individual patients;

(f) Preparation providing a basic understanding of the principles for decision making in the identified ARNP role;

(g) Role preparation in one of the six population foci of practice, which includes family or individual across the life span, adult gerontology, neonatal, pediatrics, women's health gender-related, and psychiatric mental health;

(h) Advanced practice nursing core, including legal, ethical and professional responsibilities of the ARNP; and

(i) At least five hundred hours in direct patient care in the ARNP role with clinical preceptor supervision and faculty oversight.

(5) Advanced registered nurse practitioner nursing education programs preparing students for two population foci or combined nurse practitioner-clinical nurse specialist shall include content and clinical experience in both functional roles and population foci.

(6) Each student enrolled in an advanced registered nurse practitioner nursing education program shall have an active, unencumbered RN license in each state or United States territory where the clinical practice occurs.