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Dismissal (Policy SON-16)

Download a Printable Version of Policy SON-16

Effective Date

Fall 2016

Last Revision Date

4/1/2022

Responsible Party

School of Nursing administration and faculty.

Scope and Audience

School of Nursing administration and faculty, students enrolled in the School of Nursing,

Additional Authority

BSU: Student Code of Conduct (Policy 2020), Academic Probation and Dismissal (Policy 3000), Registration and Transcript Holds (Policy 3200), CHS: Dismissal (Policy 315)

1. Policy Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide a process for addressing disruptive, unprofessional, or inappropriate student behavior including patterns of behaviors that are deemed to put patients/faculty/staff and/ or students at risk. The policy may also be utilized to address academic performance and will create clarity in expectations, ensure courtesy and fairness in program response, and give opportunities for students to learn from the consequences of their behavior as deemed appropriate by the School of Nursing.

2. Policy Statement

Students are expected to adhere to standards of conduct set forth in SON policies, the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics, the College of Health Sciences’ Shared Values, Boise State University’s Statement of Shared Values, and the Boise State University Student Code of Conduct. Violation of any of these standards within or outside of classes while in progression of the nursing program may be grounds for dismissal from the School of Nursing program, regardless of whether the violation occurs during a semester or during a break between semesters.

School of Nursing Dismissal Process

Dismissal from the School of Nursing may occur immediately for any breach of behavior covered above.

Step 1: The appropriate Primary Program Director upon learning of an alleged violation will:

  1. Request a fellow Program Director to serve as a Consulting Program Director.
  2. Notify the Consulting Program Director that a violation of professional behavior, SON policies, the standards of conduct set forth in the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics, the College of Health Sciences’ Shared Values, Boise State University’s Statement of Shared Values, or the Boise State University Student Code of Conduct has been reported.

Step 2: The Primary Program Director will:

  1. Gather information on the complaint/violation from appropriate persons.
  2. Convene a meeting with the Primary Program Director, student, and Consulting Program Director to provide the student an opportunity to discuss and present information responsive to the concerns as identified.
  3. The Program Director will confer with the Dean of Students office to arrange for an advocate for the student to attend the meeting. The student may bring a person of support (non-participant) to the meeting. 

Step 3: After hearing the student’s response to the concerns and considering any additional information or documents which the student or other appropriate persons may provide, the Primary and Consulting Program Directors will:

  1. Confer with the Divisional Dean (DD) and/or Associate Divisional Dean/Chief Nurse Administrator (ADD/CNA), School of Nursing regarding the allegation and the student’s response.
  2. Decide within three (3) business days on any appropriate sanctions, which may include immediate dismissal from the School of Nursing.
  3. The student will be notified by Boise State email of the decision within four (4) business days following the student’s meeting. A phone message will be sent to alert the student to check email. A copy will be kept on file with the School of Nursing.
  4. As appropriate, based on the nature and severity of the behavioral violation, the School of Nursing administration will notify any clinical agencies and/or the Idaho Board of Nursing.

Appeal Process

Step 1: Appeal to DD and/or Associate Divisional Dean/Chief Nurse Administrator ADD/CNA, School of Nursing.

If the student disagrees with the sanctions imposed by the Program Directors, the student has the right to appeal to the DD and/or ADD/CNA of the School of Nursing by following this process:

  1. Within five (5) business days of being notified of the Program Directors’ decision, the student will deliver to the DD and/or ADD/CNA of the School of Nursing a written statement entitled “Appeal from Program Directors’ Decision,” setting forth the basis for the student’s appeal of decision, and all supporting documents. The DD and/or ADD/CNA’s office will provide the student with a receipt that their document was received.
  2. The DD and/or ADD/CNA of the School of Nursing will review the appeal submission from the student and all available documents from the Program Directors within three (3) business days of receipt.
  3. The DD and/or ADD/CNA of the School of Nursing may decide to extend the review by convening a faculty committee or the program governance to review and make a recommendation of sanctions within five (5) business days of receipt of the appeal submission.
  4. The program governance can ask the student to be present for a meeting to present the student’s appeal and respond to any questions the faculty committee may have within the five (5) business days of their review. By the end of the five (5) business days, the team will provide a recommendation to the DD and/or ADD/CNA.
  5. The DD and/or ADD/CNA may adopt or alter the recommendation of the program governance committee.
  6. The student will be notified of the decision within two (2) business days of the decision being made (either three (3) days if a faculty committee has not convened or five (5) business days if it has), which will occur via their Boise State email address and a phone call (leaving a message if necessary) to alert them to check their email.

Step 2: Appeal to the Associate Dean, College of Health Sciences

If the student disagrees with the sanctions imposed by the DD and/or ADD/CNA, the student may appeal to the Associate Dean of the College of Health Sciences by following the process outlined in the College of Health Science Dismissal Policy. During the appeals process the student will not be able to progress in the program.

Related Information

BSU: Student Code of Conduct (Policy 2020), Academic Probation and Dismissal (Policy 3000), Registration and Transcript Holds (Policy 3200)

CHS: Dismissal (Policy 315)

SON: Remediation (Policy SON-15)

Last Review Date

4/1/2022

Revision History

Fall 2016, Summer 2018, October 2021, 4/1/2022