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Student Expectations in Classroom, Clinical, and Skills-Lab Settings (Policy SON-07)

Download a Printable Version of Policy SON-07

Effective Date

Spring 2008

Last Revision Date

9/26/2024

Responsible Party

Students, faculty, and School of Nursing administrators.

Scope and Audience

All students in the School of Nursing.

Additional Authority

1. Policy Purpose

Students in the School of Nursing are held to the ANA Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice (2021) as well as the standards for registered nurses in the clinical agency while completing clinical experiences. To ensure professional conduct, patient safety, and appropriate legal-ethical behavior on the part of all nursing students, the following expectations are held by the School of Nursing. 

2. Policy Statement

Student Responsibilities

  1. Students are required to attend ALL scheduled classes, including on-campus and off-campus clinical experiences, unless previously approved. Students are not allowed to miss the first class or orientation to a class and may be dismissed from the program if this occurs. See Boise State University Policy 4190 Faculty Initiated Withdrawal.
  2. Students are expected to provide their own transportation to and from ALL classes, including on-campus and off-campus clinical experiences.
  3. It is the responsibility of the student to notify their faculty member prior to any absence from scheduled classes or on-campus/off-campus clinical experiences. Failure to notify faculty of absence may result in failure in the clinical/course.
  4. If absent from a scheduled class or on-campus/off-campus clinical experience, the student is still responsible for the clinical/course objectives. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with faculty to discuss possible need for makeup or alternative assignments for missed classes or on-campus/off-campus clinical experiences. If the student misses more than 10% of the hours for scheduled classes or on- campus/off-campus clinical experiences, the student may fail the clinical/course.
  5. All School of Nursing communication with students will be through Canvas and the student’s Boise State University email account.
  6. Conduct that violates these policies may, in the professional judgment of the faculty, be determined to be unsafe or unacceptable practice. Conduct in violation of these policies will lead to a faculty evaluation of the student’s performance and possibly failure of a course and/or dismissal from the Nursing Program.

Student Responsibilities Regarding Injury/Illness

It is understood that sometimes surgery, injury or illness may prevent a student from attending class, an on-campus/off-campus clinical experience, or may impair his/her ability to fully function in these settings. When this is the case, the following are applicable:

  • As of March 1st, 2024, the Public Health department no longer reports and tracks COVID-19 cases. Patients who test positive for COVID-19 are no longer required to inform the Public Health department and do not need to stay home and isolate. For current COVID-19 guidance and guidelines, please visit the Boise State Respiratory Virus Resource page here. COVID-19 testing is offered in the Public Health department. The Public Health department may provide separate housing for students during a COVID infection, If requested by the student.
  • In the event of a diagnosis with any other communicable disease or limitations related to surgery or injury, it is highly recommended that students inform the Education Access Center to request an accommodation, as outlined here:
    • To begin the accommodation process with the Educational Access Center (EAC), click on the link to Establish Services then select the Academics tile to establish academic accommodations. When filling out the form, please check the box indicating you are affiliated with the School of Nursing to ensure you are assigned to the appropriate coordinator.
    • Once your information has been submitted, the EAC will assign you to an Access Coordinator and will reach out to you to schedule an appointment.
    • You will also be asked to provide documentation to support the need for accommodations. After you have completed the form to request accommodations, you will be prompted to upload documentation. If you don’t have documentation readily available, please submit the form anyways and work on getting your documentation as soon as possible. Information regarding supporting documentation can be found here, Documentation Guidelines, your assigned EAC Access Coordinator can also discuss documentation requirements with you.
      If you have any questions or concerns you may email eacinfo@boisestate.edu or call (208) 426-1583.
  • For pregnancy-related accommodation requests, it is highly recommended that students contact Boise State University’s Title IX office at (208) 426-1258.
  • Students must also conform to the policies of the institution where their current off-campus clinical experiences are based.

Student Responsibilities Regarding Communicable Disease

Students must adhere to local, state and healthcare facility communicable disease reporting and clinical practice requirements.

Student Expectation for Understanding HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act)

Students must read and comply with all federal HIPAA requirements throughout their educational experiences.

Student Expectations for Classroom Experiences

Students are expected to behave in a professional manner to all clients, staff, faculty and other students. This behavior includes courtesy, honesty, ethical actions and responsible interpersonal communication skills. Behavior that interferes with agency/University/staff/ faculty relationships or inhibits learning may be cause for dismissal from the program.

  1. The faculty may remove a disruptive student at their discretion.
  2. Cell phones may only be used on silent or vibrate mode, and should only be utilized during breaks, unless the instructor designates otherwise. School, faculty and staff telephones are not to be used by students.
  3. Children will not be allowed in the classroom except in extreme circumstances and with prior permission of the faculty.

Student Expectations for On-campus/Off-campus Clinical Experiences

  1. Students will perform nursing care only under the direction of the faculty or assigned agent of the faculty. In a preceptorship class, the student may perform nursing care under the supervision of the preceptor or the assigned agent of the preceptor.
  2. Students are responsible to seek the assistance of the faculty to clarify expectations regarding scope of student experience, or when faced with new or unique clinical situations.
  3. Students participating in any clinical experience must be prepared to provide responsible, safe nursing care or they will be asked to leave the clinical area. Performance that endangers patients may be cause for dismissal from the Program.
  4. When in on-campus/off-campus clinical experience settings, personal telephone calls must be limited to breaks. Cell phones may be used only on silent or vibrate modes, and should only be utilized during breaks, unless the instructor designates otherwise. Additionally, students must comply with the clinical agency’s policies regarding the use of cellular telephones.
  5. At no time are children allowed in the on-campus/off-campus clinical experience.
  6. Falsification of records, including but not limited to clinical logs, or patient charts/records, may result in dismissal from the program.
  7. Students entering a clinical site and believed to be under the influence of a substance that could endanger patient safety will be asked to leave the clinical area. This will jeopardize the student’s ability to successfully complete the Program.
  8. A pattern of noncompliance with ethical or legal behavior outlined in the above statements will be cause for dismissal from the Program.
  9. If a student witnesses behavior in the clinical setting by students or staff that is illegal, unethical or unprofessional, the student must report it immediately to the faculty. The faculty has the responsibility to assist the student to plan the proper course of action in response to the situation.
  10. Students are not permitted to be in the clinical setting in the role of a student except during assigned clinical hours or by permission of the instructor.
  11. Students are not permitted to participate in any unsanctioned photography or video recording of themselves, each other, clinical staff, health partner staff, and/or patient, family, and visitors within any on-campus or off-campus clinical experience. Photographing any health partner location and/or room, during a clinical experience are also not permitted. Official photography by faculty and other university resources may be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Unsafe, Unethical or Other Unprofessional Practices in Clinical or Internship Patient Care Settings

  1. Any student may be temporarily and eventually permanently dismissed from the Program for conduct involving his or her attitude or competency that jeopardizes patient care or safety, or whose personal behavior prevents desirable relationships within the health care facility or the School of Nursing.
  2. If a licensed student (LPN or RN) is dismissed from any School of Nursing Program for unsafe practice, the incident may be reported to the Idaho State Board of Nursing.

Pre-Licensure Students

Students who do not meet deadlines given for health requirements, background and drug testing, clinical agency forms, and other requested documentation or information will not be allowed to attend classes nor clinical until clinical compliance is met. See Undergraduate and Graduate Clinical Compliance Policies as appropriate for the student’s program of study.

Forms

N/A

Related Information

Nurse Practice Act, American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics 

BSU: Student Code of Conduct (Policy 2020), University-Recognized Student Absences (Policy 3120), Academic Probation and Dismissal (Policy 3000), Faculty Initiated Withdrawal (Policy 4190) 

CHS: Dismissal (Policy 315) 

SON: Clinical Compliance (Policy UG-07, Grad-06), Student Behaviors and Actions (Policy SON-06)

Last Review Date

9/26/2024

Revision History

Spring 2008, 4/1/2022, 4/25/2023, 8/23/2023, 9/26/2024