Students are expected to attend clinicals. Unexcused absences are a violation of the Nursing Honor Code and academic integrity. The attendance policy follows the University of Iowa Provost’s office official policy and the Office of the Registrar policy (Sources: https://opsmanual.uiowa.edu/students/absences-class; https://registrar.uiowa.edu/absence-class). The College of Nursing requires that students notify the instructor of the situation requiring a request for an excused absence PRIOR to start of the clinical/simulation day. Students are required to make up missed clinical and simulation laboratory experiences.

Students are not routinely required to provide documentation from a physician or other provider for routine illnesses such as the flu, colds, or other viruses. If there is a situation where contagion is a concern or ability to carry out clinical care safely, the student may be asked to provide documentation to return to academic or clinical activity.

A student with a longer illness - missing more than two days of clinical/simulation may be required to provide documentation for the absence at the request of the faculty. Examples of documentation include: presenting instructors with a health care provider note stating the student is under their care and includes date and signature; or print out of the date(s) and time(s) of the appointment(s) from MyChart, used by UIHC and many other health organizations.

Students with any patterns or concerns of clinical/simulation attendance will be required to meet with Associate Dean of Undergraduate programs. Students with ongoing health issues may be referred to Student Disability Services to screen for possible official accommodations.

Students participating in University activities are expected to give each instructor a statement before an absence signed by a responsible official that specifies the dates and times the student will miss class. Authorized activities include participation in athletic teams, marching and pep bands, debate teams, and other recognized University groups and field trips; service with the National Guard; and jury duty. Any student who is absent from a course must notify the course instructor of the reason for the absence. The course instructor will request that a student provide documentation for any absence before a student is allowed to make up missed work. The Absence from Class Form is available at
https://registrar.uiowa.edu/sites/registrar.uiowa.edu/files/wysiwyg_uploads/reason_for_absence_from_class_1.pdf

If students are proactively requesting an absence for a professional activity such as a convention or conference, they should use form available on the link above.

The nature of the learning in nursing may require the viewing and discussion of sexually explicit material.

Nursing courses with a clinical component that require Registered Nurse licensure may not be taken by a person:

1. Who has been denied licensure by the board.
2. Whose license is currently suspended or surrendered or revoked in any United States jurisdiction.
3. Whose license/registration is currently suspended, surrendered or revoked in another country due to disciplinary action.

During this course you will be participating in simulation exercises.  These simulations are designed to be as real as possible.  You will be provided with information in advance regarding the type of situations you will encounter during simulation.  If you feel participation will result in emotional or psychological distress due to your own personal history or circumstances, please talk with you instructor prior to the scheduled simulation day.  Alternate activities will be assigned on an individual basis at the discretion of your instructor.  See also: Nursing Clinical Education Center Policies and Procedures Manual III. Course Directors and Instructors c. Course Development i. Learner Safety (or otherwise seen as III.c.i. Learner Safety.)

Student work is expected to be submitted by the deadline established in the syllabus.  Then state your policy- options might include, late work will not be accepted, the penalty for late work will be 10% per day loss of credit, etc.

Students are expected to take the exams as scheduled. Once an exam begins, the student may not leave the room and return. Students may make up an exam only if they have an excused absence on the date of the exam. Exam make up must be scheduled within the week of the student return to academic activity. Students with approved accommodations for testing should work with SDS to schedule their exams. SDS testing requires pre-planning and students need to attend to the SDS deadlines. If a student misses the deadline, the student will be expected to test with their classmates without accommodations.

The student:

1. Provides safe care to patients.
2. Participates in a culture of safety. Identifies and reports actual errors, near misses and situations that seem to create risk for errors.
3. Maintains confidentiality of patient information.
   1. The patient (or durable power of attorney for health care) must consent to information being disclosed to others who are not assigned to the patient’s health care team.
   2. Nursing students are responsible for understanding the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and how it impacts the disclosure of information to others.
   3. Patients, whether by name or otherwise, should not be discussed in public areas (e.g. elevators, cafeteria).
   4. Patient anonymity must be observed in written assignments, post-clinical conferences, and E-mail correspondence with faculty.
4. Demonstrates respect for patient’s personal values, culture, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and personal rights to autonomy and dignity.
5. Communicates with patients, visitors, faculty, and agency personnel in a professional manner.
6. Establishes a trusting relationship with the patient and other healthcare providers.
7. Avoids delivering patient care while under the direct or indirect influence of mind-altering substances (e.g. alcohol, illegal substances).
8. Responsibly manages and maintains agency property to avoid damage.
9. Prepares thoroughly for and engages in patient care activities, post-clinical conferences, and perioperative experiences.
10. Evaluates own performance and seeks strategies to improve performance.
11. Follows all policies of the University of Iowa College of Nursing including but not limited to health and safety requirements, management of exposures, dress code, academic and personal misconduct.
12. Submits legible written assignments on time and in the assigned format.
13. Attends as expected, arrives on time, punctually returns to duty after breaks and stays fully clinically engaged for the full scheduled time of the experience.
14. Keeps commitments to clients, peers, nursing colleagues and faculty.

A pattern of violations of one or more of these expectations may result in the instructor terminating a clinical experience.  If the student is sent home from a clinical experience, the student and instructor will meet with the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs.  Appropriate actions will be determined after an investigatory process. 

Any student who commits willful negligence or demonstrates a pattern of unsafe practice will be removed from the clinical setting.  The student and instructor will meet with the Associate Dean for the Undergraduate Programs.  Willful negligence and/or a pattern of unsafe practice will result in failure of the course.

If exposed to blood or other body fluids, students are expected to report the exposure and seek treatment as specified in the student health procedures.  If the exposure occurs during business hours, the student must use Student Health Services. If the student seeks treatment for an exposure via an Emergency Treatment Center, the student WILL receive and be responsible for a bill.  Blood and Body Fluid Exposure Student Health Service Phone 319-335-9704.  If SHS is closed, call UIHC ETC 319-356-2233 and ask to speak to Staff MD.

All students are required to be familiar with these procedures on the Student Health Service Blood and Body Fluid Exposure web page https://studenthealth.uiowa.edu/services/blood-and-body-fluid-exposure/. 

If an event happens, the nursing student is to perform basic first aid on-site, report to clinical nurse on site to complete an incident report, and follow UI protocol: https://studenthealth.uiowa.edu/assets/fb0eaa7537/BBF-UI-Student-9.15.pdf.

Students are expected to be 100% compliant with uploading required CastleBranch documentation at all times to meet contractual requirements of clinical institutions.  It is imperative to read all emails from CastleBranch as they notify students when a compliance requirement needs to be completed.  These are the only notifications students will receive. Students are also encouraged to regularly check their CastleBranch profile to ensure compliance and verify all pending documentation has been approved and completed.

Students who are NONCOMPLIANT with required CastleBranch documentation will NOT be allowed to attend clinical or laboratory.  Faculty receive notifications when students are close to becoming NONCOMPLIANT with a requirement.  Students must email clinical and lab faculty a screen shot of CastleBranch showing that their compliance requirement is COMPLETE (approved). (Note: PENDING results indicates a student is NONCOMPLIANT).

Student Instructions for CastleBranch Process

1. Read email from CastleBranch notifying you of which requirement you need to complete.
2. Make appointment to get clinical requirement administered/completed.
3. Obtain documentation once requirement is complete.
4. Upload documentation to CastleBranch.
5. Wait for CastleBranch to review and approve document (this may take a few days).
6. Take screenshot of completed requirement and e-mail it to your faculty who will then allow you back into practicum/senior internship/simulation laboratory experiences.

Please see the instructions below on which screenshot to provide:

1. Log into CastleBranch.

2. Click on Clinical Requirements

3. Take screenshot of requirement list to confirm compliance. Example below.

End of Semester Clinical Evaluation Documents Required

The Final Course Grade will ONLY be approved after all documents are completed.

1. Practicum Evaluation [Student Clinical Performance Evaluation: final grade, faculty and student signatures required].
2. Faculty Site Evaluation.
3. Student Site Evaluation.
   
   End of Program Evaluation Document Required
   
   In addition for only for this course:


4. NURS:4155 Senior Nursing Internship: the above three Clinical Evaluation Document Forms, plus BSN Graduation Profile [Assessment of Student Achievement of Program Outcomes].