A2000.15 Suspension from Clinical Experience for Unsafe Clinical Practice and/or Violation of Healthcare Facility Rules, Regulations, or Policies Contd.

1. STATEMENT
   Shawnee Community College, through the teaching faculty and the Director of Nursing, has a professional responsibility to suspend a student from his/her clinical experience who demonstrates unsafe clinical practice or jeopardizes the educational process of the remaining students in the clinical group. Further, a student must be suspended from his/her clinical experience when requested by the healthcare facility for having violated the rules, regulations, or policies of the healthcare facility.
   
   
2. DEFINITION OF UNSAFE CLINICAL PRACTICE
   1. The definitions of unsafe clinical practice which may give rise to suspension, failing grade, or termination from the program are:
      1. Displaying a lack of knowledge or skill in the basic care of a patient (or patients) to such a degree that the student’s conduct has injured or may, if it continues, injure a patient or jeopardize his recovery.
      2. While having the necessary knowledge and skills to participate in the clinical experience, the student’s actions, either by intentional conduct or negligence, has injured or may, if it continues, injure a patient or jeopardize his recovery.
      3. Where the student’s general conduct is such that he/she is an immediate danger to patients, other students, or employees of the healthcare facility.
   2. While it is impossible to list all of the circumstances giving rise to unsafe clinical practice, examples of the same include, but are not limited to, the following:
      1. Miscalculation of medication
      2. Improper preparation of medication
      3. Improper administration of medication
      4. Improper performance of sterile technique, via dressings, catheterization, etc.
      5. Improper usage of equipment
      6. Neglect to perform procedures as reported from one shift of nursing staff to the next
      7. Improper performance of any common basic nursing skill as taught by a school of Practical Nursing or Associate Degree Nursing and licensed by any state board of nursing as appropriate for an Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Associate Degree Nurse (ADN) to perform
      8. Reporting to a clinical experience under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or narcotics
      9. Failure to maintain appropriate personal cleanliness and hygiene during a clinical experience
         
         
3. SANCTIONS FOR UNSAFE CLINICAL PRACTICE
   1. A student may be suspended for up to the remainder of a clinical rotation for demonstrated unsafe clinical practice.
   2. A suspension will be treated as an absence for grade purposes.
   3. When a student is suspended for an occurrence of unsafe clinical practice, he/she may also receive a failing grade for that course and may further be subject to termination from the program.
      
      
4. PROCEDURE FOR REVIEW OF SANCTIONS
   1. Faculty Member Responsibility
      1. A faculty member who has evidence of unsafe clinical practice shall immediately notify the student that he/she is being temporarily suspended, and
         1. Provide the student with the basis (reason) on which a determination has been made that an unsafe clinical practice has occurred or is occurring. The student may be instructed to immediately leave the healthcare facility premises. When possible, the initial notification should be in writing, but, if that is not practical, the initial notice of suspension may be verbally communicated.
         2. In the event the notice of suspension is verbal, the faculty member shall, at the first appropriate time, reduce the notice to writing, and mail a copy via certified mail to the student at his/her last known address. Because of the short period for the review process, in addition to the notice by mail, the student shall be given the opportunity to receive the written notice of suspension (and the reason for the same) within forty-eight (48) hours of the action taken by the faculty member. A student may accomplish this early receipt of the notice by contacting the faculty member during regular working hours.
         3. The written notice of suspension shall generally state
            1. The facts giving rise to the determination that an unsafe clinical practice has occurred.
            2. The date and approximate time when the unsafe clinical practice occurred.
            3. The names of any witnesses to the unsafe clinical practice, and the identification of any accompanying/relevant documents.
            4. The length of the suspension – not more than 3 days.
            5. That the suspension and the student’s conduct will be reviewed by the Director of Nursing within five (5) calendar days of the offense.
            6. The place and time of the review by the Director of Nursing and the student’s rights thereto.
               
               
   2. Student’s Rights and Responsibilities
      1. A student shall have the right to be present for the Director’s formal review of the action taken and to present any evidence in support of his/her position.
      2. The student may, at the formal review by the Director of Nursing, submit any response to the suspension, including the testimony of any witness that is relevant to the basis for the suspension.
      3. The conduct of the formal review and admission of evidence at said review will be controlled by the Director of Nursing or his/her designee. At the review, the Director shall review the student’s conduct, the facts giving rise to the suspension, the student’s response, and any other evidence adduced at the review.
      4. The faculty member, or any witness to the unsafe clinical practice, must be present at the review and may present evidence at the review. The faculty member, or other witness, shall be subject to cross-examination by the student.
      5. The student is to be notified of the decision of the Director of Nursing and the practical effect the decision has on the student’s academic status via email. The student will also be informed that he/she has the right to have the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Student Learning review the suspension, provided the student makes a written application for review of the suspension to the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Student Learning within five (5) calendar days of the date of the Director of Nursing’s decision.
      6. In the case where the Director of Nursing recommends to the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Student Learning that the student be terminated from the program, the student shall have the right to a hearing to be conducted by the Disciplinary Hearing Committee on said issue within ten (10) calendar days of the date of the Director of Nursing’s decision.
      7. The decision of the Disciplinary Hearing Committee may be appealed by the student in accordance with the student’s right to appeal the disciplinary penalties and sanctions under the Student Handbook now in effect or hereafter amended.
         
         
   3. Director’s Rights and Responsibilities
      1. The Director of Nursing may, after considering all relevant information submitted for the review,
         1. Sustain the suspension previously imposed by the faculty member.
         2. Add to or reduce the suspension previously imposed by the faculty member.
         3. Require the student to take or perform certain remedial action before the student may return to the clinical experience.
         4. Recommend the student’s termination from the program to the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Student Learning.
         5. Determine that the suspension imposed was inappropriate and establish a method for making up the academic experience lost as a result of the suspension.
         6. The student will be notified of the decision of the Director and the practical effect the decision has on the student’s academic status. The student will also be informed that he/she has the right to have the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Student Learning review the suspension, provided the student makes a written application for review of the suspension to the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Student Learning within five (5) days of the Director’s decision.
         7. If the Director of the program recommends to the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Student Learning that the student be terminated from the program, the student shall have the right to a hearing to be conducted by the Disciplinary Hearing Committee on said issues within ten (10) calendar days.
         8. The decision of the Disciplinary Hearing Committee may be appealed by the student in accordance with the student’s right to appeal the disciplinary penalties and sanctions under the Student Handbook now in effect or hereafter amended.
            
            
5. VIOLATION OF HEALTHCARE FACILITY RULES, REGULATIONS, OR POLICIES

Each healthcare facility where a student may receive his/her clinical experience reserves the right to require suspension of a student nurse for violating the facility’s rules, regulations, or policies.

It is the duty and responsibility of the student nurse to become aware of, and to follow, all of the rules, regulations, and policies of the facility where he/she is receiving the clinical experience.

Shawnee Community College shall have no responsibility to locate other healthcare facilities wherein a student may complete his/her clinical requirements. If a student nurse is suspended for violation of the healthcare facility’s rules, regulations, or policies, such suspension will be treated as an absence for grade purposes.