Nursing Integrative Practicum Program - Unsatisfactory Student Behaviors and Progress

Students who cannot complete course objectives as outlined may be dropped from the course in compliance with Lane Community College administrative regulations which provide for advance notification and assistance for students performing unsatisfactorily.

If you have concerns about the student you are working with, contact the supervising  LCC faculty person that is assigned to you and the student.

Factors that contribute to failure to meet course objectives resulting in dismissal from the program are as follows:

  1. Excessive Absences
    If a student is unable to successfully complete a course, he/she may be dropped or be given an "F" grade, depending upon:
    1. The amount of content/clinical lab experience missed.
    2. Inability to proceed due to lack of prerequisite content.
  2. Inability to Meet Course Objectives
    These may include repeated failure to:
    1. Apply theory and principles to clinical practice.
    2. Plan, organize and fulfill the tasks assigned.
    3. Communicate effectively with patients, instructors and peers; and inability to understand verbal and nonverbal communications.
    4. Attain minimal technical competency in the skills required for safe clinical performance.
    5. Respond appropriately to instruction and suggestions made by those in authority.
    6. Perform in a safe and dexterous manner in relation to self and patients. (Specific criteria for unsafe clinical performance are available through your clinical instructor.)
    7. Demonstrate ability to assume responsibility for preparing and completing clinical assignments made.
    8. Demonstrate growth in coping with stressful situations in a calm and dependable manner.
    9. Demonstrate improvement in clinical laboratory performance within a period designated by the instructor.
    10. Attain a passing grade as stated in the course syllabus.
  3. Unsafe Clinical Performance
    Any student demonstrating unsafe behavior(s) may be excluded from the clinical area and fail the clinical course.

    Unsafe clinical behavior is demonstrated when the student:
    1. Violates or threatens the physical safety of the patient (e.g. neglects use of side rails or restraints; comes unprepared to clinical; leaves bed in high position)
    2. Violates or threatens the psychological safety of the patient
    3. Violates or threatens the microbiological safety of the patient (e.g.fails to recognize violation of aseptic technique; comes sick to clinical; fails to recognize violation of isolation procedure)
    4. Violates or threatens the chemical safety of the patient (e.g. violates the "5 Rights of Administering Medications"; fails to monitor IV infusions safely; fails to identify and follow through on significant nursing implications related to medications; fails to identify patient prior to administering medications)
    5. Violates or threatens the thermal safety of the patient (e.g. burns patient with heating lamp; fails to observe safety precautions during O2 therapy; leaves unreliable patient alone while he/she smokes)
    6. Inadequately and/or inaccurately utilizes the nursing process ( e.g. fails to observe and/or report critical assessments; makes repeated faulty nursing judgments)
    7. Violates previously mastered principles/learning objectives in carrying out nursing care skills (e.g. unable to give IM injections by second year; unable to calculate IV drip rate and/or medication dosage)
    8. Assumes inappropriate independence in actions or decision (e.g. fails to seek supervision when situation is questionable, out of control, or an emergency).

Any violation of criteria for unsafe clinical performance will be reviewed by the faculty, CTA, and program coordinator and will be handled individually regarding students' continuation in the program.

Behaviors relating to responsibility, accountability and meeting time commitments are essential in the professional nurse. These behaviors need to be demonstrated by the student consistently over time across the curriculum. Because of this fact, any behavior which results in a notice of failing behavior in any one term, if repeated in a subsequent term, can result in immediate exclusion from clinical experience. Notice of failing behavior relative to these areas of responsibility, accountability and meeting time commitments will be forwarded from one instructor to the next instructor to ensure that students will be given the encouragement, support and limit-setting to facilitate the learning of these essential professional behaviors.1

College policies regarding ethical and moral behavior apply to all LCC students. Certain campus-wide policies have been adapted to meet the specific needs of the nursing profession.

A Major Violation of any of these policies is defined as the attempt to commit, the commission of, or intentional assistance in the commission of any of the following:

  1. Academic Plagiarism: The intentional submission for evaluation to a nursing instructor of material based, in significant part, on work done by someone other than the submitter without reasonable written indication to the evaluator of the material's true source.
  2. Academic Cheating: The intentional submission for evaluation to a nursing instructor of material based, in part, on a source or sources forbidden by generally accepted standards or by regulations established by the evaluator and disclosed in a reasonable manner. This includes cheating on exams.
  3. Furnishing false information to the nursing instructor, nursing department or clinical facility with intent to deceive.
  4. Forgery, alteration, or misuse of patient or clinical facility documents or records.
  5. Any conduct or unsafe behavior that threatens the safety of a patient. This would include failure to disclose information regarding omission of care or error in patient of care.
  6. Theft from a clinical facility. This would include medications and hospital supplies.
  7. Possession or use of dangerous drugs and narcotics except as legally prescribed.
  8. Coming to a clinical facility under the influence of mind altering substances.
  9. Failure to maintain confidentiality of privileged information.

Violation of the above rules of conduct or other LCC policies outlined within the LCC Student Code, constitutes cause for disciplinary action ranging from a formal warning to immediate suspension from the Nursing Program at Lane Community College. A copy of the Student Code may be obtained in the Family and Health Careers Office.

1 "Professional Autonomy and Ethical Decision Making Among Graduate and Undergraduate Nursing majors", Virginia R. Cassidy, EdD, RN, and Lorys F. Oddi, EdD, RN, Journal of Nursing Education, November 1988.