Clinical Attendance

  1. Clinical/Lab attendance is mandatory.
  2. Unexcused absences will not be accepted. The composite course grade will be lowered by one (1) grade level for each unexcused absence (i.e. A to A-). Excused absences are those defined in the course syllabus.  
  3. One excused absence, while accepted, will necessitate a make-up assignment at the discretion of the faculty. Failure to complete the assignment will lower the composite course grade by one (1) grade level (i.e., A to A-). Further excused absences may affect the student grade and possibly progression in the program.
  4. The student is expected to notify the appropriate persons, as identified in specific courses, of an emergency requiring an absence or tardiness prior to the beginning of the clinical/lab experience. The student is responsible to be aware of the specific requirements for each course and to follow those procedures.
  5. Habitual tardiness to clinical/lab, defined as more than one occurrence, will result in lowering of the composite course grade by one level (i.e., A to A-) for each occurrence.

The faculty and administration at the Conway School of Nursing consider attendance in class and at clinicals necessary to master the body of knowledge needed for safe clinical practice and adequate preparation for licensure. Students are expected to be both prompt and well-prepared when they attend clinical and classes.

Clinical Incident
A clinical incident is any injury, unprotected exposure to a pathogen, or accident during a clinical practicum/placement. Promoting student and patient safety is the first priority in responding to a clinical incident.

All students are required to carry health insurance. It is helpful if students keep health insurance coverage information with them during clinical practice and if they submit information about coverage along with their health history information.

Students are encouraged to keep notification information current on Cardinal Station so that correct and prompt notifications of family members may be made in the case of serious incidents.

Clinical Incident Procedures

  1. Any injury requiring immediate, emergency care should be treated at the nearest emergency facility. Please notify the faculty member as soon as possible; the faculty member is responsible for contacting the clinical coordinator and then the Office of the Dean as soon as possible to report the incident and to ask for help, if needed, for the student.
  2. When a student is exposed to a blood or body fluid pathogen, the agency clinical coordinator/supervisor, agency employee health, and the Conway School of Nursing administration are to be notified immediately. If an employee health department is available, follow hospital/agency guidelines for immediate treatment. If an employee health department is not available, contact the nearest emergency department for immediate treatment guidelines. Students are responsible for treatment costs incurred.
  3. Institute any necessary treatments that should be carried out on site.
  4. Students should contact their own health care provider or the University Health Services for recommendations for follow-up treatment.
  5. A Conway School of Nursing report and agency incident report must be completed by faculty and the injured party. Copies of both should be given to the injured party, and Office of the Dean. The agency should be provided with a copy of their incident report. The School of Nursing incident report should document the date, type of incident, individuals present, response/treatment, notification and documentation sequence and any additional information which may be pertinent.
  6. The incident report will be maintained in a confidential file stored in the Office of the Assistant Dean.

HIPAA Adherence
All students are expected to comply with the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as applied to clinical education.

Failure to adhere to these expectations may result in immediate removal from the clinical settings and additional academic sanctions including course failure and if necessary dismissal.

Specifically, it is expected that all students in SON arrange to complete training on HIPAA prior to participating in clinical practica or rotations; if this training is not provided by the clinical agency as part of the orientation process, the student is expected to complete the Catholic University HIPAA tutorial. 

Students are expected to maintain the privacy of individually identifiable health information (IIHI).

Liability Insurance
All students in clinical programs are required to carry malpractice insurance. It is charged by the university each semester a student is enrolled in a clinical course. This insurance applies only to clinical practice while enrolled in university courses. It does not cover a student’s personal employment. (See Fees and Expenses in the General Information section of the Catholic University Graduate Announcements). *Failure to comply with these requirements may result in withdrawal from clinical courses with resultant effect upon the progression in the program.

Transportation to Agencies
There are a limited number of clinical agencies available to students where public transportation is available. If a student does not have a means of transportation, it is the student’s responsibility to discuss this matter with faculty prior to registering for a clinical course in order to discuss what options are available.

Unsafe Practice
Unsafe practice is defined as behavior which threatens, or has the potential to threaten, the safety of a client, another student, a faculty member, or other health care provider in the clinical placement.

Unsafe Practice Procedures

  1. A request for investigation of a School of Nursing student's fitness for the practice of nursing may be instigated by any person, This request is submitted to the Associate Dean for the involved clinical program. Removal of a student from clinical due to immediate or imminent concerns about unsafe practice automatically warrants further investigation.
  2. The Assistant Dean will review the request and supportive evidence. If the request is based on actual behavior or observations and is of sufficient concern, the Assistant Dean will either (a) recommend direct administrative action to the Dean of the School of Nursing or (b) request a review for Fitness for Practice. The purpose of the review is to provide additional information to guide the administrative decision regarding student placement and progression in the clinical setting.

    Until a decision is made by either of these two routes, the student will not be allowed to attend the clinical practicum or experience.
  3. In the event of a review for fitness for practice, the Assistant Dean will constitute a Review Committee chaired by the Assistant Dean, and comprised or two additional faculty members plus one alternate. Typically, the additional committee members are drawn from the SON Committee on Admissions, Progression and Graduation.
  4. The Review Committee will receive all available information about the report; this typically includes a written report of the practice concern, specifically the name of the student, the behavior that allegedly affects the respondent's fitness for practice, and the name of the individual submitting the request.
  5. The Review Committee, through its chairperson, shall notify the respondent by mail, certified, return receipt requested, within five business days of receipt of the complaint.