Clinical Expectations, Absences, and Grading

Clinical and Simulation Standards for Faculty
Faculty are held to the same standards expected of licensed nurses and preceptors:

Maintain and model safe, ethical, and patient-centered care
Supervise students actively and intervene when safety or professionalism is at risk
Create a psychologically safe environment for simulation-based learning
Ensure that confidentiality, debriefing, and feedback are conducted with dignity, professionalism, and focus on growth
Dress professionally and represent the Donnelly nursing program with pride and accountability

Clinical Grading

Instructors are expected to specify expectations in measurable terms.
Instructors should give weekly, timely and constructive feedback.
Supervise all invasive procedures and medication administration or delegate (if acceptable) to appropriate agency personnel.
Clinical assignments are graded on a point system with 80% as the minimum passing grade.
There is to be no credit for missed days or late paperwork. Late paperwork will result in a zero (0).
To receive a passing clinical grade, the following must occur:
1. EACH clinical objective must be passed by meeting 80% of the performance standards during the clinical experience.
2. All essential procedures and criteria must be passed.
3. Written work must be satisfactorily completed and on time. Late assignments will not be accepted and will result in a ZERO.
If the student fails to pass the clinical, all three related instructions need to be repeated; the didactic class, the lab and the clinical assignment.
If theory or lab is failed, the didactic, lab and clinical components must be repeated.

Clinical Expectations of Student Behavior

Clinical experiences should be assigned that are appropriate to the student's level of education.
If the student fails to pass the clinical, all three related instructions need to be repeated; the didactic class, the lab and the clinical assignment.
Students are expected to be prepared and report promptly to the clinical site. Students denied admission, for any reason, will be counted absent.
An absence from clinical practice must be reported at least 2 hours before the scheduled starting time.
Students may not have patient contact or access to any clinical setting or patient records without a clinical instructor present.
Students will not be able to change clinical groups without approval from the Donnelly Clinical Coordinator.
Students are not to be responsible for narcotic counts and must follow hospital guidelines regarding narcotics and control drugs.
Students may review physician orders only. Transcribing orders is not permitted. Students are NOT allowed to take verbal or phone orders from physicians or nurse practitioners.
Students may do routine checks of doctors orders and MARs/Medication Administration Records under the supervision of their clinical instructor or a registered staff nurse.
Every effort is made to place a student in a facility in which they do not work. If you are placed in a facility in which you work, you are not to perform any work that you normally do for that facility, but rather be there as a student.
Students may not transport patients in personal vehicles.
Students may not be a witness for consent for any legal documents.
Students that have had a change in health status (surgery, childbirth, hospitalization, injury) must have a physicians release in writing prior to attending their clinical assignment.
Use of cell phones, I-pods, PDAs/Personal Digital Assistant, or other electronic devices is not authorized in the clinical setting.

Student Return to a Clinical Location After an Absence

Any student who has been absent due to surgery, injury, extended physical/mental illness, pregnancy, or maternity delivery must have a signed clinical release form from his/her physician indicating that he/she may return to clinical at full capacity and is able to perform all skills and duties.
A physician's release notice signed by his/her physician is required, indicating that he/she may return to clinical practice at full capacity and is able to perform all skills and duties. The physician's notice must be submitted directly from the physician's office to the Donnelly College Director of Nursing, who will notify the appropriate faculty member. The physician's notice will be placed in the student s file.
A student may not return to a clinical assignment if he/she cannot perform at full capacity.
Clinical agencies reserve the right to determine if a student may practice in their facility while under a physician s care.