Probation - Nursing Students
Nursing Course Probation - A status assigned to a student who is not meeting established academic performance standards of the college or nursing program. This status indicates that the student’s academic progress is insufficient for safe and successful program completion and requires corrective action within a specified timeframe. Failure to meet the conditions of Course Probation may result in a continued probation period, suspension, or dismissal.
Nursing Administrative Probation - A status assigned to a student who is not meeting institutional, professional, or behavioral expectations, including but not limited to violations of college policies, clinical requirements, or standards of professional conduct. This status indicates that the student’s behavior or compliance may impact their ability to safely participate in academic or clinical activities and requires immediate corrective action. Failure to meet the conditions of administrative probation may result in escalation, including suspension or dismissal.
Good Standing - A student’s status when they are meeting all academic, professional, and institutional requirements of the college and nursing program. Students in good standing demonstrate satisfactory academic progress, adhere to standards of professional conduct, and remain eligible to participate in all academic and clinical components of the program.
The purpose of a probation is to develop a remediation plan to support and ensure the student's successful completion of the nursing program. Probation requirements must be met by a student for the student to remain in the nursing program.
IMPORTANT: The Donnelly College Nursing program reserves the right to remove a student from the clinical or academic setting at any time if the student’s performance or behavior poses a risk to patient safety or violates professional standards consistent with expectations of the Kansas State Board of Nursing.
Criteria for Nursing Course Probation
A student will be placed on course probation for one or more of the following reasons:
- Overall course performance of less than 80% immediately following Mid-Term examinations
- One or more nursing course failures
- One or more nursing course withdrawals
Criteria for Nursing Administrative Probation
A student can be placed on administrative probation for one or more of the following reasons:
- One or more unexcused clinical (including skills, simulation lab or onsite)absences
- Two or more unexcused in one course per semester
- Code of Conduct violations including, but not limited to unprofessional or unethical conduct, academic integrity, general misconduct, nursing student handbook violations etc.
- Failure to comply with documentation requirements (immunizations, CPR, health insurance etc.)
- Unsupervised or unsafe practices in the clinical setting
Nursing Probation Procedure
Notification Process
Donnelly nursing will contact the student and schedule a meeting for the student to meet with nursing advising and leadership.
Duration of Nursing Probation
Donnelly nursing leadership will determine the length of the probation based on the specific outcomes included in the student’s contractual agreement.
Satisfaction of Nursing Probation
A student has satisfied their probation when all contractual obligations have been satisfied (see Documentation of Probation below).Satisfactory completion of a Nursing Course Probation or Administrative Probation results in the student being in good standing. Satisfaction may include, but is not limited to:
- Maintaining at least 80% in any relevant nursing course
- Satisfactory completion of any relevant nursing course
- Consistent demonstration of professional and ethical nursing behavior in didactic and clinical (including skills lab, simulation lab, and onsite).
Failure to satisfy a nursing probation contractual agreement and/or failure to meet program requirements will result in (1) non-progression in the nursing program or (2) dismissal from the nursing program.
Documentation of Nursing Probation
A student on Nursing Administrative or Course Probation will meet with the Nursing Academic Advisor, Program Coordinator and Director of Nursing to develop a contractual agreement regarding standards of acceptable professional behavior and academic behavior.
- The probation contract agreement needs to be reviewed and approved by the Director of Nursing.
- The contract must be signed by the student and the Director of Nursing.
- Completion of the contract will be documented and maintained in the student’s file.