Policies and Procedures

PRP 3540 - Department of Nursing Academic Good Standing

ISSUED BY: Patrick J. Schloss Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

EFFECTIVE DATE: Fall 2004

NOTES: Issued by: Dr. Wilson G. Bradshaw, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Effective Date: Fall 1999 Approved by CCAA, 11/7/84 Approved by RAX, 11/14/84 Approved by RA, 11/28/84 Revised by BUCC 3/3/93 Revised by BUCC 2/8/95 Submitted to University Forum for information purposes. Revised by BUCC 4/28/99 Submitted to University Forum for information purposes. Revised by BUCC 4/14/04 Reported to University Forum 4/28/04 for information purposes.

Students in the baccalaureate nursing program abide by the university's retention policies as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog.

A student in the baccalaureate nursing program must maintain the following standards for academic good standing to progress in the Department of Nursing.

1. A student must attain a grade of "C" or above in:

a. Prerequisite natural science courses:

50.173 - Anatomy and Physiology I

50.174 - Anatomy and Physiology II

52.101 - Introductory Chemistry

52.108 - Physiological Chemistry

50.240 - Introductory Microbiology

b. Prerequisite social science courses:

48.101 - General Psychology

48.210 - Life Span Psychology

45.211 - Principles of Sociology

or

45.213 - Contemporary Social Problems

or

46.200 - Principles of Cultural Anthropology

c. All required 82___ departmental courses.

2. In order to progress to the sophomore year nursing courses a student must:

A student who does not meet the requirements for progression to the sophomore year will be dismissed from the program.
A student seeking readmission from a departmental dismissal must do so in accord with the Departmental Transfer Policy.

3. During the sophomore, junior and senior years, a student who does not meet the identified requirements for departmental academic good standing will be required to eliminate the identified deficiencies through a repetition of the course before progressing in the baccalaureate nursing program.

A student may fail only one 82 departmental clinical course. A second failure in any clinical course will result in dismissal from the program. In addition, a student may repeat non-clinical nursing courses only once. University policy as to repetition of non- nursing courses applies to the department of nursing.

A department reserves the right and the responsibility to develop procedural guidelines for the implementation of this academic good standing policy.

Recommendations concerning academic progression and retention are made to the Department of Nursing Chairperson by the departmental Student Admission, Progression, and Retention Committee. Based upon the recommendations, sophomore, junior and senior students who do not meet the requirements for academic good standing are placed on departmental probation or are required to take a departmental leave of absence.

B. Departmental Academic Probation

1. A sophomore, junior or senior student who does not meet the identified requirements for departmental good standing will be evaluated by the Committee on Student Admission, Progression, and Retention and will be immediately placed on departmental academic probation.

2. The student will be notified of this decision by the Chairperson of the Department of Nursing.

C. Departmental Academic Leave of Absence

1. A sophomore, junior or senior student who does not attain departmental academic good standing after one academic period on probation will be required to take a departmental leave of absence.

2. The student will be notified of such actions by the Chairperson of the Department of Nursing.

3. A student on a departmental academic leave of absence is ineligible to enroll in any required course offered by the Department of Nursing. When on departmental academic leave, a student's position will be guaranteed for no more than one calendar year. If at the end of one calendar year the student is not ready to return from departmental academic leave of absence, that student will be dismissed from the program.

January 20, 1984 Incorporated into BU Policies, Rules and Procedures Manual as #3540 effective November 28, 1984

Revised by Faculty May 1996/April 1999

D. Statute of Time Limitation

Once a student has begun the first required 82 departmental course, all required 82 departmental courses must be completed within five calendar years.

E. Departmental Dismissal

Because of the nature of nursing, the nursing faculty reserve the right to counsel, suspend, or dismiss those students who, in their judgment, do not satisfy the requirements of scholarship, health and personal suitability for nursing and national licensure. Students unable to continue in the program are those who do not meet the Department of Nursing's Performance Standards for Admission and Progression (PSAP), or do not satisfy the Department's academic requirements.

Academic unsuitability will be handled according to the Academic Good Standing Policy (BU policy #3540). Dismissal from the Department of Nursing does not necessarily mean dismissal for the university.

Students ineligible for licensure by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing will be dismissed from the program. [Refer to the Professional Nursing Law, (P.L. 317, No. 69) and the Standards of Nursing Conduct (Pennsylvania Code, Title 49, 2118) for licensure eligibility criteria.]

Students designated as a repeat offender of the Bloomsburg University Academic Integrity Policy, or violators of the University's Student Code of Conduct validated by official documentation of university, local, state, or federal agencies will be dismissed from the program. In both cases, students are unable to meet the Personal Behaviors standard of the PSAP and the moral integrity requirements for licensure by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.

Procedure

The following procedure will be followed when a student is considered unsuitable for nursing because he or she does not meet the standards established in the Department's Performance Standards for Admissions and Progression. The involved student's failure to cooperate with this procedure is grounds for dismissal.

Charges of unsuitability for nursing can be brought by any faculty member including the department chairperson. Students and staff who observe or become aware of incidents of unsuitable behaviors or academic dishonesty by a student are expected to report it to an appropriate faculty member or chairperson of the department.

1. The faculty(s) initiating this action must notify, in writing, the student, department chairperson, and the SAPR Committee of the intention to recommend dismissal due to unsuitability.

The faculty(s) is/are responsible for gathering data and written anecdotal information documenting the student's performance, skills, behaviors, etc. which substantiate the recommended action. This documentation must be submitted to the department chairperson and the SAPR committee members within one month of notification of unsuitability.

Depending on the nature of the suitability incident, the student may or may not attend class and/or clinical based on the recommendation of the SAPR committee.

2. The involved student may submit documentation supporting his or her claim to suitability related to the incident(s) for which the suitability review is requested only. This documentation must be submitted to the department chairperson and the SAPR committee members within one week of notification of unsuitability, or as mutually arranged, but not to exceed two weeks of notification of unsuitability.

Within one week of receiving the documentation, the department chairperson will distribute all evidence collected to the student and the involved faculty member and schedule a joint meeting of the following:

-Department of Nursing Chairperson;
-at least one representative of the SAPR Committee;
-the faculty member(s) recommending dismissal;
-other nursing faculty as deemed appropriate (faculty recommending dismissal will not be part of the committee or the deliberation).
-the student; and
-the student's representative--at the student's option.

At the meeting the evidence will be reviewed and the student given an opportunity to defend him or herself. No decision will be announced at the meeting.

4. The department chairperson and the SAPR committee will collectively review the case within 3 working days of meeting with the student. At this time the decision regarding suitability will be made and one of three outcomes will be rendered.

A. Remain in the program. The evidence does not indicate that any action is required.
B. Immediate dismissal from the nursing program. The evidence submitted substantiates that the student does not meet Performance Standards for Admission and Progression
C. Behavioral Probation. The evidence presented substantiates that serious deficits in performance are present; however, remediation is possible with commitment and effort from the student.

The Department Chairperson and the SAPR Committee will develop the guidelines and parameters necessary for the student to meet the Performance Standards for Admission and Progression to remain in the program.

The student will remain on Behavioral Probation throughout the remainder of his/her time in the program. Failure to comply with the provisions of the probation will lead to immediate dismissal.

5. The department chairperson will notify the student in writing within two working days of the decision.

6. Students may appeal the decision by following the appropriate processes currently in place at the University.

Approved by Faculty Assembly: 10/10/97

Implementation Date: 10/10/97

Revised and Approved by Faculty Assembly: 3/21/03

F. Appeals Process

A student placed on departmental academic leave of absence may petition the Academic Review Board for reinstatement. (Refer to BU Catalog, 1999-2001 "Appeals.")

G. Personal Leave of Absence

Students may request a temporary leave of absence/withdrawal for a specified period of time by writing a letter to the Chairperson of the Department. An appointment with the chairperson is required prior to completing the formal process and forms. Appropriate forms may be secured at the Center for Counseling and Human Development. To be eligible for a temporary withdrawal, the student must submit completed forms to the Office of Admissions for processing. A student must be in academic good standing or making minimal progress toward good standing and must request the temporary withdrawal prior to the registration date of the intended period of absence.

A student on a temporary withdrawal is assured a place in the semester designated for return provided the instructions that are part of the temporary withdrawal agreement are fulfilled, and advance deposits are submitted at the time designated by the director of admissions and records.

A student who returns from a temporary withdrawal of calendar year or less in duration is responsible for the graduation requirements and academic policies that applied at the time the temporary withdrawal was requested. A student who returns from a temporary withdrawal of more than one calendar year duration must satisfy the graduation requirements and academic policies which exist at the time of return and is then classified as a readmitted student. Application materials and instructions may be secured from the Office of Admissions.