G020 School of Nursing Building
3901 Rainbow Blvd.,
Mail Stop 2029
Kansas City, Kansas 66160
TEL. (913) 588-1619
FAX (913) 588-1615
http://www2.kumc.edu/son/
Phone Directory listing for the School of Nursing
III. GRADUATE PROGRAMS (MASTER'S AND DOCTORAL)
ACADEMICS
SCHOOL OF NURSING - GENERAL INFORMATION
Administrative Staff
Chancellor, Robert Hemenway , Ph. D.
Executive Vice Chancellor, Barbara Atkinson, M. D.
Dean, School of Nursing, Karen
L. Miller, R. N., Ph. D.
Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, Helen Connors,
R. N., Ph. D.
Associate Dean, Research, Marge
Bott, R.N., Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Student Affairs, Rita
Clifford, R. N., Ph. D.
Director, Continuing Nursing Education
Associate Dean for Clinical and Community Services, Michael
Bleich, R. N., Ph. D.
Assistant Deans for Academic Affairs
Acute and Chronic Illness/ Specialty Care, Anita
Wingate, R. N., Ph. D.
Primary Care/ Nursing Systems & Administration, Cynthia
Teel, R. N., Ph. D.
Academic Affairs Office Staff
588-1640
Director of Academic Affairs Administration, Kim Rock
Coordinator, Academic Affairs, Michael Martin
Nursing Grants and Research Office Staff
588-1630
Grants Director, Priscilla Reckling
Administrative Assistant, Virginia Baskas
Accountant, Steven Swisher
Nursing Research Emphasis Areas
Health Care Effectivness; Health Behavior
Student Affairs Office Staff
588-1619
Graduate Recruiter, Debbie Stratton
RN/BSN Recruiter, Heather Richardson
Undergraduate Advisor/ Recruiter, Cyndie Schudel
Manager, Student Activities, Elaine Brinson
Office Specialist (Graduate desk), Carolyn Block
Office Specialist (Undergraduate desk), Alice DeBauche
LETTER TO NEW STUDENTS
Dear Nursing Student:
Welcome to the University of Kansas School of Nursing. Nursing is
a profession that can take you anywhere you wish to be. It has virtually
no boundaries. The KU School of Nursing provides the educational foundation
that makes all of this possible for you. Since opening its doors in
1906, the University of Kansas School of Nursing has provided the
highest quality of education. Our faculty has clinical and academic
expertise that is recognized nationally and that places them among
the nursing leaders in educational innovations and nursing research.
You join a student body made up of students with both excellent academic records and a true sense of caring for individuals that can make a difference in their lives. You will learn to apply the science and art of health care to meet the needs of individuals and the community.
On behalf of the faculty and staff of the University of Kansas School of Nursing, I invite you to immerse yourself in learning. Enjoy your time here at the University of Kansas Medical Center with the students in the other health professions as you learn to work together.
Karen L. Miller,
RN, PHD, FAAN Dean, KU School of Nursing
For further information about school policies, codes and regulations please see www. kumc. edu/ studenthandbook or the Dean's Office of your respective school. Site for School of Nursing is the following: http://www2.kumc.edu/son/
ORGANIZATIONS
Association of Undergraduate Students in Nursing (AUSN)
The Association of Undergraduate Students in Nursing (AUSN) at the
University of Kansas is the body of student government for undergraduates
in nursing. The purpose is to provide a means for establishing and
maintaining communication, cooperation and understanding among the
undergraduate nursing students at the University of Kansas and to
promote the welfare of undergraduate students in nursing through participation
in designated university and school governance activities. The organization
provides an avenue of interaction between the School of Nursing faculty
and other student organizations at the University of Kansas. All undergraduate
students in nursing at the University of Kansas are members upon enrollment.
A copy of the current AUSN bylaws is distributed to each undergraduate
nursing student early each fall semester.
The Association of Graduate Students in Nursing (AGSN)
serves as a representative body of the Graduate Students in Nursing
at the University of Kansas. It provides a means of facilitating communication
and fosters scholarly interactions between students and faculty of
the School of Nursing. AGSN organizes representation to and/ or communication
with other appropriate committees and organizations within the University.
The membership consists of all graduate students in nursing, Master's
and Doctoral. For a copy of the bylaws or other information about
AGSN, contact the School of Nursing Office of Student Affairs.
Kansas University Student Nurses Kansas Association of Nursing
Students (KANS)
is part of a nationwide organization, the National Student
Nurses Association (NSNA). The local chapter affiliate is KU Student
Nurses (KUSN). It is the only national professional organization for
undergraduate students in schools of nursing.NSNA and KANS offer the
opportunity to participate now as a change agent and to develop the
leadership skills BSN students will need as a professional nurse.
NSNA is involved in speaking for all nursing students; it is their
voice in nursing and health care. Issues of concern to NSNA include:
Student rights and responsibilities, level of entry into practice,
recruitment of minority students, community health activities, and
national and state legislation affecting the health care system. There
are annual state and national conventions, officers at all levels
are elected each year, and activities are offered at both state and
local levels. NSNA is an autonomous organization but has very close
ties with the American Nurses Association (ANA).
The local organization (KUSN) supports activities that promote health by participating in health fair screening programs for children and migrant workers and other programs. Fund raising activities are conducted throughout the year to assist interested members financially when attending state, regional and national conventions. Meetings are usually held monthly or bi-weekly. In addition, the members plan some "just for fun" activities throughout the year that include friends and families.
Sigma Theta Tau International, is the honor society of nursing. The Delta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau at the University of Kansas School of Nursing, honors students who meet the eligibility criteria for membership. The purpose of the organization is to foster excellence in nursing.
STUDENT REPRESENTATION ON FACULTY AND
STUDENT COMMITTEES
Faculty committee representatives are sought early in the school
year. Students have found that participation on these committees has
been extremely helpful as an added learning experience. Appointments
are usually made for the year. The student is encouraged to respond
to announcements for volunteers or to contact the Office of Student
Affairs for more information. The following is a brief guide to faculty
committees on which students have voting representatives:
General Faculty Committee: This is a monthly meeting of all faculty
in the School of Nursing. The student representatives are encouraged
to share opinions with other students.
Research Committee: This committee reviews proposals of faculty
research for funding recommendations to the Associate Dean for Research
and makes policy recommendations regarding research and research support
issues. The graduate student representative participates fully in
the committee's work and also assists in planning KUMC Student Research
Forum. Meetings are held monthly.
Curriculum Committee: This is a faculty group that discusses,
among other things, curriculum, independent studies, and plans for
the future of the programs. The student representatives provide a
communication link between the student body and the nursing faculty.
Meetings are usually held twice monthly.
Student Admission and Progression Committee: This committee reviews
problems and discusses issues pertinent to faculty and students, as
well as makes policy recommendations and curricular suggestions. Meetings
are usually held twice monthly.
In addition to faculty committees, graduate nursing students are represented on the Graduate Student Council (two representatives), the Student Senate (three representatives) and the AGSN Board of Directors (two masters, two Ph. D. representatives). The GSC is a combined council of medicine, allied health, and nursing graduate students. This council sponsors a variety of social activities during the year, as well as the annual Student Research Forum. The Student Senate has an annual meeting on the Lawrence campus.
In addition to the aforementioned School of Nursing Committees, undergraduate students also have two representatives from each class on the Student Governing Council. Other organizations may request input from undergraduate nursing students. The AUSN Executive Committee will elect or appoint representatives as deemed necessary.
LOCKERS
A locker is assigned to each undergraduate upon enrollment. Any
RN or graduate student who feels that she/ he needs a locker may request
one. See the appropriate Office Specialist in the School of Nursing
Student Affairs Office for more information.
The School of Nursing locker policy is:
1. Locks Students may provide their own lock, if they wish, and will be responsible for the expense of cutting it off if they lose/ forget the key/ combination.
2. Locker Assignments Lockers will be assigned for use only while the student is enrolled. It is the student's responsibility to remove articles from the locker when not enrolled in the School of Nursing. At the beginning of the semester or term following the student's graduation or dismissal, the lock will be cut off, if necessary, and the School of Nursing will dispose of any articles left inside. If you lock articles in a locker not assigned to you, the School of Nursing reserves the right to cut the lock and dispose of the contents of the locker.
3. Valuables The KU School of Nursing bears no responsibility for valuables left in the lockers or for items taken from the lockers.
4. Contents Storage or possession of alcoholic beverages, flammable liquids, firearms, explosives, other potentially dangerous/ hazardous or illegal substances in lockers is strictly forbidden.
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND COMMUNICATION
The Student Affairs Office maintains a bulletin board and distributes
information especially for students. Items to be posted or submissions
may be made in writing to the Manager in the Student Affairs Office,
University of Kansas School of Nursing.
All students are urged to consult the School of Nursing Student Bulletin Board regularly for posted announcements of particular interest to them, including job notices. All information is important, but much of it cannot be brought quickly and conveniently to the attention of those affected in any other way. The bulletin board is part of the information center on the basement level of the School of Nursing Building. Information about meetings and other events will be posted there. Pertinent information will also be posted on the School of Nursing web site, http://www2.kumc.edu/son
Mail Every student should inform the appropriate area of the School of Nursing Office of Student Affairs of any changes of name, home address, and/ or telephone number as soon as possible. Only by maintaining an accurate record will newsletters and other material be addressed correctly. All students should provide a home address instead of listing the School of Nursing as a business address. There is no vehicle to deliver mail on campus to students.
E-mail Each student is assigned an e-mail address upon enrollment at which they will receive electronic communications. E-mail is the official means of communication from the University to the student. It is expected that students adhere to KUMC policies related to proper usage. The e-mail policy is available for review at http://www2.kumc.edu/email/policy.asp
COMPUTER LAB
Nursing students may utilize the computers located in the Dykes
Library. In addition to the many Computer Aided Instruction (CAI)
programs used in nursing coursework, students will find popular programs
such as word processing, the SPSS-X (PC) Statistics Package, several
types of integrated software, and spreadsheet programs. All School
of Nursing Students have the use of the above facilities. In addition
to this, PhD students have a special facility located in Room 3053
School of Nursing. This room contains several machines that are connected
to the network as well as the other PC software described above.
POLICY ON TELEPHONE USAGE
Students may use the telephones located in the School of Nursing Atrium,
the lobby of Murphy Building, the Francisco Lounge, second floor Orr
Major and ERC. Faculty and staff telephones are not available for
student use.
POLICY ON SECRETARIAL ASSISTANCE
Students are responsible for their own class materials and typing
needs. The School of Nursing has the following policy: No typing is
done for students by the secretaries in the School of Nursing during
the regular working hours. If a secretary wishes to do typing for
students after hours for compensation, he/ she will post a notice
to that effect and mutual arrangements can be made.
STUDENT IDENTIFICATION BADGES
Student photo identification badges are required to be worn at
all times. Details about the distribution will be announced during
enrollment. This badge is required to gain entry into certain KUMC
buildings after hours. Call (913) 588-1619 if you have questions.
Distance education students (those in web-based and outreach site programs) may request a KU Medical Center photo identification badge by contacting the appropriate records specialist (graduate or undergraduate) in the School of Nursing Student Affairs Office.
SCHOOL OF NURSING/ NURSING
DEPARTMENT RELATIONSHIP
A cooperative arrangement exists between the KU Hospital Department
of Nursing and the School of Nursing. Students in nursing are requested
to adhere to the policies and regulations of the University of Kansas
Hospital which pertain to safe care of patients. In the patient area:
no smoking, proper identification (student identification badge),
and proper dress. A lab coat may be worn over professional looking
street clothes in the patient area, if not giving nursing care. Employment
opportunities are available through the Department of Nursing. Interested
students may contact the KU Hospital Human Resources Department at
588-4500. The faculty members recognize that clinical agencies employ
University of Kansas nursing students in various job capacities. Students
working for clinical agencies must clearly understand that when they
work for pay in a clinical agency, they do not represent the University,
and therefore must not wear anything that designates them as a KU
student (such as uniforms, name tags or arm patches). Students are
further cautioned to perform only those duties outlined in the job
descriptions for which they are adequately prepared and which are
within the legal confines of a non-professional position. University
of Kansas liability insurance does not cover nursing students under
employment conditions.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Several scholarships are awarded each year to nursing students.
The School of Nursing Student Admission and Progression Committee
reviews the applications and recommends the recipients. Some of them
are listed below. For more information, contact the School of Nursing
Student Affairs Office.
Alumni and Endowment Scholarships - The KU School of Nursing has several endowment scholarship and several scholarships from the KU Nurses Alumni Association that are awarded to students who meet a specific grade point average and financial need requirements.
Dean's Scholars - Students from each level of the nursing program are selected to receive scholarships each school year. Recipients are chosen for outstanding academic achievement, leadership capabilities and potential for success in a nursing career. These students also act as ambassadors for the School of Nursing during their year as a Dean's Scholar.
Lawrence Memorial Hospital Scholarship - Every other year, this scholarship is given to a new junior nursing student who has an outstanding academic record and whose permanent residence is in Douglas County, Kansas.
Helen and Rebecca West Oncology Scholarship - BSN and Master's nursing students who are interested in oncology are considered for this scholarship.
KU Medical Center Student Union Corporation Scholarships - Each year the Student Union Corporation board of directors determines the number and amount of scholarships they will make available to students in the schools on the Kansas City campus.
Baker Trust Scholarships – This scholarship is available for Registered Nurses working toward the BSN or MS degrees who live west of highway 81 in Kansas and intend to remain in western Kansas after graduation.
CLINICAL LABORATORY FEES
The School of Nursing Academic Affairs Office charges clinical
laboratory fees to help cover the cost of consumable items in specific
courses. A lab fee of $53.00 is required from students enrolled in
NURS 301, NURS 302, and NRSG 811.
Graduate fees are as follows: $25 for NRSG 831,837, & 866; $53
for NRSG 863; $75 for NRSG 844; $125 for NRSG 815 & 864; $150
for NRSG 811; $175 for NRSG 817 & 867; $300 for NRSG 818 &
869. All laboratory fees are collected through the Office of Student
Affairs, and are due before classes begin each semester.
POSTING OF GRADES
Grades may not be posted by KU ID number or social security number.
Course faculty will provide information on how examination results
will be communicated to students.
APPLICATION FOR DEGREE
At enrollment in the semester in which she/ he expects to complete
degree requirements, the student must complete an "application for
degree" card. The "application for degree" card is available in the
School of Nursing Student Affairs Office.
GRADUATION ACTIVITIES
Senior Celebration This celebration is the only such event
organized by and for graduating BSN students, faculty and their "significant
others." Recent celebrations have been held in area hotels. This event
occurs several weeks before finals and graduation, as deemed convenient
by the senior class. Senior Representatives to the AUSN Executive
Committee plan and coordinate the celebration.
Sigma Theta Tau Induction Event
This event is held to welcome new inductees into nursing's only honor
society and to honor persons receiving awards for excellence. Candidates
who have been selected for membership in Delta Chapter are inducted
during a formal ceremony.
Alumni Banquet Sponsored by the KU Nurses Alumni Association
This banquet honors nursing classes which are celebrating their 10th,
20th, 25th, 50th, etc. class reunions and the current graduates.
Recognition Ceremony
Each year the Recognition Ceremony is designed to honor each
nursing graduate individually. Friends and family members are invited
to attend. Held the day before graduation, this academic ceremony
commemorates the end of each student's effort to earn their degree
in nursing. Awards are presented to students and KU nursing faculty
members. The Recognition Ceremony is held at the Soldiers and Sailors
Memorial Hall in downtown Kansas City, Kansas. It should be noted
that the official KU commencement ceremonies are held on the Lawrence
campus the next day involving graduates from all schools. School of
Nursing graduates are encouraged to attend both the School of Nursing
Recognition Ceremony and the University Commencement.
Graduation Brunch
The Executive Vice Chancellor hosts a brunch for all graduating
students and selected friends and family members. This takes place
the same weekend as commencement and is held in the courtyard of the
Orr-Major Building at the University of Kansas Medical Center campus.
Commencement The University of Kansas holds a commencement ceremony
each May. All candidates for all degrees in May, August or December
are eligible to participate. One of the distinctive elements of commencement
at the University of Kansas is the procession which forms near Strong
Hall on Jayhawk Boulevard, continues down Mount Oread, and into Memorial
Stadium. Faculty members and graduates wear academic dress which contributes
to the pageantry of the event, and bears significance determined by
the graduate's field and level of academic achievement.
Awards - Various awards are presented to and by graduating nursing students. The students are recognized at various banquets and at the Recognition Ceremony. Awards include:
Sigma Theta Tau - To a graduating senior, a masters and a Ph. D. student with outstanding scholastic achievement, research, and leadership ability.
Dean's Award - To a graduating senior for outstanding academic achievement and service to the School of Nursing.
Kay Schlicter Award - To a graduating senior for outstanding scholastic achievement and demonstrated leadership ability.
Registered Nurse Award - To a graduating registered nurse for outstanding achievement and service to the School of Nursing.
Mary Roberts Senior Nursing Award - To a graduating senior for outstanding scholastic achievement, leadership potential, and social consciousness during the senior year.
Mary Roberts Junior Nursing Award - To a graduating senior for outstanding achievement, leadership potential, and social consciousness during the junior year.
Outstanding Senior - To a graduating senior with outstanding scholastic achievement.
Jean Hill Award - To a graduating senior demonstrating outstanding clinical performance.
Jayhawker, R. N. Award - To the nursing teacher( s) voted most outstanding by the senior class.
Hester Thurston Award - To a Master's graduate who demonstrates excellence in leadership and community service activities.
Henrietta Froehlke Award - To a Master's student in nursing with high scholastic achievement and leadership ability.
Melba Carter Award - To the Doctoral student whose dissertation was most outstanding in the field of health promotion or disease prevention.
PhD Alumni Award - To the Doctoral nursing student demonstrating outstanding performance in scholarship and leadership.
GUIDELINES FOR INDEPENDENT STUDY
Rationale: In keeping with the Philosophy of the University of
Kansas School of Nursing, independent study supports the following
statements: Nursing students should have the opportunity to select
from nursing courses in order to acquire additional knowledge and
skills within a circumscribed area. Learning is accomplished best
when the learner is involved in the teaching-learning process with
the teacher as a catalyst and facilitator. Learning situations should
stimulate intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and self awareness.
Due to the diverse amount of knowledge needed by professional nurses
to give optimum care, the baccalaureate, masters or doctoral nursing
student should be allowed to pursue areas of interest in nursing in
which there is an opportunity to gain depth and breadth of knowledge
in an area of interest. Independent study should encourage a student
to be self-directive and assume primary responsibility for seeking
out learning experiences which meet the student's and the school's
objectives.
Introduction
In order to provide flexibility within the curricular design
of the Baccalaureate, Master's and Ph. D. Program in Nursing, the
Curriculum Committee established the opportunity for students who
may have particular needs in relation to specific nursing knowledges
and skills (not provided within official course offerings) to meet
these needs through the vehicle of the independent study. NOTE: No
more than 6 credits may be taken by independent study. Appropriate
prerequisite courses, as determined by the Independent Study faculty
advisor, must be completed.
Course Description
NURS 469 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN NURSING (BSN)
NRSG 890 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN NURSING (MASTERS)
NRSG 997 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN NURSING (DOCTORAL)
Intensive study in an area of interest with experiences selected according
to the student's written purpose, conceptual framework, objectives
and evaluation (1-5 credit hours).
Procedure If a student chooses to do an independent study,
use the following procedure:
1. Select the specific area of knowledge to be explored.
2. Select a faculty advisor who is an expert in the area of interest.
3. In conjunction with the faculty advisor, prepare the independent study proposal and submit a copy to the Office of Academic Affairs, 2010 School of Nursing.
4. The independent study proposal must include:
a. Title
b. Name of faculty advisor
c. Number of credit hours
d. Name of student
e. Semester for which independent study is requested
f. Purpose of the study
g. Behavioral objectives
h. Methodology
i. Evaluation
j. Selected bibliography documenting area of study
5. A copy of the final paper, project, or clinical evaluation will be sent by the faculty advisor to the School of Nursing Office of Academic Affairs.
NOTE: A sample format of an independent study is available in the School of Nursing Academic Affairs office, 2010 School of Nursing, for review.
READMISSION TO THE BSN, MS OR PHD
PROGRAMS
When a student who has withdrawn from the School of Nursing (due to
personal reasons, expired LOA status or academic dismissal) wishes
to renter the appropriate program in the School, the following procedure
should be followed.
1. Completion of a new application form.
2. Submission of any transcripts which include coursework not already
on file in the School of Nursing.
3. Statement from the applicant describing his/her activities since
the last enrollment in the School of Nursing
4. Statement about the reasons the applicant thinks the request for
readmission should be approved.
5. These items will be reviewed by the School of Nursing Student Admission
and Progressions Committee and the applicant will be informed of the
decision.
WITHDRAWAL FROM COURSES OR FROM THE SCHOOL
OF NURSING
During the first third of a semester (weeks 1-5 in regular semesters,
weeks 1-2 in summer) students may cancel their enrollment in any course
in the School of Nursing. During the second third of a semester (weeks
6-10 in regular semesters, weeks 3-5 in summer) you may withdraw from
any course offered by the School of Nursing and receive a grade of
"W" or "F". However, if you choose to remain in a course after the
first two-thirds of a semester you will normally receive a grade from
the instructor. The School of Nursing recognizes that unforeseen circumstances
may occur late in the semester and may affect your academic performance;
therefore, very strict criteria have been established for withdrawal
from a class during the last third of a semester (week 11 to the last
day of class before finals begin, fall and spring; and week 6 to last
day of class, summer). Withdrawal petitions will not be approved if
based upon poor academic performance, a loss of interest in the class,
a change of major, a long-standing problem, a situation that existed
early in the semester, etc. If you wish to withdraw from a class for
any of these reasons, you must do so prior to the last third of a
semester. (Time periods are different for short courses; see Official
Timetable.) Only the Associate Dean, Student Affairs has the authority
to withdraw a student from a class during the last third of a semester.
You cannot withdraw yourself, nor can your instructor withdraw you.
The Associate Dean recognizes certain grounds for late withdrawal.
These are listed below. Please note that your petition will not be
acted upon unless you submit documented evidence to support your reason(
s) for dropping your courses( s).
Remember, a withdrawal will not be approved if the Associate Dean, Student Affairs believes that sufficient information concerning your situation was available to you in time to permit you to consider dropping prior to the end of the first two-thirds of the semester.
1. Withdrawal based upon illness, disability, or stress. Generally petitions based upon illness, disability, or stress will not be approved unless the problem affected your academic performance for at least two weeks during the last two-thirds of the semester. Also, petitions will generally not be approved if the problem is a chronic one. The Associate Dean, Student Affairs will not be able to determine the validity of these petitions based upon your description alone. You must obtain a letter from a physician, dentist, psychologist, social worker, police, or court official who is involved in your problem. Normally, if the problem was not serious enough to cause you to seek professional help, withdrawal is not justified. The letter should include the following information: a. How your problem affected your academic performance, e. g., your inability to attend class. It is not necessary to state the specific illness, disability, or stressful event. b. The period during which your academic performance was affected. The dates should also be included. c. The periods of hospitalization, bedrest, etc. The dates should be included. d. When the problem began and ended. e. Whether a reduction in class load is recommended.
2. Withdrawal based upon a death. You must document the death. Generally, this is done by submitting a newspaper clipping or funeral announcement that includes the date of the funeral or death. You must state your relationship to the person who died and the period during which your academic performance was affected. 3. Withdrawal based upon misadvising. Usually cases of misadvising consist of a University representative giving erroneous information. If your instructor gives you incorrect information concerning the dates or procedures for withdrawal, for example, this would be misadvising.
If you were given erroneous information, you should petition and submit a letter from the faculty member, University staff, or University official who misadvised you. This person must accept responsibility for the misadvising.
4. Withdrawal based upon work. Very few withdrawal petitions based upon work are approved. Usually work situations are long-standing or voluntary. It is your responsibility to assess these situations early and withdraw, if necessary, from the affected classes during the first two-thirds of the semester. If late in the semester your performance in a class is affected by a change in your work schedule that is required by your employer as a condition of employment, you should petition and submit a letter from your employer on business letterhead. This letter should include your working schedule for the semester, the changes in your schedule, the date your employment began, the date( s) when the change( s) occurred, and a statement that the change( s) that prompted the petition was (were) required by your employer as a condition of your continued employment. We expect that the University, Athletic Corporation, fraternities, sororities, etc., will not require employment changes that interfere with your classes; therefore, it is unlikely that a petition involving changes in such jobs will be approved.
5. Withdrawal based upon lack of evaluation. If prior to the end of the first two-thirds of the semester, you have received no evaluation of your academic performance in a class, you may be withdrawn from the class. You must submit a letter from your instructor verifying that no evaluation for any work for the class (e. g., homework, paper, quiz, test, etc.) has been made available to you prior to the end of the first two-thirds of the semester.
6. Withdrawal based upon enrollment error. Generally, these petitions concern a course that you thought you had dropped or for which you were not aware you were enrolled. You are responsible for properly dropping a course and for knowing the courses for which you are enrolled; therefore, unless the error is well-documented, it is unlikely that your petition will be approved.
If an enrollment error occurred, you should submit a petition and include a copy of your enrollment, copies of drop/ add slips, a letter from your instructor stating when you stopped participating in class, and a statement indicating when and how you became aware of the error. Claims of having dropped a class that are not substantiated by a drop slip are not likely to be approved.
7. Withdrawal based upon other circumstances. The above are the most common reasons for the approval of a withdrawal petition. It is not possible to state all the circumstances that justify withdrawal. If your circumstances do not fall into one of the categories above and you submit a petition, you should include the following information: a. State the circumstances that you believe justify withdrawal showing how they affected your performance, and when. Be specific. Give the dates during which your performance was affected. b. Provide documented evidence supporting your statements. Petitions which lack necessary supporting documents, or which are in other ways incomplete, will not be acted upon. To withdraw from the School of Nursing a student must make arrangements prior to the cessation of attendance at class or clinical practice. A student wishing to return to the School of Nursing after withdrawing or being dismissed may petition for readmission. This petition will be reviewed by the Student Admission and Progression Committee. The petitioner is responsible for supplying all data requested by the Student Admission and Progression Committee as well as any other information which maybe helpful to the petition.
THE AMERICAN NURSES' ASSOCIATION'S "CODE OF ETHICS FOR NURSES"
Information about the ANA's "Code of Ethics for Nurses" is available
at:
http://www.nursingworld.org/ethics/ecode.htm
KANSAS NURSE PRACTICE ACT 60-3-110
Standards of revocation, suspension, limitation, or denial of nursing
licensure.
Unprofessional conduct. Any of the following shall constitute “unprofessional conduct”:
DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING INFORMATION
For certain clinical rotations, drug and alcohol testing is required.
When this is necessary the student will receive specific written instructions
from the faculty member. They student must follow the instructions
carefully to avoid any unnecessary re-takes of the test (if re-takes
are allowed). A representative of the clinical agency will personally
report the specifics of any positive test results directly to the
student. The School is notified only of the student's "failure to
meet Health Status Requirements". Students who do not meet this "Health
Status Requirement" are responsible for informing the faculty/ School
of the specific issue as soon as possible so that arrangements for
an alternative clinical practice site can be made, if possible. If
no acceptable alternative clinical sites are available the student
will need to drop the course and enroll at a later date when a clinical
placement is available. The School does not assure availability of
appropriate clinical placements; therefore, graduation may be delayed.
If the reported situation warrants, other administrative action may
be taken.
KANSAS STATE BOARD OF NURSING LAW REGARDING DENIAL, REVOCATION,
LIMITATION OR SUSPENSION OF NURSING LICENSES
There are a number of reasons that the Kansas State Board of Nursing
may deny, revoke, limit or suspend a nursing license. These include:
fraud or deceit in practicing nursing or in procuring a license; holding
a felony conviction; being incompetent; being unable to practice due
to abuse of drugs or alcohol; being judged in need of a guardian;
exhibiting unprofessional conduct; having violated the provisions
of the Kansas Nurse Practice Act; and having action taken against
your nursing license in another state. The Kansas Nurse Practice Act,
passed in the Kansas Legislature and effective July 1, 1997, added
a new provision in the felony section. In the past, persons with a
felony conviction or a misdemeanor drug offense could receive a license
in Kansas provided an investigation conducted by the Board of Nursing
showed that the person was sufficiently rehabilitated to warrant the
public trust. However, effective July 1997, no person who has been
convicted of a felony against persons (as specified in article 34
of chapter 21 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated and amendments) shall
be granted a license to practice nursing in the state of Kansas. In
other felony or misdemeanor instances, the Board of Nursing will conduct
an investigation and make an individual decision. As always, admission
to the University of Kansas School of Nursing does not guarantee eligibility
to test for a nursing license in Kansas if a person's past record
includes any of the situations listed above. Many sites used for clinical
experience for nursing students now require that each student who
practices there make a felony disclosure. This may become a requirement
for all clinical sites during the next year.
IMPAIRED STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN THE SCHOOL OF NURSING
Diagram: Model
For Policy on Impaired Nursing Student Assistance Program (in
PDF format)
PHILOSOPHY:
The faculty of the University of Kansas School of Nursing recognize
and accept their responsibility to provide nursing education to students.
The faculty also recognize and accept their responsibility to the
public, health care institutions, and their clients to provide safe
patient care. In support of these beliefs, the faculty concur with
the University of Kansas policy prohibiting the unlawful possession,
use, manufacture, or distribution of alcohol or other drugs by students
or employees on its property or as part of any of its activities.
We further believe that impaired nursing students may need assistance
in order to free themselves of chemical dependency. We support participation
in treatment programs that have goals to provide a lifestyle free
of substance abuse as an option prior to expulsion.
PURPOSE AND COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM:
1. Interventions: The Dean of the School of Nursing has
designated a member of the administrative staff to be trained and
function as the intervener(s). Responsibilities of this person are
to:
a. assist in the identification and referral to treatment programs,
students enrolled in the School of Nursing who are potentially impaired
as the result of alcohol or other drug abuse.
b. establish a liaison and referral system to the Kansas Nurses Assistance
Program to which all students who are licensed to practice nursing
are referred.
2. Student Admission and Progression Committee: This committee
has the responsibility to:
a. promote and monitor efforts for the KU School of Nursing faculty
and students to be sensitized and receive education regarding the
impaired student and professional.
b. develop, implement and monitor the policies and procedures of the
KU School of Nursing regarding the impaired student and professional.
c. serve as a model that can be utilized by other professional nursing
education programs.
DEFINITIONS:
The following terms are used in this policy:
"Student/s" for this policy refers to individuals enrolled
in any of the School of Nursing courses either at the Medical Center
campus or on-line courses.
"Suspected Impaired Nursing Student" may be one whose behavior violates the rules, regulations, and ethics of the University of Kansas and the accepted standards of the nursing profession with respect to alcohol or other drug abuse or a student who voluntarily self-reports but whose behavior does not violate the above. (See Policy on Prevention of Illegal Drug and Alcohol Use on Campus and in the Workplace in this handbook.)
"Intervention" is a carefully planned, structured method of penetrating the web of denial and distorted perception commonly experienced in alcohol or other drug abuse. The goal of the intervention is to elicit an agreement that the student will seek professional help for an evaluation of possible chemical dependency (Sullivan et al, 1988).
"Evaluation" is determination of whether or not actual alcohol or other drug abuse or dependence is present and, if dependence is found, a determination of appropriate treatment by a professional trained in substance abuse.
GUIDELINES FOR A STUDENT ENTERING THE PEER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:
1. Self Referral: If a student independently identifies
and acknowledges a problem with alcohol or other drug abuse to any
member of the faculty, staff or student body, the student will be
referred to the designated administrative individual for referral
to a substance abuse expert for evaluation and treatment (if indicated).
The School of Nursing will make every effort to support the student's
recovery on reentry by affording them the opportunity to continue
their education. Students must obtain written approval from the School
of Nursing's designated administrative individual that they have successfully
met the criteria of the recovery process prior to reentry. Confidentiality
will be maintained concerning the reason for the leave of absence.
2. Non-Self Referral:
a. Identification: It is essential that faculty, staff and the
student body recognize their responsibility to act when they suspect
a student is abusing alcohol or other drugs. The identifying individuals
should document physical evidence and objective behavioral data related
to the School of Nursing that support the deviation in student performance.
These include specific observable behaviors in class or clinical activities.
If they suspect that these performance deviations represent impairment,
then they may notify the designated administrative individual.
b. Determination of Probable Alcohol or Drug Abuse: If the data collected indicate possible alcohol or other drug abuse, the identifying individual will contact the designated administrative individual for a confidential consultation on how to proceed.
c. Intervention: While the optimal solution is for the student to recognize the problem and seek treatment voluntarily, the School of Nursing designated administrative individual may decide to proceed with a planned intervention if behavioral signs indicate a potential problem (see definition). It is important to note that at the time of the intervention, a diagnosis is not being made. An intervention simply indicates a need for evaluation to determine if substance abuse exists.
The intervention is conducted without prior notification of the student
by the School of Nursing designated administrative individual and
may include other appropriate individuals. If the student is receiving
mental health care, the student's written consent will be sought to
inform the current therapist of the intervention and its outcome at
the conclusion of the intervention.
In the intervention, each member presents behavioral documentation of the student's actions. At the conclusion of the intervention, the student will be asked to agree to evaluation by a substance abuse treatment center. The treatment center must be mutually agreed upon by the School of Nursing designated administrative individual and the student. When possible, the student will go directly to evaluation from the intervention. The decision to seek evaluation and treatment is the student's.
If the student is a current LPN or RN and refuses evaluation, a report will be made to the Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN). For all students who refuse evaluation, other University policies regarding academic/ nonacademic misconduct may be implemented.
d. Evaluation: If the student agrees to an evaluation, it will be conducted as soon as possible, by a trained professional in substance abuse. The student will be responsible for providing the School of Nursing designated administrative individual with a written copy of the evaluation outcome and appropriate follow-up measures. If the student refuses to comply with this provision, dismissal from the School of Nursing may be considered, but strictly for behavioral conduct and/ or performance reasons, which fall within the provisions outlined in the applicable student handbook. SCHOOL OF NURSING NON-ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT policy
e. Possible Evaluation Outcomes:
i. If the evaluation indicates that the student is impaired due to
alcohol or other drug abuse, the therapist recommends treatment, and
the student agrees to treatment, then the student may be placed on
approved leave for the duration of the treatment program.
ii. If the evaluation indicates that the student is impaired due to
alcohol or other drug abuse, the therapist recommends treatment, and
the student refuses treatment, dismissal from the school will be considered,
but strictly for behavioral conduct and/ or performance reasons, which
fall within the provisions outlined in the applicable student handbook. SCHOOL OF NURSING NON-ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
policy
iii If the evaluation does not indicate that the student is impaired
due to alcohol or other drug abuse but includes a recommendation regarding
another health problem, the School of Nursing designated administrative
individual will determine if further action is necessary.
iv. If the evaluation does not indicate that the student is impaired
due to alcohol or other drug abuse and the therapist makes no recommendation
then no other action will be taken, except in cases where a faculty
member has observed the physical evidence or problems. At this point
the academic/ non-academic misconduct procedure may be initiated.
f. Reentry to School of Nursing: Upon successful completion of a
treatment program, the student submits written documentation of treatment
to the School of Nursing designated administrative individual requesting
reentry to the nursing program. Based on this information, the School
of Nursing designated administrative individual makes a decision regarding
reentry and notifies the student. Conditions for reentry will include:
i. a written certification of successful completion of treatment from
the treatment agency/ therapist.
ii. documentation of plans for continued involvement in post-treatment
support groups.
iii. agreement to participate in random drug screens for which
the student is required to pay.
iv. provision for release of information to appropriate faculty.
g. The School of Nursing designated administrative individual will carry out supervision of the student's adherence to the requirements of the post-treatment follow-up. This includes attendance at appropriate support groups such as AA and Narcotics Anonymous and negative drug screens at all times. If any of these conditions are not met, the School of Nursing administrative individual will institute the Non-Academic Misconduct Procedure. Any of the possible sanctions, including dismissal from the program, may be dispensed.
Adopted 1993
Revised 12-15-03
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM (B. S. N. AND R. N TO B. S. N.)
Diagram: Undergraduate
Curriculum Plan
Nursing Honors Program
The Nursing Honors Program offers enhanced educational opportunities
for the most academically talented, promising, and motivated baccalaureate
students while providing a foundation for leadership development and
articulation into graduate education. The focus of the Nursing Honors
Program is development and completion of a research project under
the guidance of an active research mentor. Four courses comprise the
program:
(a) NURS 382, Honors Seminar -spring junior year;
(b) Honors section of NURS 460, Nursing Research -summer; and
(c) NURS 461, Honors Practicum -fall and spring of senior year.
Applications for admission to the Nursing Honors Program can be obtained from the SON Student Affairs Office. Applications are completed by students during fall of the junior year and are due the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Students eligible to apply are those who are enrolled full-time in the generic BSN program and who have an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher. Note that students who are participating in the KU University Honors Program will automatically be admitted to the Nursing Honors Program -application is required for administrative purposes only. The Honors Program Admission Committee will review applications and make the final decision about acceptance into the program in December. Applicants will be notified in writing of their status into the Nursing Honors Program.
R. N. to B. S. N.
The faculty of the School of Nursing developed the R. N. to B.
S. N. Program for Registered Nurses in keeping with the philosophy
of the school and the following primary beliefs about the R. N. student:
The R. N. who decides to seek further formal education in nursing:
1. Is demonstrating personal and professional commitment by embarking
on this learning process;
2. Is a learner who brings nursing knowledge and life experiences to the new learning situation;
3. Is entitled to counsel and support in regard to both the personal and professional change process being undertaken;
4. Is entitled to the opportunity to:
a. enter the B. S. N. nursing curriculum with advanced standing placement,
equivalent to the knowledge and competencies which can be demonstrated
and evaluated;
b. participate in educational experiences which enhance knowledge,
competencies, and professional behaviors;
c. achieve the same terminal objectives as the generic students in
the B. S. N. curriculum, though not necessarily through the identical
curriculum process and/ or teaching strategies;
5. Is entitled to:
a. individualized learning opportunities based on mutually assessed
needs and goals;
b. flexible progression, responsive to adult life responsibilities
and choices;
c. positive action in relation to support needs( personal, educational,
or financial);
d. ongoing evaluation of progress toward curriculum objectives;
e. implementation of all of the above to the extent possible, consistent
with the School of Nursing philosophy, objectives, and available resources.
STUDENT ADVISING
All advising of undergraduate students for enrollment purposes
or program planning purposes will be done with an Advisor in the Office
of Student Affairs. For career planning or other kinds of professional
growth activities, the student may seek out their faculty mentor,
a faculty member with whom they have developed rapport; or the student
may contact Rita Clifford, Associate Dean, Student Affairs. Upon enrollment
Registered Nurse students are assigned a faculty advisor.
ACADEMIC POLICIES OF THE BACCALAUREATE
PROGRAM
Enrollment in Nursing Electives
Students not enrolled in the University of Kansas Medical Center Baccalaureate
in Nursing Program may be admitted to nursing electives on a "consent
of instructor" basis.
Enrollment in Nursing Core Courses
All students must initially enroll for and complete theoretical
and clinical core courses, concurrently. Exceptions to this policy
will be handled by the Associate Dean, Academic Affairs and the lead
teacher.
Maintaining Current CPR Status
Before beginning class, each student must pass and receive certification
in the Red Cross CPR for the Professional Rescuer including
AED Essentials or the American Heart Association’s BLS for Health
Care Providers and must maintain that certification throughout each
clinical rotation. Failure to meet this requirement will result in
removal from the clinical rotation. The clinical instructor will inspect
each student's card and note the expiration date. Lead teachers will
be notified of students whose certification has expired or will expire
before the end of the clinical rotation and will follow up with those
students.
HIV-HBV Risk Exposure
The federal government requires that students in a clinical major
complete the HIV-HBV Risk Exposure learning experience and questionnaire
regularly during their enrollment. This process will be administered
as part of the coursework in the undergraduate curriculum.
Class Attendance
The University of Kansas has no policy on class attendance however,
students are responsible for material presented in class and for any
announcements made in class regarding changes in schedule, class content,
location or similar information.
Absences from Clinical Practice
Excused absences may be granted by the lead teacher in conjunction
with faculty members of the course or courses involved. Arrangements
in regard to make-up work (if required) are left to the discretion
of the faculty involved.
Semester Overload
Permission must be obtained from the Associate Dean, Student Affairs
to enroll in more than eighteen hours in any one semester or more
than eight hours in any summer session.
Examinations
All students enrolled in academic programs in the School of Nursing
are required to take examinations as scheduled, unless prior permission
is obtained from the lead teacher.
Drop/ Add of Courses
All drop and add transactions for courses are handled through
the Student Affairs Office. Students wishing to drop, add or change
sections in a course should see the Advisor for paperwork and refer
to the respective Timetable of courses for appropriate drop and add
dates.
A change of section for BSN students is official after the student has met with the Student Affairs Advisor. It is the student's responsibility to process the transaction through the Registrar's Office.
Petition Process
Diagram: Undergraduate
Petition Process (in PDF format)
Students may use the petition process to obtain special permission to pursue a different order of course work than normally required. A student seeking a petition should:
1. Make an appointment with the Advisor in the Office of Student Affairs to discuss options available.
2. Upon recommendation from the Advisor, write a letter of petition to the Associate Dean, Academic Affairs.
3. Submit the letter of petition to, and make an appointment to discuss it with, the Associate Dean, Academic Affairs.
4. The Associate Dean, Academic Affairs will select one of
the following options after the appointment:
a. Specify an action plan with regard to the petition; or
b. Forward the petition to the School of Nursing Curriculum Committee
for action; or
c. Determine the appropriateness of the petition, including denial.
5. If the petition is to go forward to the Curriculum Committee, the Associate Dean, Academic Affairs will ask faculty members related to each individual petition to submit their input regarding agreement with the petition and rationale.
6. The Associate Dean, Academic Affairs will inform the student and the Advisor of decisions made.
7. Following action by the Curriculum Committee, appropriate instructors will be notified on a need-to-know basis, if necessary, by the Office of Academic Affairs.
Acceptable Grades in Nursing Courses
All classroom courses designated "NURS" or "NRSG" must be completed
with a grade of C or better to meet requirements for graduation. All
clinical courses must be completed with a "satisfactory" to meet requirements
for graduation. No student will be allowed to graduate with an "unsatisfactory"
in a clinical course. Classroom/ theory courses are graded on a letter-grade
basis. Clinical and skills courses are graded on a satisfactory/ unsatisfactory
basis. Nursing electives with a clinical portion may be graded with
a combination of letter grades and satisfactory/ unsatisfactory or
letter grade only. The faculty member( s) for each course establishes
the minimum requirements for each letter/ satisfactory grade.
No student may graduate:
1) with a nursing GPA below 2.0, and/ or
2) with a cumulative GPA below 2.0, and/ or
3) with any "unsatisfactory" grades.
Repetition of Nursing Courses
One nursing course may be repeated one time only if necessary
to earn the minimum grade of "C" or "S". Failure to achieve a minimum
grade of "C" or "S" in two nursing courses or one repeated nursing
course will result in the student's dismissal from the School of Nursing.
(Adopted February 28, 1994.)
Incomplete Grade
Refer to the current issue of The University of Kansas Undergraduate
catalog for the current policy on incomplete grades.
Time Limit for Completion of Degree Requirements
Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree must
be completed within five years of the date of the first enrollment
in nursing courses.
Difficulty at Mid-Term
Diagram: Classroom/Theory
Course Problem Resolution - Graduate and Undergraduate (in PDF
format)
Academic difficulty is considered as earning a "D" or "F" in any course. Grades may be reported to the Associate Dean, Student Affairs by the lead teacher. Students may receive written notifications of the student's areas of difficulty from the Associate Dean, Student Affairs. It is the student's responsibility to seek a conference with the Student Affairs Advisor. The student and the Student Affairs Advisor will jointly assess the situation and make appropriate recommendations.
Probationary Status
Students who receive below a 2.0 GPA for the semester are placed
on probation. The student is notified by letter from the Associate
Dean, Student Affairs. It is the student's responsibility to seek
a conference with the Student Affairs Advisor. The student and the
Student Affairs Advisor will jointly assess the situation and make
appropriate recommendations.
Removal from Probationary Status
A student remains on probationary status until completion of the
next semester or term in which the student is enrolled full-time.
(Full-time enrollment is 12 hours or more; full-time summer school
is 6 hours or more). A part-time student must maintain a 2.0 GPA in
the next 12 semester hours of enrollment in order to be removed from
probation. Only those courses required for the nursing major (junior/
senior coursework) will apply toward the required GPA for removal
from probation. If, in that semester, the student attains above a
2.0 GPA and earns "satisfactory" grades in clinical courses, the student
is removed from probation. If, in that semester, the student does
not attain a 2.0 GPA, the student is dismissed from the School of
Nursing for academic reasons.
No student may graduate:
1) with a nursing GPA below 2.0, and/ or
2) with a cumulative GPA below 2.0, and/ or
3) with any "unsatisfactory" grades.
Leave of Absence
Leaves of absence may be granted by the Associate Dean, Student
Affairs. Leaves of absence may be granted for up to three semesters.
The student must meet the graduation requirements of the curriculum
in effect at the time of return to the School of Nursing. Leaves of
absence do not exempt one from the five-year limit for completion
of the degree requirements.
Failure to Enroll in Initial Nursing Courses
After having been accepted as a degree-seeking student, failure
to enroll in nursing course( s) applicable to the baccalaureate degree
in the initial semester for which the student has been accepted will
result in separation from the school and will require a reapplication
for admission.
Nonresidential Credit
No greater than 1/ 4 of the credit hours applied to the degree
may be completed by nonresidential means. Nonresidential means for
earning credit include:
1. Extension, correspondence, and/ or extramural independent study courses;
2. Credit earned in programs of the Armed Services;
3. Credit earned by examination (such as CEEB, CLEP, ACT, and the University of Kansas Program of Examinations for Advanced Standing Credit).
4. Articulation credit
5. Nursing Challenge exams No greater than 31 credit hours of nonresidential credit can be applied toward the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Prior to completing any coursework by a nonresidential means, the student should seek advisement and/ or consult the Undergraduate Catalog, the Office of Admissions and Records (Lawrence), or the Office of Student Affairs (School of Nursing) for preliminary transfer evaluation of that coursework.
Policies Governing Eligibility to Challenge Other NURS Courses
1. The Student must register intent to challenge and pay a $12.50 record ing fee for each course.
2. Permission of the instructor must be secured.
Policies Governing Procedures for School of Nursing challenge examinations and Award of Credit for Registered Nurse Students
1. The student must register intent to challenge in both the theoretical and clinical portions of a core nursing course concurrently. The student will be assessed a $12.50 recording fee for each examination and the cost of the standardized examination if one is used.
2. Successful completion of the theoretical challenge examination is pre-requisite to attempting the clinical challenge examination in those courses in which credit is earned in separate theory and clinical examinations.
3. The actual date of completion of the clinical challenge examination needs to be concurrent (i. e., within the same semester) with the date of completion of the corresponding theoretical challenge examination when credit is earned in separate theory and clinical examinations.
4. Challenge examinations will be graded as Pass/ Fail. The lowest passing "C" (as established by course faculty) is defined as "pass" level for teacher-made examinations. The pass level for standardized examinations is also set by the faculty.
5. Upon successful challenge of a course, the entry on the student's University of Kansas permanent record will reflect: course number, course name, credit hours earned, and a grade of CREDIT. 6. No entry shall be made on a student's permanent record of any unsuccessful attempt to challenge for credit by examination.
7. A student may challenge only one time for credit in a course using teacher-made examinations and appropriate standardized tests. One retest is permitted for challenge of nursing core courses.
Credit hours earned by any nonresidential means, including nursing course challenge examinations, must meet criteria set by the University of Kansas and/ or the Board of Regents in order to be accepted for transfer. A maximum of 31 credit hours (including nursing course challenge exams or articulation credit) will apply toward degree completion status. Most RN students elect to complete core nursing clinical courses (20-25 credit hours) by these methods. Thus, no more than eight (8) credit hours of other nonresidential credit earned by examination, correspondence, CLEP, for example, should be completed prior to enrollment in the School of Nursing.
Articulation Policies for Registered
Nurses
The Kansas
Articulation Plan for Nursing Educationhas been endorsed by
the School of Nursing. Graduates of Kansas Associate Degree or Diploma
nursing programs who meet the requirements stipulated in the Articulation
plan will be awarded selected nursing credit hours by portfolio examination.
Out of state graduates will be evaluated individually before nursing
credit is awarded and may be required to complete Nursing Challenge
Exams.
Appeal for Exception to Advanced
Standing Policies
University of Kansas School of Nursing policy regarding appeal
for exception to advanced standing states:
The student who fails to meet the stated criteria for:
(1) direct transfer of credit or
(2) eligibility to challenge for credit by examination may petition
the Associate Dean, Student Affairs for special consideration or waiver
of the stated criteria.
Professional Conduct
The University of Kansas Medical Center/University of Kansas Hospital
is at once both a campus for education and a hospital complex devoted
to the diagnosis and treatment of the sick. Thus, it is imperative
that health sciences students conduct themselves in such a manner
as to maintain both the professionalism which typifies those who dedicate
themselves to maintenance of health through education, service and
research, and the hygienic conditions most conducive to that maintenance
of health. Since the student has chosen to become a health professional,
it is the administration's view that such professionalism reflected
by appropriate behavior, appearance, and personal hygiene should begin
on the first day of school and continue throughout the career. All
conduct with patients should be in accordance with the guidelines
of professional behavior and in the Patient's Rights brochure.
Dress Code for Undergraduate Nursing
Students (Implemented Fall 1998)
The clinical uniform, a matching set of jacket and top with silk screened
KU School of Nursing emblem and pants, the lab coat, the engraved
name pin and the arm patch must all be purchased from the KU Medical
Center Bookstore. A specific style of lab coat and scrub will be selected
each year for students to purchase. The lab coat and scrub uniform
are to be worn only while the student is in clinical practice. No
part of it is to be worn in any setting where the student is functioning
as an employee. Name Badge Students must wear the official, KU student
photo identification badge at all times when at the KU Medical Center.
The name badge will also allow after hours access to specific areas
of the campus. The photograph for the identification badge will be
taken during New Student Orientation.
Classroom Dress - For lectures and class time when not performing patient care, a dress, skirt and blouse, or shirt with slacks, jeans, or shorts are appropriate.
On Clinical Units When Not Performing Patient Care - When a student is on a clinical unit but not performing patient care, (s) he must wear the lab coat over professional looking street clothes (no jeans or shorts). The KU School of Nursing patch must be sewn to the top of the right sleeve of the lab coat.
Clinical Uniform When on the clinical unit performing clinical assignments, the students are required to wear the uniform top and pants. The jacket is optional. The student's only other option will be whether or not to wear a white sleeveless or a white long sleeve knit shirt under the scrub top. Only wristlength sleeves will be allowed. Each student will wear leather shoes that are all white and professional looking, such as oxfords or walking shoes. No clogs or athletic shoes with colored stripes, decorations or markings are allowed (a very small colored logo is acceptable). Stockings will be white or neutral in color. Each student must use a watch, with a second hand, which is large enough to be easily visible.
Community Health Uniform (Implemented Fall 1999) The Community Health Uniform required for NURS 341 clinical activities consists of specific navy blue slacks or skirt purchased from the designated vendor, the white polo shirt with the KU School of Nursing insignia and the KU School of Nursing engraved name pin. The polo shirt and name pin must be purchased from the KU Medical Center Bookstore. Women are to wear natural colored hose and men need to wear navy blue or black socks. Shoes must be navy or black leather with heels no higher than one inch. Shoes such as combat boots, high heels of any type, tennis shoes, or clogs of any kind are not acceptable footwear for the clinical area. For student safety, it is suggested that jewelry not be worn in the community clinical setting.
Artificial Nails and Extenders Policy (Implemented Spring 2004)
For all clinical settings: Because artificial nails and extenders have been found to harbor pathogenic organisms and have been implicated in the transmissions of organisms to patients, students who are providing direct patient care may not wear artificial fingernails or extenders and must keep fingernails trimmed to ¼ inch above each finger in keeping with Association for Professionals in Infection Control standards. These standards have been adopted by the majority of hospitals and health agencies where KU students are assigned for clinical practice.
Nursing faculty supervising students will monitor this policy, however,
the clinical agency will also monitor this policy as it involves the
safety of their patients.
Removal from the Clinical
Setting
Diagram: Suggested
Management of Problematic or Unsafe Clinical Behavior - Graduate and
Undergraduate (in PDF format)
The student may be removed from the clinical setting temporarily based on the professional opinion of the faculty, if the student is:
1. Unprepared for the clinical assignment;
2. Performing nursing care in a manner detrimental to the patient's welfare. The student may return to the clinical setting upon validation by the faculty that the clinical deficit has been removed;
3. Displaying behaviors defined as academic or non-academic misconduct.
If a student is removed from the clinical area for behavior defined as misconduct, the faculty member will follow the Disciplinary Actions and Procedures for Misconduct. For definitions of Academic and Non-Academic misconduct, see those sections in this book.
NOTE: If the student has a declared disability, the relevancy of that disability will be considered in respect to the conduct or behavior that has precipitated the possible removal.
Removal from the Clinical
Course
Removal from the clinical course may be recommended should the
deficit remain unresolved following assistance and counseling. The
clinical faculty member will be responsible for conferring with the
student and informing the lead teacher, division coordinator, and
the Associate Dean, Student Affairs, in writing, of the rationale
for this action and methods utilized to resolve the issue. The student
has a right to request a conference with the lead teacher and/ or
the division coordinator. The Associate Dean, Student Affairs will
meet with the student to review the recommendations and take action,
the Associate Dean, Student Affairs will notify the clinical faculty
member of the action taken.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN MAY INCLUDE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO:
l. Reduction in grade which may include the awarding of an" F".
2. Suspension from school.
3. Dismissal from school.
If the student is dissatisfied with the action taken, he/ she can
request a hearing as described in the following sections.
SCHOOL OF NURSING STUDENT GRIEVANCE
PROCEDURE
Diagram
of Grievance Procedure (in PDF format)
The following procedure is available to any student, graduate or undergraduate,
in the School of Nursing, should a grievance arise between a student
and a faculty member or other person (hereinafter called the involved
party or parties) pertinent to the student's program of study. This
procedure is NOT to be used by students seeking resolution of conflicts
arising because of academic or non-academic misconduct.
NOTE: ISSUES INVOLVING GRADES IN A PARTICULAR CLASS SHOULD BE RESOLVED BETWEEN THE INSTRUCTOR OF THE COURSE AND THE STUDENT, AND WILL NORMALLY NOT BE CONSIDERED GROUNDS FOR GRIEVANCE. EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES MUST BE EVIDENT FOR GRADE MATTERS TO FALL WITHIN GROUNDS FOR A GRIEVANCE.
Should a grievance exist, it is the student's responsibility to follow the proper sequence in the Grievance Procedure.
EXHAUSTION PHASE:
I. PRELIMINARY RESOLUTION EFFORTS:
A. The student will make a good faith effort to resolve the conflict
with the involved party within five (5) academic days of the incident.
The student is to meet with or make an appointment with the involved
party to discuss the incident. The goal of this meeting is to agree
upon a resolution to the incident.
B. In the event that no resolution is found, the student should attempt to resolve the conflict with the lead teacher of the course for that semester (if not already done with the first meeting). This meeting should be held within three (3) academic days of the first meeting.
C. In the event that no resolution is found between the student and the lead teacher, or in the event that the course does not have a lead teacher, or the lead teacher is the object of the grievance, the student should attempt to resolve the conflict with the involved party's Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs. This meeting should be held within three (3) academic days of the student and involved party meeting or within three (3) academic days of the student-lead teacher meeting, according to the particular case.
D. If the conflict fails to be resolved after steps A-C, and the student wishes to pursue the grievance further, the student will have the opportunity for a hearing before the Student Admissions and Progression Committee as follows
GRIEVANCE PHASE:
II. PROCEDURE: Throughout the entire Grievance process both involved
parties have procedural guarantees as outlined in Article XIV of the
University Senate Code. It is required that all steps be carried out
within the prescribed time limits. Failure to do so on the part of
the student may negate the grievance. There are four steps:
STEP I
The student will submit a typed statement of the Grievance complaint to the Dean of the School of Nursing within five (5) academic days of conclusion of the steps of Exhaustion.
Upon receipt of this statement the Dean will:
A. Notify the student(s) of the right to select a faculty advisor. In the instance of a grievance filed by a student group, the student group may be represented at the meeting referenced below by no more than two (2) currently enrolled University of Kansas students, and these students may be accompanied by an advisor. These individuals will have no vote in the Committee decision. The role of the advisor is to support the student(s) in regard to procedural and/ or substantive (relating directly to the allegation) areas. It is the student's responsibility to contact the advisor and obtain his/ her consent to serve as an advisor;
B. Forward the Grievance complaint to the Chairperson of the Student Admission and Progression Committee. If the involved party is the Chairperson, the Dean will forward the complaint to the Chair of the School of Nursing Faculty Steering Committee, who will appoint a replacement chairperson for the hearing;
C. Forward a copy to the involved party(ies).
STEP II
The Chairperson of the Student Admission and Progression Committee will schedule a meeting of the committee and all involved individuals to hear the grievance. The Student Admission and Progression Committee consists of six (6) faculty members (two (2) representatives from each program level), and three (3) student representatives (one from each program level). Membership of this Committee may include a representative from another University department if deemed appropriate to the situation. Substitutes for this committee can be appointed by the Chairperson as deemed necessary for reasons of conflicts of schedule or interest.
The student has a right to an unbiased tribunal. If the student perceives
that there is a potential conflict of interest with any member of
the committee, a specific written declaration of this potential conflict
of interest should be presented to the Chair of the School of Nursing
Faculty Steering Committee. If the Chair of the Faculty Steering Committee
agrees about the potential conflict of interest, he/ she will appoint
a replacement from the appropriate category (student representative
or faculty member of the committee).
The chairperson may seek advice on procedural matters about the grievance from the Associate Dean, Student Affairs, Dean of Student Services and/ or university attorney.
STEP III
The purpose of the Student Admission and Progression Committee is to gather pertinent information in a fair and impartial manner and to recommend to the Dean of the School of Nursing an appropriate course or courses of action.
Within three (3) academic days of receipt of the meeting notification
from the Chairperson of the Student Admission and Progression Committee,
all involved individuals will provide the Student Admission and Progression
Committee with:
1) a copy of any and all documentation regarding the issue that the student identified in the Grievance statement;
2) information regarding a declared documented disability if it is relevant to the issue identified by the student in his/ her grievance statement;
3)the names of witnesses to the conflict.
The student and the involved party will be responsible for notifying their witnesses of the date, time and place of the meeting in which they are to testify.
