Student Rights and Responsibilities

The University strives to treat students and student organizations in a consistent and fair manner while respecting their rights and responsibilities as members of the Aspen University community. We are committed to balancing the interest of the individual student or student organization with the needs of the community at large. Our goal is to uphold our institutional values.

Students should refer to the Academic Catalog for the Academic Integrity Policy, Disability Policy, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Student Identity Policy, Testing Policy, and Substance Use and Abuse Policy.

Students are responsible for:

Active Learning: Active learning is learning that requires student engagement. Students will be required to participate in active learning throughout the nursing core curriculum. Active learning activities include but not limited to, pre-class assignments, unfolding case studies, NCLEX practice questions, role playing, concept maps, peer teaching, or simulation. Active learning promotes higher order of thinking thus enhancing the student’s ability to critically think, increasing retention of information, and improving performance on exams and evaluations. Participation is formally recorded via the D2L Online Classroom; students must participate in D2L at least once during the first week of the course and at least once every subsequent 14 days or they will be administratively withdrawn from the course.
Time Management: Time management will be one of the biggest challenges students must conquer to be successful in the SONHS BSN Pre-Licensure Program. In addition to scheduled classroom time, students will also have assigned clinical rotations.Clinical rotations are scheduled for students and there are no guarantees that clinicals can be rescheduled once assigned.Missing a clinical could result in failure of the course. Students can use the following to assist in managing their time in the smartest, healthiest, and rewarding way: Get a planner and keep track of all assignments, exams, class/lab/clinical times, study times, social events, etc.; make “to-do” list that includes everything due for the week, students feel a sense of satisfaction when marking completed items off the “to-do” list; banish things that waste your time (i.e. Social Media); maximize use of downtime by downloading a NCLEX question app and completing practice questions; adopt a “One-and-Done” approach by going into performance based assessments with the attitude of passing on the first attempt.
Communication: Communication is interacting effectively with clients, families, faculty, staff, and colleagues and fostering mutual respect and shared decision making. Effective and professional communication between students, students and faculty/staff, students and clients, and students and healthcare providers are incredibly important. Faculty will provide students with an email address for communication; occasionally faculty may provide students with a phone number. Email is generally the preferred method of communicating with faculty unless otherwise specified. Students should think about the best way to communicate with faculty prior to making contact. For instance, if you are studying for an exam and have a question and send an email at 2:00am, it is unlikely you will receive an answer until the next day or potentially not before the exam. When sending an email ensure to address the faculty in a professional manner (i.e., Mr., Mrs. Dr.; not by first name or just the last name), ensure to include the cohort name, class and section number in the subject line of the email, review the email before sending to ensure the correct message and tone are getting across to the faculty, check the email for grammar and spelling, and ensure the question is not found within the course information in D2L.
Professionalism: Professionalism is demonstrating accountability for one’s actions and ensuring one’s actions are consistent with moral, legal, ethical, regulatory, and humanistic principles. The purpose of professionalism in nursing is to provide top-quality client care while upholding the values of accountability, respect, and integrity. Students can demonstrate professionalism in nursing by advocating for clients; communicating effectively with faculty, staff, colleagues, clients, and other healthcare providers; working together as a team by collaborating with and mentoring others; keeping a positive attitude; practicing evidence-based care by keeping up with course information and practicing skills; and maintaining integrity by taking personal responsibility and holding yourself accountable for any mistakes or near misses.

Should students require assistance in developing any of the above or have concerns they are encouraged to contact their course faculty or academic advisor.

Expectations for Professional Behaviors for Nursing Students

Nursing students are held to a high level of professional conduct.

Plagiarism
Academic Integrity Concerns
Discrimination: The unfair or prejudicial treatment of people and groups based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, or sexual orientation. (American Psychological Association (2022), Discrimination: What it is, and how to cope.)
Incivility: Engaging in one or more rude, discourteous, or disrespectful actions that may or may not have a negative intent behind them. (American Nurses’ Association (n.d.) Violence, Incivility, & Bullying.)
Bullying: Engaging in repeated, unwanted, harmful actions intended to humiliate, offend, and cause distress in the recipient. (American Nurses’ Association (n.d.) Violence, Incivility, & Bullying.)
Unethical Use of Social Networks: Communicating negative, harmful, demeaning, and libelous comments, photographs, etc. about students, faculty, staff, clinical affiliates, SONHS, Aspen University, or anyone else associated with Aspen University, including HIPPA-protected information.
Nurse-Client Relationships: Students must assume personal responsibility for being in
physical and mental condition to give safe nursing care and for the knowledge and skills

necessary to give this care.
- Unacceptable behaviors include, but are not limited to:
- Providing client care in a predictably unsafe or harmful manner, for example:
  - carrying out a procedure without competence or without guidance of a qualified person.
  - willfully or intentionally carrying out physical and/or mental harm to a client.
  - exhibiting careless or negligent behavior in connection with the care of a client.
  - refusing to assume the assigned and necessary care of a client and failing to inform the faculty with immediacy so that an alternative measure for care can be found.
- Disrespecting the privacy of a client, classmate, faculty, or institution:
  - using the full name of a client in a written assignment and/or removing any data generated by the clinical facility of any sort and in any form and by any means (electronic; photographs; paper copies) from the clinical area.
  - discussing confidential information in inappropriate areas, such as elevators, cafeteria, parking structures, etc.
  - discussing confidential information about a client with third parties who do not have a clear and legitimate need to know.
- Falsifying client records or fabricating client experiences.
- Failing to report omission of or error in treatments or medications.
Disruptive Behavior in the Learning Environment: Conduct that is hostile, uncivil, disrespectful of the rights and property of others, denotes a clear uncooperative demeanor with Aspen University or SONHS policy or any behavior that obstructs or disrupts the learning environment (e.g., offensive language to include cursing, harassment, bullying, repeated outbursts which disrupts the flow of instruction, excessive talking amongst peers verbal, written or via chat, or the use of any electronic device which disturbs others).

Violations of Code of Ethics or Professional Expectations

Disciplinary actions may include, but are not limited to verbal or written reprimand, immediate removal from the classroom, lab, simulation, clinical setting, or campus, expulsion from the University or any other action deemed appropriate for violations of the student’s responsibilities. Each incident and each individual involved are unique, and all mitigating circumstances should be considered with each violation. This does not, however, suggest that violations can be dealt with lightly. Refer to Violations of Code of Conduct Policy for more information.

Professional Dress and Behavior

Students must obtain and wear an official Aspen University uniform and identification badge. For more information, please contact Clinical Coordination Office. Nursing students have a specific dress code listed below. All students are expected to present themselves as representatives of Aspen University’s program. All students are expected to be respectful to faculty, student colleagues, staff, patients, and their families. Reports of unprofessional behavior will result in your being counseled by the clinical faculty and/or the Program Director/Clinical Practice Manager and initiation of a Code of Conduct violation which is subject to review by the School of Nursing & Health Sciences. You are expected to follow Aspen University’s official Code of Conduct policy identified in the University Academic Catalog.

Student Nurse Uniform Attire

The student uniform should be worn for all on campus or clinical activities, unless otherwise specified by the clinical site. Any deviations in dress at clinical including simulation lab will result in a Code of Conduct violation or the student being sent home from clinical and placed on clinical probation. Proper identification MUST be worn at all times in all clinical, lab/skills simulation and classroom settings. The uniform and identification requirements of the clinical agency are to be followed.

The uniform consists of:

Wrinkle free black scrub pants
Wrinkle free Aspen blue scrub tops, embroidered with the University logo
Wrinkle free white lab jacket (optional)

A white lab jacket must be worn if appropriate street clothes are worn in place of the uniform for patient selection. Shorts, very short skirts, jeans, tank tops, tube tops, see-through clothing, exercise clothes (sweats), and open-toed shoes are not acceptable attire in any clinical agency. Clothing depicting offensive language or pictures is not acceptable.

Scrubs and white lab jackets may be purchased through the Apparel Pro.
Name Badge, available from the SONHS Clinical Coordination Office. The name badge will show your picture and lists your legal first name, and “Student Nurse” or “Nurse” as required by the Clinical Partner The name badge must be worn while attending any clinical activity, lab/simulation or classroom. Name badge will not be worn outside of the clinical agency or campus.
White, black or neutral socks or hose are to be worn with the uniform.
Shoes are to be predominantly white or black, duty leather shoes with predominantly white or black soles, closed heels or predominantly white or black, clean athletic shoes (no mesh). Shoelaces must also coordinate.
Undergarments will not be visible through the uniform.
Additional items included as part of the uniform are:

Stethoscope with a bell and diaphragm head
Penlight
Bandage scissors
Black pens
If a belt organizer is used, it must be white or blue.
Watch with a second hand.

Optional items:

White or black cotton tee shirts, crew neck or turtleneck, may be worn under uniforms for warmth or modesty.
A white scrub jacket may be worn in the clinical setting for warmth.

Professional Appearance

Hair should be short or pulled back and styled neatly. Natural hair color is required; no purple, green, pink, blue or similar hair color is permitted. Beards or mustaches, if worn, should be neatly trimmed. Artificial eyelashes or eyelash extensions are not permitted.
Fingernails should be neatly trimmed and free of cracked nail polish. Only clear or neutral nail polish may be used, if desired. Acrylic nails, gels, overlays, dips, powders or any other nail enhancements are not permitted.
Permitted jewelry includes one pair of studded earrings, a watch, and a plain ring band. No other visible jewelry is acceptable including tongue rings or other facial jewelry. Clear spacers may not be worn in place of facial piercings.
Tattoos and any other body art should be covered. (Students are directed to follow the agency guidelines when in specified areas such as nursery, labor and delivery, and operating room.)
Perfume, after-shave lotion, scented lotions, and heavy makeup are not acceptable in the clinical area.
Gum chewing is not acceptable.
Clothing worn in non-clinical setting activities not requiring student uniform should adhere to professional standards.
Cell phone use is not permitted in the classroom, Lab/simulation or in the patient clinical setting. Students are expected to follow agency guidelines and clinical faculty directions regarding appropriateness of cell phone usage in the clinical setting.
Please remember that students represent Aspen University. Your appearance must be clean, neat, and professional.

Professional Attire for Specific Community Health Experiences, Presentations, Behavioral Health Clinical, or as Indicated by Faculty

Please check with your Community Health faculty on agencies that require “street clothes,” also known as business casual. Business casual is acceptable and can be interpreted as:

Women: wrinkle free slacks (dress pants), skirts (mid-calf to about two inches above the knee), blouses, shells, cardigans, blazers or dresses, shoes that cover the entire foot.
Men: wrinkle free dress pants, button down shirts, polo shirts (short sleeved shirts with a collar), blazers, shoes that cover the entire foot.
Do not wear:

Denim material
Anything that is see-through, short, tight, or shows too much skin.
Flip-flops or tennis shoes/sneakers.

Attendance and Punctuality

Each course in the BSN Pre-Licensure Program contains very significant content that builds on previous content. Students are required to be prepared, attend, and actively participate in all online class assignments, seminars, lab, simulation, and clinical experiences. Attendance and punctuality are professional behaviors correlated to the student’s success. Absences from seminar, lab, simulation, or clinical experiences compromises the student’s ability to demonstrate achievement of course outcomes and puts the student in jeopardy being unsuccessful in the course. Failure to participate in the online classroom during the first week of the course and at least once every consecutive fourteen days thereafter will result in administrative withdrawal from the course.

Extenuating Circumstances

Occasionally, extenuating circumstances (i.e., personal illness, death in the immediate family, court subpoena, jury duty, severe weather, or military service) occur that prevent a student from attending seminar, lab, simulation, or clinical. These absences are to be discussed with the course faculty & Program Director in order to assure course outcomes are met.

Students experiencing variances in health status that interferes with the ability to provide safe nursing care should not attend seminar, lab, simulation, or clinical experiences. The student is to notify the faculty in person, by email, or by phone at least one (2) hours prior to the scheduled time. Students may be required to submit documentation of the illness from a healthcare provider. Any student experiencing an emergency department visit or hospitalization must provide a release to return and status of participation in direct client care. Students experiencing pregnancy or an extended illness should contact their Academic Advisor or the Office of Disability Services to discuss their situation. Students are responsible for any content missed during the absence.

Leaving Clinical Site

During a clinical rotation, a student may not leave the clinical site. If a student has an emergency, such as an illness, family situation, or other extenuating circumstances, they must communicate with their clinical instructor. The clinical instructor will communicate with program leadership and receive further instructions and guidance. Only with permission from the clinical instructor may the student leave the site. Actual clinical hours attended should be documented and the missed hours will need to be made up during the same session.

Refusing a Clinical

A student must accept a clinical assignment when given advance notice of the clinical site, date, and time. If the student has questions or concerns, they need to discuss this with the program director prior to the first assigned clinical day. Any decision made will be at the discretion of the program director overseeing the student. Once a decision is made, that student is committed to that clinical rotation and must attend all the dates required of them.

Missed Lab, Simulation, and Clinical Hours

Students are provided with lab, simulation, and clinical opportunities and are expected to attend all events. Students must appropriately notify their faculty, clinical coordinator, and program leadership if there are extenuating circumstances preventing them from attending. Extenuating circumstances will be reviewed by program leadership. The excuse must be verifiably documented and must be approved by the Program Director and Dean of Nursing. Any approved makeup hours will be under the direction of the program director. All course requirements, including lab, simulation, and clinical hours, must be met prior to course completion. Failure to complete required hours will result in failure to progress in the program.

Lab, Simulation, and Clinical Make Ups

If a student is granted make up hours, these must occur before course completion. If a student fails to attend make up hours prior to the course completion date, the course requirements have not been met. This will result in course failure and the student will not progress in the program.

Documenting Hours

The hours for all lab, simulation, and clinical experiences required are required to be documented in Project Concert. Students must follow the instructions in the lab or clinical course syllabus.

Tardy Policy

Tardiness is defined as being late to seminar, lab, simulation, or clinical. Students are expected to be prompt to seminar, lab, simulation, and clinical. Any anticipated tardiness is to be reported to the faculty prior to the scheduled start time of seminar, lab, simulation, or clinical.

Consequences of being tardy within the same course:

First occurrence – Student will receive a warning.
Second occurrence – Student will be placed on clinical probation.
Any subsequent occurrences will result in course failure.

Smoking

Aspen University campuses are designated as non-smoking environment. Students are not to smoke anywhere on site.

Aspen University SONHS students are to refrain from smoking at clinical facility sites. Students are to maintain professional presentation during all clinical experiences. Students with noticeable smoke odor are subject to removal from the clinical site by the faculty. Repeated violations will be reported to the Code of Conduct Committee.

*Please note certain clinical facilities include nicotine as part of their screening and will not allow students to rotate at their facility who test positive from nicotine or its byproduct, cotinine.

Student Drug and Alcohol Screening

The practice of professional nursing demands that the clinician be free from the influence of any substance that would impair judgment and thinking ability. As a result, health care agencies are requiring students who work directly with patients to undergo drug screening. Nursing students must also be free from impairing substances. Health care agencies and the SONHS require drug screening of all nursing students prior to their first clinical experience. In addition, SONHS students are subject to screening if either the faculty suspects that the student is impaired at any time on campus, or during any health care experience or any other university or work-related activity. Any student whose test is deemed positive will reported for Code of Conduct. Determination will be made by the Program Director. The SONHS is required to report any positive screens and/or suspicion refusal to the appropriate board.

This policy is designed to identify the procedures to be followed for both types of testing as well as to outline the appeal and readmission to the program.

Media Usage

Students may not post to social media or comment on other posts about a lab, simulation, or clinical event for any reason. These may include FERPA or HIPAA violations. Students are school representatives and are held accountable as such. Violations of this policy will be reviewed by the Code of Conduct Committee. The Code of Conduct Committee can impose punishment up to and including program dismissal.