Subject: Student Success

Policy: PROFESSIONAL STUDENT BEHAVIOR

Revised: March 2021

Effective date: Summer 2021

Review date: March 2024

Responsible Party: Level I:  UAAC & GAAC; Level II:  Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

 

Introduction and Purpose:

The nursing discipline is guided by regulatory [Montana State Board of Nursing Code of Conduct 37-1-316] and professional standards derived from ANA and the ANA Code of Ethics; the violation of which may result in loss of employment or licensure.  AACN further delineates professional nursing education and amplifies the student expectations found in Montana State University Student Conduct Code. Professional standards hold the discipline accountable for professional behavior.  The intersection of individual College of Nursing course policies, program level policy and university policies are intended to support the development of professional behavior. 

Montana State University College of Nursing (CON) prepares graduates to competently practice nursing in preparation for professional licensure. The education of a nurse at all levels requires assimilation of knowledge, acquisition of skills and development of judgment through patient care experiences in preparation for independent, semi-autonomous, and appropriate decision making required in practice. The practice of nursing emphasizes collaboration among medical providers, nurses, allied health care professionals and the patient. The curricula require students to engage in diverse, complex, and specific experiences essential to the acquisition and practice of essential nursing skills and functions. Unique combinations of affective, psychomotor, physical and social abilities are required to satisfactorily perform these functions. In addition to being essential to the successful completion of the requirements of the degree, these essential behavioral functions are necessary to ensure the health and safety of patients, fellow candidates, faculty and other healthcare providers.

Policy:

Throughout the admissions process and while progressing through the nursing programs to graduation, all CON students must conform to reasonable standards of performance and behavior related to communication, behavior and emotions, professional conduct, and technical skills.  Students who fail to conform to reasonable standards of performance and behavior in the classroom, online, in clinical agencies, as well as on campus and within the community, may be removed from the program. Students will generally be provided an opportunity to achieve professional behavior and learn from an error unless: i) the behavior continues after previous opportunities to achieve professional behavior; ii) the behavior presents a threat to the health or safety of others; or iii) the CON determines that the behavior is sufficiently severe or egregious that the student should not be permitted to continue in the program.  Decisions to remove a student are made in consultation with the Campus Director and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. 

Procedures:

Implementation of Professional Student Behavior Policy

  1. Notice of Policy: Students will be advised of the professional behavior expectations in application packets, campus orientation, course orientation, and via the CON website.
  2. Semester Evaluation: Faculty are responsible for monitoring whether the student is or is not meeting professional behavior requirements and employing the use of the  professional behavior documents as needed.   Graduate clinical supervisors and non-clinical undergraduate faculty may use the form as needed.
  3. Unmet Expectations – Undergraduate Students: If an undergraduate student does not meet expectations for the professional behaviors at any time in the program, the CON has the option of removing a student from the program or allowing the student to continue in the program under a contract designed to address the specific professional behaviors of concern, as specified below:
    1. Problematic or egregious behavior resulting in removal from the program. The CON may remove a student from the program when a student fails to conform to reasonable standards of performance and behavior that the CON determines: i) to have continued after previous opportunities to achieve professional behavior; ii) presents a threat to the health or safety of others; or iii) is sufficiently severe or egregious.  In such cases, the steps below should generally be followed to apprise the student that continuation the program is not permitted:
      1. Review and Notice of Dismissal. The Campus Director and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will review the details of the unprofessional behavior and prepare written notice of the problematic or egregious behavior and resulting decision to remove the student from the program (Form C).
      2. Student Meeting: The Campus Director and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will meet with the student and student’s advisor to discuss the removal decision and provide the written dismissal notice (Form C) to the student.  After the student reads and signs the dismissal notice, it is placed in the students’ academic file.
    2. Problematic or egregious behavior resulting in contract. If a student engages in a pattern of problematic behavior or a single egregious lapse in professional behaviors that does not warrant removal from the program, the CON may allow a student to continue in the program, provided the student agrees to a contract addressing the problematic behavior.  In such cases, the steps below should generally be followed to apprise the student that continuation in the program is in jeopardy.
      1. Composing Contract. When continuation in the program is an option, the Campus Director and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will prepare an individual student contract identifying what needs to be demonstrated to meet professional behaviors expectations and thus remain in the program.
      2. Student Meeting. The Campus Director and student’s advisor will meet with the student to address the problematic behavior. If continuation in the program is an option, the Campus Director will present the contract. After the student reads and signs the contract, it is placed in the students’ academic file.  Contracts are monitored by the Campus Director.
    3. A student’s refusal to sign the contract, or failure to comply with the contract or subsequent unprofessional behavior, may result in dismissal from the program.
    4. Students removed from the program may appeal through the CON Scholastic Committee.
  4. Unmet Expectations – Graduate Students: If a graduate student does not meet expectations for the professional behaviors at any time in the program, the CON has the option of removing the graduate student from the program or allowing the student to continue in the program under a contract designed to address the behavior, as specified below:
  5. Problematic or egregious behavior resulting in removal from the program. The CON may remove a student from the program when a graduate student fails to conform to reasonable standards of performance and behavior that the CON determines: i) to have continued after previous opportunities to achieve professional behavior; ii) presents a threat to the health or safety of others; or iii) is sufficiently severe or egregious.  In such cases, the steps below should generally be followed to apprise the student that continuation the program is not permitted.
    1. Review and Notice of Dismissal. The Graduate Program Clinical Lead and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will review the details of the unprofessional behavior and prepare written notice of the problematic or egregious behavior and resulting decision to remove the student from the program.  (Form C).
    2. Student Meeting: The Graduate Program Clinical Lead and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will meet with the student and student’s advisor or designated graduate faculty member to discuss the removal decision and provide the written dismissal notice to the student (Form C).  After the student reads and signs the dismissal notice, it is placed in the student’s academic file.
  6. Problematic or egregious behavior resulting in a contract. If a student engages in a pattern of problematic behavior or a single, egregious lapse in professional behaviors, CON may allow a student to continue in the program, provided the student agrees to a contract addressing the problematic behavior. In such cases, the steps below should generally be followed to apprise the student that continuation in the program is in jeopardy.
    1. Composing Contract. When continuation in the program is an option, the Graduate Program Clinical Lead and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will prepare an individual student contract identifying what needs to be demonstrated to meet professional behaviors expectations and thus remain in the program.
    2. Student Meeting. The Graduate Program Clinical Lead and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and will meet with the student to address the problematic behavior and present the contract. After the student reads and signs the contract, it is placed in the students’ academic file. Contracts are monitored by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
  7. A student’s refusal to sign the contract, or failure to comply with the contract or subsequent unprofessional behavior, may result in dismissal from the program.
  8. Students removed from the program may appeal through the CON Scholastic Committee.

All learning contracts are removed once the student graduates and does not become part of the permanent academic file. 

Internal control considerations, if applicable: N/A

 

 

 

Montana State University

Professional Student Behaviors Evaluation Form

Form A

Montana State University College of Nursing prepares graduates to competently practice nursing in preparation for professional licensure. The education of a nurse at all levels requires assimilation of knowledge, acquisition of skills and development of judgment through patient care experiences in preparation for independent, semi-autonomous, and appropriate decisions required in practice. The practice of nursing emphasizes collaboration among physicians, nurses, allied health care professionals and the patient. The curricula require students to engage in diverse, complex, and specific experiences essential to the acquisition and practice of essential nursing skills and functions. Unique combinations of cognitive, affective, psychomotor, physical and social abilities are required to satisfactorily perform these functions. In addition to being essential to the successful completion of the requirements of the degree, these essential behavioral functions are necessary to ensure the health and safety of patients, fellow candidates, faculty and other healthcare providers.

 

Student Name: __________________________________________________________

Level:               BSN ☐   ABSN ☐    MN ☐    DNP ☐  NE Certificate only ☐

Semester:        Fall ☐   Spring ☐   Summer ☐  

Course: _______________ Campus ________

 

Directions: Students and faculty will separately review each section and review the form together as needed.  A checked box indicates the behavior is met with satisfaction.  Exceptions are to be detailed in the comment section.

Communication

 

 

Behavior

 

Student Self-Evaluation

 

Faculty

Evaluation

 

Comments

Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients and their families as well as with other students, staff, faculty professionals, agency personnel, community resident and others relevant to their areas of study

☐

☐

 

Express ideas and feelings clearly and appropriately

☐

☐

 

Demonstrate a willingness and ability to give and receive feedback

☐

☐

 

Be able to reflect on their own practice from a critical perspective

☐

☐

 

Behavioral/Emotional

 

Behavior

 

Student Self-Evaluation

 

Faculty  Evaluation

 

Comments

Possess the emotional health required for the full utilization of intellectual abilities and the exercise of sound judgement in their programs of study

☐

☐

 

Demonstrate behaviors consistent with the timely completion of responsibilities in their programs/areas of study

☐

☐

 

Be able to maintain mature, sensitive, effective and professional relationships with patients, students, faculty, staff, other professionals and agency personnel under all circumstances including highly stressful situations

☐

☐

 

Be able to function effectively under stress and adapt to environments that may change rapidly without warning and/or in unpredictable ways as relevant to their programs or areas of study

☐

☐

 

Be able to demonstrate empathy for the situations and circumstances of others and appropriately communicate that empathy

☐

☐

 

Acknowledge that values, attitudes, beliefs, emotions and experiences affect their perceptions and relationships with others

☐

☐

 

Be able and willing to examine and change behaviors when they interfere with productive individual,  team or patient care relationships

☐

☐

 

Demonstrate effective and harmonious relationships with the diverse academic, professional, and community environment relevant to their chosen programs of study

☐

☐

 

Accept responsibility for their own actions without deflecting or blaming

☐

☐

 

 

Professional Conduct

 

Behavior

 

Student Self-Evaluation

 

Faculty

Evaluation

 

Comments

Possess the ability to reason morally and practice nursing in an ethical manner (ANA Code of Ethics)

☐

☐

 

Not engage in unprofessional behavior (MT BON Code of Conduct, MSU Code of Conduct)

☐

☐

 

Be willing to learn and abide by professional standards of practice as well as regulations for professional licensure

☐

☐

 

Demonstrate the attributes of compassion, integrity, honesty, responsibility and tolerance

☐

☐

 

Continually perform self-assessment and seek out additional supervision whenever their role in the care for a patient is inadequate because of lack of knowledge or experience

☐

☐

 

Regulate him/herself to understand when one is functioning outside the limits of a student nurse role

☐

☐

 

 

Motor and Sensory Skills

 

Behavior

 

Student Self-Evaluation

 

Faculty Evaluation

 

Comments

Students need to have sufficient motor function and sensory skills in order to be able to execute movements and make observations required in the domain of nursing care or nursing activity in their chosen programs/areas of study.

☐

☐

 

Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities has been requested: Yes☐   No ☐   N/A  ☐  

Montana State University is committed to ensuring that otherwise qualified students with disabilities are given equal access through reasonable accommodations to its services, programs, activities, education and employment for students with disabilities. The nursing program works closely with Office of Disability Services (Bozeman campus) in this process. The Office of Disability Services is the contact point for students with permanent or temporary sensory, physical or psychological disabilities interested in requesting reasonable accommodations due to the effects of a disability.  Students who wish to request reasonable accommodations are encouraged to contact ODS to start the process for documenting their disability and determining eligibility for services prior to the start of the program. While this process can be started at any time, reasonable accommodations may not be implemented retroactively so being timely in requesting your accommodations is very important. The University does have policies regarding the type of documentation required in order to diagnose different disabilities and a process for requesting accommodations.

Office of Disability Services               Email: drv@montana.edu

Montana State University                   Tel: (406) 994-2824
P.O. Box 173960                                  TTY: (406) 994-6701 
Bozeman, MT 59717-3960                  Fax: (406) 994-3943

180 Strand Union Building                  Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (M-F

 

Signatures below indicate the student understands and is meeting all of the above qualifications at their current level in the program.

PLEASE NOTE: If any Professional Qualification was/is not being met, specific written documentation in Form B must be included/reviewed with the student.

______________________________________                    _________________

Evaluator’s Signature                                                               Date

______________________________________                    _________________

Course Coordinator if clinical instructor is CRRN. 

 

____________________________________                         _________________

Student Signature                                                                    Date

 

 

Montana State University

Professional Behavior Policy

PROFESSIONAL STUDENT BEHAVIOR CONTRACT

Form B

 

Purpose:  The following behavior contract outlines the requirements to allow continuation in the CON program for a student that has been identified as having engaged in a pattern of problematic behavior or a single, egregious lapse in the professional behaviors expected of those in the CON program.

Date: Click or tap to enter a date.

Student Name (Last, First MI): Click or tap here to enter text.

Course name and number(s)

  1. Attach Form A
  2. Additional Information and description of circumstances to support contract development:

Click or tap here to enter text.

 

  1. The following actions must be completed by the student for the remainder of the program (ie. List all of expectations and provide examples if necessary):

Click or tap here to enter text.

 

Campus Director Signature: _______________________________    Date: _______________

(or Graduate Clinical Program Lead)

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: _________________________ Date: _____________

Student signature: ______________________________________ Date:_______________

(Signature indicates that the student has read this notice.)

 

Student Comments:  

 

 

 

 

Distribution: Original to Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (for student file);

Cc: Campus Director or Graduate Clinical Program Lead; Student’s Advisor

Montana State University - Professional Student Behavior Policy

NOTICE OF PROGRAM DISMISSAL

Form C

The following provides official notice of the decision to remove a student from the nursing program who fails to conform to reasonable standards of performance and behavior. The CON has determined the behavior i) has continued after previous opportunities to achieve professional behavior; ii) presents a threat to the health or safety of others, or iii) is sufficiently severe or egregious. 

Date: Click or tap to enter a date.

Student Name (Last, First MI): Click or tap here to enter text.

Course name and number: Click or tap here to enter text.

The student has failed to conform to the following component(s) of the Professional Student Behavior Policy requirement(s) (state behavior and attach Form A):

Click or tap here to enter text.

 

 

Describe the circumstances to support removal from the program:

Click or tap here to enter text.

 

In summary, the behaviors noted above warrant immediate program dismissal.  I understand that I may appeal this decision to the College of Nursing Scholastic Committee. 

Campus Director or Graduate Clinical Program Lead signature: ____________________    Date:_______________

 

Student signature: _________________________________Date:_______________

(Signature indicates that the student has read this notice.)

Student Comments: 

 

 

Distribution: Original to Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (for student file);

Cc: Campus Director or Graduate Clinical Program Lead; Student’s Advisor