Attendance at clinical and lab is required. To meet the clinical objectives and requirements, the student must satisfactorily fulfill all required clinical hours.
See course descriptions for required clinical and lab hours. Failure to satisfactorily fulfill the required clinical or lab hours will lead to failure of the course.
If a student anticipates missing clinical or lab, the student must personally notify the clinical/lab instructor and course coordinator of absence before starting the clinical experience. Depending on the course, students may also be required to notify the agency.
The Clinical/Lab Instructor and Course Coordinator will follow the policy to determine if the absence is excused or unexcused.
Failure to notify the clinical/lab instructor of absence in advance of the clinical/lab experience is an unexcused absence. Failure to arrive on time and be prepared for clinical or leaving early is an unexcused absence. An emergency will be taken into consideration when determining excused or unexcused absence.
To maintain patient safety, the clinical instructor may dismiss the student from the clinical area if the student is not prepared for the clinical experience or if the clinical instructor determines that the student is not safe to provide care. Such dismissal is an unexcused absence.
Absences, whether excused or unexcused, will impact a student’s success in the course, up to and including failure. Opportunities for making up missed clinical days or laboratory sessions may not be available.
If a student has two [2] unexcused clinical absences, they will fail clinical for that course.
Clinical instructors will follow up with course coordinators to discuss the student’s performance in the clinical setting. Specifically, if the student needs to attend an alternative experience to make up for the experience missed and whether or not the clinical outcomes are still possible to achieve, clinical absences will be documented, and the student will be required to make up the clinical hours per the course coordinator.
If available and necessary by the course coordinator, clinical hours will be made up by simulation or demonstrating skills in the lab. The course coordinator will notify the lab coordinator when a student is required to make up the clinical experience.
First Day of Clinical/Lab Orientation
Students must attend all clinical orientations for their assigned agency. Students who miss the first day of clinical, lab, or clinical orientation, whether their absence is excused or unexcused, may be immediately dropped from the course(s). Students who cannot attend the first day must have prior approval from the Dean of Nursing and Course Coordinator. See General Attendance Policy.
Students should check with their clinical instructor if these symptoms apply: (a doctor’s note may be required)
- Fever > 100.4
- Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
- Diarrhea or Vomiting - lasting more than 12 hours
- Group A Strep-culture confirmed or physician-diagnosed
- Jaundice - yellowing of the skin which might suggest viral hepatitis
- Cold sores (herpes)
- Active measles, mumps, pertussis, rubella or chickenpox
- Upper respiratory infection (cold) if accompanied by fever and productive cough
- Tuberculosis and/or positive TB skin test
- Head lice, scabies (mites that burrow under the skin causing a rash)
- Scabies (mites that burrow under the skin causing a rash)
- Any draining wound such as Impetigo, Abscess or Boil must be covered
- Mononucleosis
- COVID-19 Symptoms
~Fevers or chills
~Cough
~Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
~Fatigue
~Muscle or body aches
~Headache
~New loss of taste or smell
~Sore throat
~Congestion or runny nose
~Nausea or vomiting
~Diarrhea