Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Nursing Graduate Student Handbook

Transcription

1 Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Nursing Graduate Student Handbook Academic Year (Updated January 2014) 1

2 Welcome The faculty of the School of Nursing at Lenoir-Rhyne University would like to welcome you to the program. We are glad that you have chosen to further your education at LR. The faculty is here to guide you as you enter the next phase of your education and professional development. The purpose of this handbook is to act as a source of information about the nursing program and the university. The policies and procedures listed in this handbook coincide with the policies and procedures of the university. Students may be referred to the graduate student section of the course catalog or to The Cub for additional information on some topics. As a student, you are responsible for the information contained in this handbook as well as the pertinent information in the catalog and The Cub. Please take the time to review the materials contained in this handbook. The Faculty of the School of Nursing 2

3 Table of Contents I. General Information. 6 Curriculum Plans..11 Organization Charts.10 Minimum Technology Requirements...13 Mission Statements and Program Goals Outcomes for Masters in Nursing Education and Administration Philosophy of the School of Nursing II. Academic Policies..15 Admissions...15 Advising/Registration/Student Load APA..18 Attendance...16 Capstone Courses 18 Course Repeats. 16 Dismissal/Probation Dropping/Adding/ Withdrawing..16 Grading 17 Grievance Procedure 18 Inclement Weather...19 MSN IRB Policy.. 19 Plagiarism.18 Program Completion Progression...16 Readmission.17 3

4 Retention of Student Work for Evaluation Purposes...18 Transfer Credit.16 III. Clinical Requirements. 20 CPR requirements Criminal Back Ground Checks Criteria for Preceptors.. 21 Dismissal from Clinical...23 Drug Screens.22 Health forms and updates.20 Immunizations..20 Incident Reporting Maintaining RN license OSHA...22 Out of State License.. 22 Professional Behavior Professional Liability Insurance...22 Student Illness in the Clinical Area.. 24 IV. Student Life..25 Graduate Student Association.. 25 Guidelines for Communication...25 Participation of Students on School of Nursing Committees.. 25 School of Nursing Graduate Student LAMP Site...25 V. Appendices Health Update,,.. 27 Incident Reporting Procedure/Incident Report

5 Preceptor Forms School of Nursing Graduate Faculty & Staff Statement of Cooperation

6 I. General Information The Lenoir-Rhyne School of Nursing adheres to the general academic policies outlined in the graduate school section of the Lenoir-Rhyne University Catalog unless indicated in the School of Nursing Graduate Student Handbook. All graduate students in the nursing program are responsible for reading and understanding the information presented in this handbook as well as the applicable policies from the university catalog. Any questions should be addressed to the Director of the MSN program or the Chair of the School of Nursing. It is strongly recommended that students download and keep a copy of the handbook. 6

7 Philosophy of the Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Nursing The faculty in the School of Nursing fully ascribe to the following beliefs: Clients can be individuals, families, and communities. Individual clients are wholistic beings who come from diverse backgrounds each with a unique perspective and possess intrinsic dignity and worth. All types of clients participate in decisions about their own health care. The environment is a global one encompassing socio-cultural, physical, economic and political components. The nurse and clients influence and are influenced by these components as they work with other members of the health care team toward health goals. Health is a dynamic state which includes both biophysical and psychosocial aspects. The client s maximum potential for daily living can be achieved within a healthy state. The client is at the center of all health care relationships. Professional nursing arises from and is best organized and delivered through a caring model. The caring process is manifested as nurses collaborate with others as an integral part of the healthcare team to plan, design, manage, coordinate, and provide for clients. The professional nurse empowers clients to maximize their potential for daily living through health promotion and risk reduction. Professional nurses use research, clinical judgment, and leadership skills to enhance the quality of care for all to further the profession of nursing. Education is an interactive process in which learners share responsibility with the faculty for the acquisition of knowledge, development of skills, and enhancement of the capacity for decision making in both current and future environments. Both students and faculty progress in critical thinking, scholarship, leadership, responsibility, and caring as they engage in this life-long self-directed process. The faculty believes that learning is best promoted through the use of a conceptual framework which allows learners to categorize, organize, and use new information as it is acquired. Revised 5/09 7

8 Lenoir-Rhyne University College of Health Sciences Mission Statement The College of Health Sciences, as a unit of service within the community of Lenoir-Rhyne University, supports the philosophy and values of the greater University. The College of Health Sciences actuates the University values of excellence, integrity, care and curiosity through its programs and curricula. Programs serve to stimulate intellectual, physical, and spiritual growth through support of academic rigor, personal responsibility, service to others, and openness of mind to diverse perspectives. The mission of the College is to prepare learners for professional careers in the health related fields of health and exercise science, physical education, exercise physiology, athletic training, and sports management; occupational therapy; and nursing. The College of Health sciences offers undergraduate and graduate courses of study that are based on liberal arts, grounded in a Christian perspective, and cultivate a sense of community and service to others. The College strives to promote leadership specifically within athletic, educational, and health care communities in addition to encouraging advocacy for and service to consumers in the general community. The College fosters wholeness of person not only through professional courses of study, but also by support of programs which seek to integrate personal well-being into a meaningful life 8

9 Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Nursing Graduate Mission Statement As part of the Lenoir-Rhyne University and College of Health Sciences, the graduate mission of the School of Nursing is to promote the development of nursing leaders who influence the quality of health care in a variety of emerging roles. The faculty in the graduate program of the School of Nursing fully ascribes to the educational philosophy of Lenoir-Rhyne University and College of Health Sciences by offering a course of professional study that builds upon the baccalaureate nursing practice. The faculty ascribe to the belief that Master s education prepares nurses for flexible leadership and critical action within complex, changing systems, including health educational and organizational systems. (AACN, 2011, p 3.) 1 The School of Nursing endeavors to foster in graduates a sense of global responsibility and accountability for developing leadership skills in order to engage in higher level practice. The development of nursing leaders with the ability to facilitate evidence based practice is best accomplished within the context of a Christian perspective. Graduate Nursing Program Goals 1. Provide MSN programs that are grounded in the Christian faith, liberal arts, and the related sciences. 2. Promote the integration of knowledge from nursing and related sciences into frameworks necessary to develop leaders in nursing education and nursing administration. 3. Facilitate advanced development of communication skills, verbal and written, necessary to function as a nurse educator or nurse administrator. 4. Develop knowledge of information technology in order to design and use information systems to improve the quality of nursing care. 5. Develop competencies necessary for nurse educators and nurse administrators. 6. Promote the advanced knowledge of global health, health policy, and health care ethics necessary for nurse educators and administrators. 1 1 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2011). The Essentials of Master s Education in Nursing. Retrieved from: 9

10 Revised April 2013 Outcomes for Masters in Nursing Education and Administration MSN General Student Outcomes 1. The MSN graduate will integrate advanced knowledge, theories, and evidence into nursing practice to ensure delivery of quality client-centered care. 2. The MSN graduate will demonstrate advanced written and oral communication skills necessary for advanced practice. 3. The MSN graduate will demonstrate cultural competence necessary to design, implement and evaluate nursing care at the individual and system level. 4. The MSN graduate will analyze policy that impacts health care quality and enhances health outcomes. 5. The MSN graduate will evaluate information technology for the delivery of health care. MSN Nursing Education Outcomes 1. The MSN Nursing Education graduate will demonstrate advanced knowledge of theories and practices necessary to develop, implement and evaluate education programs for undergraduate students, health care professionals, and clients. 2. The MSN Nursing Education student will evaluate technology for use in the delivery of education to nursing students and clients of health care delivery systems. 3. The MSN Nursing Education graduate will demonstrate the clinical competencies necessary for the nurse educator. MSN Administration Outcomes 1. The MSN Administration graduate will demonstrate leadership skills and professionalism necessary to influence health care systems. 2. The MSN Administration graduate will demonstrate competency in the business skills necessary to manage health care systems effectively. 3. The MSN Administration graduate will evaluate technology to manage and support the delivery of health care. Revised April

11 Organizational Chart for Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Nursing Sharon Miller Administrative Assistant School of Nursing Dr. Kerry Thompson, Chair School of Nursing Graduate Faculty (Fulltime and adjunct) Hickory Adjunct Faculty Asheville Dr. Judy Phillips Graduate Faculty Asheville Dr. Kathryn Tinkelenberg Director of MSN Program 11

12 Semester Education Part-time Education Full Time Administration Part-time Administration Full-time Fall NUR 501 Theories for Advanced Practice NUR 505 Advanced Health Assessment NUR 501 Theories for Advanced Practice NUR 505 Advanced Health Assessment NUR 502 Introduction to Advanced Nursing NUR 501 Theories for Advanced Practice NUR 502 Introduction to Advanced Nursing Leadership NUR 501 Theories for Advanced Practice NUR 502 Introduction to Advanced Nursing Leadership NUR 514 Nursing Spring Summer Fall Spring NUR 508 Teaching, Learning & Evaluation NUR 502 Introduction to Advanced Nursing Leadership NUR 504 Introduction to Health Policy & Ethics NUR 506 Advanced Pathophysiology NUR 510 Advanced Nurse Educator-Nurse as Faculty Nursing 507 Advanced Pharmacology NUR 503 Nursing Research Leadership NUR 508 Teaching, Learning & Evaluation NUR 503 Nursing Research & EBP Nursing 507 Advanced Pharmacology NUR 504 Introduction to Health Policy & Ethics NUR 509 Theoretical Basis of Patient Education and Staff Development NUR 506 Advanced Pathophysiology NUR 510 Advanced Nurse Educator-Nurse as Faculty NUR 511 Curriculum Development and Evaluation NUR 512 Advanced Nursing Practice for Educators NUR 513 Advanced NUR 518 Advanced Nursing Leadership NUR 503 Nursing Research & EBP NUR 504 Introduction to Health Policy & Ethics NUR 514 Nursing Informatics Elective: Select from NUR, BUS & MPH electives Elective May request permission to take NUR 513 or Informatics NUR 518 Advanced Nursing Leadership NUR 503 Nursing Research & EBP Elective Select from NUR, BUS or MPH electives NUR 504 Introduction to Health Policy & Ethics May take elective courses in BUS, NUR, or MPH if offered Elective: Select from NUR, BUS, and MPH elective. Take two electives if none taken in summer school. If electives taken in summer school, May request to take NUR 513 or 517. NUR 513 Advanced Project/Thesis NUR 517 Advanced 12

13 & EBP Project/Thesis NUR 517 Nursing Practicum for Nursing Administration Summer Fall Spring NUR 509 Theoretical Basis of Patient Education and Staff Development NUR 511 Curriculum Development and Evaluation (may ask permission to take either NUR 512 or 513) NUR 512 Advanced Nursing Practice for Educators NUR 513 Advanced Project NUR 513 or NUR 517 (or off for the summer). These plans are the suggested plans for students and are based on entry in the fall semester. Alternative plans are possible. Students who are entering in the spring and summer semesters or who wish to take only one class the first semester are encouraged to speak with their MSN advisor for guidance. 13

14 Minimum Technology Requirements Students in the MSN program at Lenoir-Rhyne University are expected to maintain the following technology requirements: 1. High speed internet access 2. Access to Microsoft Word Access to Microsoft Power Point Lenoir-Rhyne University account Specific courses may have additional technology requirements, but these will be specified in the course syllabus. These technology requirements may include, but are not limited to, a microphone (maybe built into the computer), web cam, or software applications such as Skype. 14

15 II. Academic Polices Admissions Students are referred to the admission policy outlined in the Lenoir-Rhyne University Catalog for the general requirements for admission to the university. The School of Nursing adheres to the nondiscrimination policy of the university: students are admitted regardless of age, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation or veteran status. Additionally the applicant must complete the following for admission to the School of Nursing: 1. Possess and earned baccalaureate degree in Nursing from a regionally accredited college or university. However, an alternate entry is possible for students who have a bachelor s degree in another field and an unrestricted RN license. Alternate entry pathway requires the completion of selected prerequisite undergraduate courses prior to entry into MSN level courses. 2. Request official copies of all college transcripts be forwarded directly to the Division of Enrollment Management (Overall 2.7 GPA and Cumulative GPA in the last 60 hours of course work); 3. Submit a completed application form for the desired MSN Concentration along with the required application fee; 4. Submit evidence of completion of undergraduate introductory statistics course with a C or better; 5. Submit evidence of completion of undergraduate nursing research course with a C or better; 6. Submit evidence of unrestricted RN license (Provide License Number and State in which the license is current); 7. Submit evidence of a Criminal Background Check prior to enrollment. Advising All students in the MSN program will be assigned an academic advisor. The academic advisor will assist the student to plan a course of study. Academic advising may occur face-to- face, over the telephone, or through other technological methods. The student and the advisor will agree on the venue for advising. Registration Registration takes place at a scheduled time each semester on-line. Students must have completed the advising process with the academic advisor before they will be eligible to register for courses. Student Load The School of Nursing adheres to the definition of course loads outlined in the Graduate Student section of the Lenoir-Rhyne University Catalog: Full-time study 9-12 hours Half-time study 5-8 hours Quarter-time study 3-4 hours 15

16 No graduate student may enroll in more than twelve hours during a semester without the written permission of the Assistant Provost and Dean of Graduate and Adult Education. Dropping/Adding and Withdrawing Students are referred to the Lenoir-Rhyne University Catalog for information on dropping/adding courses and withdrawing from courses and from the university. Students should be aware that dropping courses can result in a delay in completion of the program as most courses are only offered annually. Progression The School of Nursing adheres to the policies on progression outlined in the Graduate School section of the Lenoir-Rhyne Catalog. Additionally, the School of Nursing has the following requirements: Students who are placed on probation according to the university standards have one semester to achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Students who do not achieve a 3.0 or better at the end of the probationary semester will be dismissed from the MSN program. Students who have more than 2 probationary semesters will also be dismissed from the MSN program. Course Repeats MSN students who receive a grade of F in a required course will be placed on probation as per university policy unless the student is already on probation. If the student is already on probation and receives an F, the student will be dismissed from the MSN program. MSN students may repeat a course in which the student earned a grade of C. The grade earned in the repeated course replaces the first grade. A student may repeat a maximum of six hours of course work for grade replacement. Students repeating courses must meet the university standards for satisfactory academic progress Transfer Credit The School of Nursing adheres to the policy for transfer credit identified in the Graduate Student section of the Lenoir-Rhyne University Catalog. This policy allows students to transfer in 6 credit hours from another accredited program or taken at LR as a non-degree student. Exception to this policy requires evaluation by the Dean of Graduate and Life Long Learning Programs and approval of the Director of the MSN Program. Program Completion The School of Nursing adheres to the university policy identified in the Graduate Student section of the Lenoir-Rhyne University Catalog: students have 6 years to complete the MSN program. Attendance Students are expected to attend classes and notify faculty if they are unable to attend class. The faculty understands that students are working professionals and absences from synchronous 16

17 classes may occur from time to time. However, the faculty believes that class time, whether it is in the form of a synchronous class, a video conference, or an on-line forum; is an essential part of the learning process and students may fail a course for repeated absences. In courses that are hybrid and on-line courses, attendance requirements will be individually defined based on the delivery method of the course. Examples of attendance in on-line courses include posting in assigned discussion forums, participating in live chats, and submission of other on-line assignments. Dismissal & Probation The School of Nursing adheres to the dismissal and probation policies outlined in the Graduate School section of the Lenoir-Rhyne University Catalog and as stated previously in this handbook under Probation. In addition, the Nursing Faculty reserves the right to dismiss students, at any point in the curriculum, who: 1. Presents physical or emotional problems that do not respond to appropriate treatment or counseling within a reasonable time. 2. Demonstrates behavior which conflicts with safety essential to nursing practice. 3. Exhibits behaviors and activities detrimental to nursing. This behaviors and activities include, but are not limited to: a. Current drug or alcohol abuse b. Violence-related crime c. Illegally obtaining, possessing, or distributing drugs or alcohol for personal use d. Commission of any crime that undermines the public trust e. Harassing, abusing, or intimidating a client, peer, faculty, staff, either physically, verbally or sexually. 4. Violates the North Carolina Nurse Practice Act, and/or the Nurse Practice Act of the state where the student holds a RN license. 5. Violates confidentiality policies. All MSN students are bound to uphold HIPPA and students enrolled in the education concentration are also required to adhere to FERPA. 6. Engages in inappropriate relationships with undergraduate students that the MSN student is working with as part of course requirement for the MSN curriculum. Readmission The School of Nursing adheres to the readmission policy outlined in the Graduate School section of the Lenoir-Rhyne Catalog. However, any student who was dismissed from the program for violating the Nurse Practice Act, HIPPA or FERPA will not be readmitted to the School of Nursing Grading The grading scale for the School of Nursing MSN program is: A A B B 17

18 85-86 B C C C- 76 or less F Capstone Courses Students must complete the majority of the curriculum prior to taking either of the capstone courses. However, if a student only has one course left to take prior to taking the capstone courses, the student may request permission to take the course at the same time as one or both of the capstone courses. Each request is evaluated individually. Plagiarism The School of Nursing defines plagiarism as the usage of the work of another or of one s own previous work without citing the source for the work. Plagiarism includes all sources of information including those from the internet. The consequences for plagiarism are very serious. Lenoir-Rhyne University has a procedure for reporting plagiarism and all incidents of plagiarism will be reported to the university. Sanctions for plagiarism range from a zero for the plagiarized portion of the assignment to failure of the course and possible dismissal from the university. Students are referred to the section on academic integrity on the LR web site ( for the process for reporting plagiarism. APA All written assignments for classes in the School of Nursing are to be formatted according to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association unless otherwise indicated by the course instructor. Students in the administration concentration will follow the formatting requirement of the Business Administration and Public Health programs for any courses taken in those programs. Retention of Student Work for Evaluation Purposes Students are advised that faculty may retain copies of student work submitted on-line as examples of student work for accreditation purposes only. In the event faculty wishes to use a student s work for any other purpose, the faculty will obtain written consent from the student. Grievance Procedure The School of Nursing defines a grievance as any real or imagined wrong, hardship suffered, or feeling of injustice at having been unfairly treated that causes resentment and may be regarded as grounds for a complaint. A complaint is defined as a formal expression of dissatisfaction 18

19 presented according to established procedure to program administration, faculty, or staff by students or faculty. The School of Nursing follows University policy for initiation of formal complaints. Students are encouraged to follow an informal chain of command to resolve issues prior to filing a formal complaint. The informal chain of command is as follows: Students should first address concerns with the faculty involved. If issues are not resolved, then the student is advised to address concerns with the Director of MSN programs, the Chair of the School of Nursing, and the Dean of the College of Health Sciences and the Assistant Provost and Dean of Graduate and Adult Education. The School of Nursing follows University policy for initiation of formal complaints. Students are encouraged to follow an informal chain of command to resolve issues prior to filing a formal complaint. As instructed from The Cub, students should first address concerns with the faculty involved. If issues are not resolved, then the student is advised to address concerns with the Course Coordinator, the Faculty Teams, the Chair of the School of Nursing, and the Dean of the College of Health Sciences. Students who wish to file a formal complaint at the University level should follow procedure as outlined in The Cub. Students who wish to file a formal complaint at the University level should follow procedure as outlined in The Cub: Grievance%20Policy %20and%20Procedures% pdf. Inclement Weather The School of Nursing follows the inclement weather policy of the university. Students who are in practicum or other types of clinical experiences are encouraged to use their own judgment with regard to travel during inclement weather. MSN IRB Policy The School of Nursing at Lenoir-Rhyne University adheres to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) policy of the university. All research projects are subject to approval by the IRB at Lenoir- Rhyne. Some projects may meet the criteria of being submitted by the faculty as part of an inclass learning activity and require no additional submission to the IRB on the part of the student. Such projects will be clearly identified by the course instructor. Any other project involving human subjects must be submitted to the IRB at Lenoir-Rhyne for approval prior to any data collection taking place. Students who do not seek IRB approval or violate other IRB polices will be subject to disciplinary action by the School of Nursing. The disciplinary action may range from a zero on the project to dismissal from the nursing program. Students are encouraged to contact either the chair of the School of Nursing or the Director of the MSN Program with any questions. 19

20 III. Clinical Requirements Clinical Practicum Experiences Several courses have a clinical component, either through observation experience or practicum experience. These courses are NUR 509, NUR 510, NUR 512, and NUR 517. All clinical requirements must be met before students can begin in the clinical area. Failure to meet requirements can result in a delay in starting clinical practicums. Such delays can result in the students not being able to finish the course requirements before the end of the course which will result in the minimum of an incomplete and potentially failure of the course. Health Forms and Other Health Related Information Students must have satisfactory health appraisal on file before they will be allowed to attend classes. All immunizations and required screening tests listed on the Health Appraisal Form must be completed within 30 days of registration. Students must have a TB skin test (PPD/Mantoux) within the past 12 months and yearly. If positive, must have documentation of treatment or negative TB per chest X-ray. A satisfactory yearly Health Update is required before students will be allowed in the clinical and is due by Registration day. Please see Appendix A for the Health Update Form Students who are exposed to communicable disease will be financially responsible for follow-up testing and treatment. The School of Nursing reserves the right to dismiss students at any point in the curriculum who present physical or emotional problems that do not respond to appropriate treatment or counseling within a reasonable time. Immunizations Students will adhere to the immunization requirements of the university which are as follows: 3 DTP, TD, TdaP or Tdap doses Note: One TD or Tdap dose must have been within the last ten years. 3 oral polio doses 2 measles, 2 mumps, and 2 rubella (MMR) doses or lab documented serological testing/titer proving immunity signed by a physician. Measles exemption if physician documented diagnosis of disease diagnosis prior to January 1, Rubella exemption if 50 years of age or older or enrolled in university after the age of 30 Hepatitis B series or signed waiver Students are also required to adhere to the immunization policy of any agency where the student may be placed for learning experiences associated with the nursing courses. Failure to comply with the university immunization requirement can result in removal from a course until the requirement is met. Failure to comply with an agency immunization requirement will result in 20

21 the student being removed from the agency for the learning experience. The student may be placed in a different agency, if an agency is available and can result in the student being delayed in meeting the course requirements. Students who have concerns regarding their immunization status and agency placement should speak with the Director of the MSN Program or the Chair of the School of Nursing prior to a course requiring placement in a clinical agency. CPR Requirements Students are required to maintain CPR certification while enrolled in the School of Nursing. Certification is to be for the Health Care Provider by the American Heart Association. Certification must cover basic adult and infant resuscitation measures. If CPR certification expires while the student is enrolled, the student is responsible for providing proof of recertification. In the event the student is in a course with a clinical component, the student will be barred from the clinical area until proof of CPR certification is provided. Criminal Back Ground Checks Students are required to perform a criminal background check (CBC) and submit the results using the service identified by the School of Nursing upon admission to the MSN program. The approved vendor for background checks may be found at Students should use the Package Code EN80 for Lenoir-Rhyne University. Some clinical agencies may require an additional CBC as a requirement for practicum placement within the agency. Criteria for Preceptors Preceptors must be approved by the Director of the MSN Program before the student can begin the experience. The student is responsible for selecting the potential preceptor. Students must select a preceptor whose role is congruent with the student s curriculum (i.e. students in the nursing education concentration must select a preceptor who is in an education role while the students in the nursing administration concentration must select a preceptor who is in a leadership role). All preceptors must possess a minimum of a master s degree. Preceptors for students in the education concentration must have a MSN. Preceptors for students in the administration concentration must be a nurse with a BSN but may possess a master s degree in a non-nursing field such as a MBA, MPH, or MHA. The preceptor must be willing to work collaboratively with the student and the faculty to meet the student s learning goals and objectives for the learning experience. The preceptor must possess sufficient experience and expertise to serve as a mentor and teacher for the student. The preceptor must also be willing to communicate regularly with the faculty regarding the student s progress. Students must complete the MSN Preceptor Request Form the semester prior to the experience requiring a preceptor. The following documents must be received before the student can begin the learning experience: the MSN Preceptor Vita, and the Preceptor/MSN Student Agreement. All of these forms are located in Appendix C. 21