University of Connecticut School of Nursing Policy on Course Syllabi It is the responsibility of the Instructor of Record (IOR) in each nursing course taught each semester to develop a course syllabus. This syllabus should be available to students at the beginning of the semester and posted on HuskyCT. Additionally; each semester all syllabi must be electronically submitted to Lisa.Soder@uconn.edu for archival purposes. Elements of the Syllabus must include the following: 1. Course and Section Number and Course Title* 2. Semester and Year in which the course is offered 3. Credits (include contact hours in clinical courses)* 4. Co-requisites and prerequisites to take this course* 5. Course Description* 6. Course Objectives* 7. Name of the instructor with contact information and available office hours 8. Course policies: A. Refer to the University Students Code- Responsibilities of Community Life: The Student Code Suggested: As members of the university community students have an obligation to uphold the Student Code- Please refer to the Student Code at http://www.dosa.uconn.edu. B. Students will complete the Plagiarism module and post test in HuskyCT in Nurs 1110, Nurs 1130, Nurs 3100, Nurs 3215, Nurs 3715, Nurs 5011, Nurs 5030, Nurs 5855, Nurs 5910, Nurs 6165, and Nurs 6100. C. Policy and Procedures for missed exams/coursework- The policy on missed exams states that a student must provide documentation to AES office; doctor s note, prayer card from a funeral, etc along with the Missed Exam Form (provided by the AES office). AES will then notify the faculty member that they received the documentation and approval of the student to make up the exam. At this time faculty are now responsible for providing the makeup exam (which should be given to Betty Garrison in the AES office) prior to the makeup exam date. If the student still cannot attend that make up the exam date they will have to make other arrangements with the faculty member to take the exam at another time. D. Procedure for taking an exam- Testing Policy: For every quiz or test, students are permitted to only have a writing implement and plain calculator at their desk. If necessary, plain scratch paper would be provided by the instructor. Additional equipment is permitted at the discretion of the instructor. Students may be asked to present a valid photo ID Testing procedures will include assigned spaced seating, no hats, hooded sweatshirts, or items in your pockets, and if you leave the room for any reason, your test will be collected. (May 2012)
E. Grading Policy- (approved at 4/23/12 Full Faculty meeting) Grades will be recorded with decimal places included during the semester. There will be no rounding during the semester, however the final grade will be rounded, with grades.5 or above rounded up and grades.49 or below rounded down. F. Religious Observant Conflict Policy (statement must be added to the syllabus per University Senate): Students anticipating such a conflict regarding religious observances should inform their instructor in writing within the first three weeks of the semester, and prior to the anticipated absence, and should take the initiative to work out with the instructor a schedule for making up missed work. (August 2009) G. Cell Phone Usage- Cell phones usage in the clinical agency setting will be compliant with the agency policy. Clinical instructors may impose additional rules. (May 2012) H. Dress Code Policy- See attached. ( approved at 4/23/12 FFM) I. Social Media Policy- See attached. (approved at 4/23/12 FFM) J. Laptops- All students are required to have their own laptop computer with wireless capability prior to the start of second semester sophomore year for baccalaureate students and prior to the start of the MEIN program 9. Evaluation methods used in the course 10. Any requirements for standardized exams during the semester *= items that cannot be changed without approval of the full faculty of the School of Nursing and appropriate university committees. All pre-licensure clinical practicum courses will include the following items in a course syllabus: 1. Health requirements to participate in clinical 2. Mandatory requirements related to completion of the Standard orientation Curriculum, HIPPA training, CPR, Health Insurance 3. Current School of Nursing Dress Code- See attached. (approved at 4/23/12 FFM) 4. Current policy on Math Competency for clinical practice- See attached. (approved at 4/23/12 FFM) 5. Policy stating Removal from clinical by agency personnel is grounds for failure in the course 6. The School of Nursing reserves the right to make final decision regarding clinical assignments and to modify such clinical assignments to facilitate the student s completion of the course objectives. In addition, a faculty member may also consider the following items for inclusion on a course syllabus: 1. Text and/or resources used in the course 2. Topical outline with readings/assignments
Dress Code Policy (approved at 4/23/12 Full Faculty meeting): Purpose: UConn School of Nursing Dress Code Policy Individual and family health care consumers perceptions of students in the UCONN School of Nursing are based on a variety of encounters. Impressions are often made in the first sixty seconds of an encounter, even before a word is spoken, through physical appearance, body language, and personal etiquette. As a UCONN nursing student you represent not only yourself but, the School of Nursing and the profession of nursing as well. Policy: 1. Pants: navy pants, straight legged, waist high (no low-rise), elastic or draw string, (per order form), 2. Shirt: New top approved May 2011 with UCONN School of Nursing (per order form), clothing must be loose enough to allow performance of activities, 3. Lab jacket: (required) navy rib cuffs and snap front, two pockets (per order form), 4. Shoes: white nursing shoes, white sneakers, white clogs with a back or strap, no open toed, no heels, no holes in body of shoe (i.e. CROCS), 5. Socks/hose: white, to prevent exposure of skin on legs to body fluids, 6. Name pins: UCONN SON name pin to be worn at all times, in all settings. There are two formats for names that will be ordered, and will be worn per agency policy. 7. Undergarments: should not be visible through uniform 8. Hair must be neat and well groomed. Long hair and long bangs must be tied or pinned back off the face and up off the neck, only natural hair dyed colors are acceptable, 9. Men must be clean shaven and or a beard or mustache must be neat and well groomed, 10. Only natural nails are acceptable. A maximum length of ¼ inch above the fingertip is allowed, nail polish is not acceptable, 11. Visible tattoos are not encouraged and are subject to individual agency policy, 12. A maximum of one stud earring may be worn in each ear, all other visible piercings are not acceptable, 13. One plain band ring, no stones, may be worn, necklaces must be kept under the shirt, no bracelets, a sweep second hand watch is required, 14. Perfume, cologne, after shaves, lotions, or cosmetic agents that transmit a noticeable odor are not acceptable due to allergies. Makeup should be worn in a professional manner. 15. Clinical Resource Laboratory will allow a specific UCONN tee shirt to be worn instead of uniform top for lab only. 16. Summer camp uniform will consist of khaki long shorts to knee, and specific dri fit UCONN nursing tee shirt, closed toe shoes and socks. Please be advised particular agency dress policy may necessitate clothing or jewelry modifications.
Social Media Policy (approved at 4/23/12 Full Faculty meeting): The SON is adopting the American Nurses Association 2011 Six Principles for Social Networking as outlined on the ANA website: 1. Nurses must not transmit or place online individually identifiable patient information. Nurses must know their legal and ethical responsibilities, as well as their own organization s policies, regarding their responsibility to protect patient privacy, whether online or offline. Merely removing someone s name (or face, in the instance of images) from a communication does not necessarily protect that person s identity. Under federal law (HIPAA), protected individually identifiable information includes health information that identifies the individual or can reasonably be used to identify the individual, in any form (oral, written, or otherwise) that relates to the past, present, or future physical or mental health of an individual. 2. Nurses who interact with patients on social media must observe ethically prescribed patient-nurse professional boundaries. The precepts guiding nurses in these matters are no different online that in person. 3. Nurses should evaluate all their postings with the understanding that a patient, colleague, educational institution, or employer could potentially view those postings. Online content and behavior has the potential to either enhance or undermine not only the individual nurse s career, but also the nursing profession. 4. Nurses should take advantage of privacy settings available on many social networking sites in their personal online activities and seek to separate their online personal and professional sites and information. Use of privacy settings and separation of personal and professional information online does not guarantee, however, that information will not be repeated in less protected forums. 5. As the patient s advocate, nurses have an ethical obligation to take appropriate action regarding instances of questionable healthcare delivery at an individual or systems level that reflect incompetent, unethical, illegal, or impaired practice. Nurses who view social media content posted by a colleague that violates ethical or legal standards should first bring the questionable content to the attention of the colleague so that the individual can take appropriate action. If the posting could threaten a patient s health, welfare, or right to privacy regarding health information, the nurse has the obligation to report the matter to a supervisor or designated person within the institution or entity for follow-up. If the questionable practice is not addressed in the employment setting and seriously jeopardizes the patient s safety and well-being, the nurse may need to report the problem to external authorities. Accurate reporting and factual documentation not merely opinion should always support such responsible actions. 6. Nurses are encouraged to participate in the development of policies and procedures in their institutions and organizations for handling reports of online conduct that may raise legal concerns or be professionally unethical. Such official channels can protect the rights of those participating and can offer remedial action for the patient, while offering fairness, support, and nonpunitive correction and training for a nurse s inadvertent mistakes. This policy is to be included in syllabi for ALL clinical courses, both graduate and undergraduate (along with NURS 1110, 3120, and 5062, GRAD5910 and during transitions orientation.)
Policy regarding Math Competency Exam to be Implemented for Class of 2013 and MEIN Class of 2012 (approved at 4/23/12 Full Faculty meeting): 1. Student must receive 100% correct to pass the exam at all times 2. Fall semester Juniors and Spring semester MEIN students can take the quiz 3 times for courses (NURS 3292 or 4392); 3. Spring semester Juniors, Fall semester Seniors, and Summer semester MEIN students can take the quiz 2 times for courses (NURS 3392, 3492, 3592, 3692, 4492); 4. Spring semester Seniors and Fall semester MEIN students can take quiz one time for courses (NURS 4292, 4592); 5. Then, 7.5 points are deducted from the clinical grade (for each subsequent exam) until the students would earn a C- or less in clinical. 6. If a student earns less than 100%, remediation is mandatory in skills lab with a Teaching Assistant. The second/third/etc. quiz is then taken together the following week.