Clinicals

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  1. Nature of policies in this section of the Catalog
    1. The policies in this section pertain to all programs and to all students enrolled in those programs where the program requirements include a clinical rotation (CIE).
  2. Nature of CIE - educational purpose, status of students
    1. Most programs at this College are intended to prepare students for a specific career or profession. Therefore, the clinical component of those courses is integral to academic requirements for preparation for the chosen career or profession. The clinical closely reflects the student's future working responsibilities. Therefore, a student is required to demonstrate dependability, punctuality, and accountability, which are essential and measurable professional qualities. While at the clinical site, the student's status is that of student at the College. The student is not an employee at the site. Students receiving education at clinical sites may not be permitted to be paid for their time onsite.
  3. Requirements that must be met prior to release to clinical
    1. The student must complete the required didactic and lab components of their program as specified in the course requirements and syllabus for that program. This includes having demonstrated competency in, and having passed, skills tests with grades as specified in the syllabus or course requirements.
    2. There are a wide range of program and site-specific requirements. In some programs these include mandatory vaccinations, immunizations, background checks, and/or health insurance. These requirements are disclosed to the student during the enrollment process and the student is required to sign an acknowledgement of the information disclosure.
  4. Agreements
    1. The College maintains current agreements with all entities and locations where the student may be assigned for purposes of meeting the clinical component of the program requirements. The standard agreement calls out the responsibilities of the site, the responsibilities of the College, and the responsibilities of the student.
  5. Site availability, assignment to a site
    1. Clinical requirements vary per course and may include offsite placement rotations and simulation learning experiences. An offsite clinical rotation may include nights, weekends, holidays, and may be scheduled during the two-week break between terms. Student schedules may change unexpectedly due to the requirements of clinical agencies.
    2. The student will be assigned to a specific venue and will be assigned specific regular hours of attendance that will enable the student to complete the clinical within the timeframe specified in the program requirements if the student attends as specified. 
    3. Students must be prepared to travel to their clinical assignments. The College will attempt to assign sites that are convenient for the student; however, this may not always be possible. Students will be informed by the clinical coordinator or instructor if there is state-specific regulation or guidance as to the distance the student is expected to travel. Contact the Clinical Department for additional information. The assignment of clinical hours is non-negotiable by students.
  6. Attendance, reporting of attendance, notification of intention to be absent, or unexpected absence.
    1. The student must complete 100% of the hours specified in the program outline for clinical.
    2. The student must report site attendance to the clinical instructor daily. The Registrar will record attendance. A student who does not report attendance risks being in violation of the attendance policy. Violation of the attendance policy could cause the student to be dismissed from the school.
    3. Students are discouraged from being absent during the clinical. Students must request prior approval from the site and the clinical instructor for anticipated absences. Approval will be given only for extraordinary circumstance such as a death in the family, jury duty, military duty, or similar.
    4. Students must not be late or tardy to their site. Lateness will be counted for attendance purposes at clinical sites the same way that lateness to class is accounted for under the College's attendance policy. A student who is likely to be late must inform the site supervisor as soon as it is safe and feasible to do so. Students must notify their clinical faculty and clinical coordinator of absence no later than one hour prior to the start of their clinical shift.
    5. In addition, in some programs, the student is required to attend meetings at the College to discuss the progress, the experience, the program, and clinical site instructors. Attendance will be taken at these meetings but it will not count towards hours of attendance for the course or module.
    6. Make-up hours for lateness or absences are difficult to schedule. Make-up hours must be arranged with the site supervisor and clinical instructor. Students should understand that make-up hours may not be contiguous to their scheduled end date.
  7. Supervision on site
    1. Supervision
      1. Students will be supervised on site either by a member of the College’s staff or by a member of the site's staff. The student will be advised of the supervisor's name and contact information when the site assignment is given.
      2. If the student's supervisor is a member of the site's staff, a member of the College’s staff will visit that site at least once during the time the student is assigned there to observe the student firsthand and to obtain feedback from both the student and the on-site supervisor.
    2. Sign-off on attendance
      1. The student's supervisor must sign off on time reported back to the College. It is the student's responsibility to get the supervisor's signature on their timecard.
  8. Safety, confidentiality, professionalism
    1. Students are expected to observe and comply with all site and institutional requirements for safety and preservation of confidentiality. Students are expected to demonstrate professionalism in their interaction with all members of staff and members of the public at the site where they are assigned. Such professionalism includes appropriateness of communications. Students may be required to sign a statement acknowledging confidentiality of patient records and the applicability of HIPAA laws.
  9. Dress code, behavior, conduct, and rights and responsibilities
    1. At all times the College’s policies and code of conduct including all student responsibilities are in force. These policies include the dress code policy, the drugs and alcohol policy, visitor policy, the anti-smoking policy, video and audio recording policy, and termination/expulsion policy.
    2. In addition, each site will advise the student during site orientation of site-specific policies that the student is also required to observe. Violations of the site's policies are considered to be a violation of the College’s policies and discipline will be administered accordingly, up to and including dismissal from the program.
  10. Grading, student performance evaluation
    1. Academic
      1. To receive a grade for the course, the site must turn in an evaluation of the student's performance during the time of assignment to the site.
      2. The grade cannot be turned in until all the required hours have been completed.
      3. The site will not assign a grade. The College’s clinical instructor will assign the grade based on first-hand observation and input from the site.
      4. The student is required to fill out a survey evaluating the clinical site and experience.
    2. If the student has not performed sufficient hours to complete the clinical by the scheduled end date, the student's grade for the module will automatically be turned to “Incomplete” and the student will be notified.
    3. If an incomplete is granted due to clinical hours not being finalized, students have up to six months after the end of the grading period to complete these hours in accordance with the Rules and Regulations for Approval of Nursing Education Programs in Chapter 2 of the Code of Colorado Regulations (3CCR 716-1). This parameter is also followed at the Houston Campus.
  11. Program Specific Requirements
    1. There is a wide and extensive array of program specific conditions that a student must meet both to be eligible to attend education at a clinical site and during the education experience itself. These conditions are often mandated by state regulators or accreditors. The College also specifies conditions to maintain uniformity of high standards such that the College's credentials will be valued in the workplace. These may include vaccinations, immunizations, background checks, drug tests, and other kinds of requirements. Students are informed of these requirements at the time of enrollment. Evidence of compliance is typically requested and must be presented when requested. The clinical director and clinical instructor will meet with students to remind them of such requirements.
    2. In some states and for some programs, the College is required to conduct a federal and/or state background check on the student. As part of that background check, the College will request records about any prior criminal or drug related offenses. For some programs, the student's driving record may also be checked. See program specific requirements.
    3. There is a wide array of site-specific requirements, the most common of which is finger printing or conducting a background check.
  12. Additional sources of information
    1. In some cases, students may be required to attend a mandatory orientation held at the clinical site prior to their first day.
    2. Additional information can also be obtained from the clinical director or the program's clinical instructor.
    3. Any program specific requirements are stated in the program section of this Catalog.