IV. Program Specifics

 

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Section IV.I: Rigorous Academic Load

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Students begin nursing courses as a cohort group and quickly immerse in a vigorous routine of classroom studies with clinical practice. Students are advised to reduce any outside employment to one shift per week that does not conflict with their classroom and clinical schedules. Similarly it is recommended to not work the night before clinical and immediately following a clinical experience. Client safety could be affected as a result of such scheduling. During the senior year, students should plan to drastically reduce hours or take a leave of absence from outside employment.

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When enrolled in nursing coursework, nursing students are not permitted to enroll in Northwest University non-nursing courses unless admitted to the NU Honors Program.

 

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Section IV.II: Guidelines for Writing Papers

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Papers for all nursing courses must be in APA format. Refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th edition) for specifics. The Northwest University Writing Center is also available for students. See appendix IX.I

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Section IV.III: Formal Complaint Procedure

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The purpose of the formal complaint process is to provide guidelines for timely and equitable resolution of problems or disagreements regarding issues such as academic matters, policies, conditions, and faculty decisions. The goal of the BCON Formal Complaint Procedure is to achieve a fair and expeditious resolution of problems at the lowest authority level.

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Formal complaints may be made only on the grounds of unfair treatment against standards stated in the Buntain College of Nursing Student Rights and Responsibilities and not against the professional judgment or personality of the instructor.

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The Buntain College of Nursing formal complaint process is intended for complaints not having to do with discrimination, harassment, or sexual violence. For complaints of that nature, students should contact the Dean of Student Development or the Director of Human Resources. More information is available in NU Community Handbook. Issues involving grades in a particular class should be resolved between the student and faculty of the course and will not be considered grounds for formal complaints.

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Formal Complaint Procedure For BCON Students

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STEP ONE

• Schedule an appointment with the faculty member within five (5) academic days

• Be prepared to discuss the issues of concern clearly. Do not speculate.

• Proceed to the next level of authority if the concern is not resolved.

 

STEP TWO

• Schedule an appointment with the Course Lead or Junior/Senior Team Lead within five (5) academic days

• Be prepared to discuss the issues of concern clearly. Do not speculate.

• Proceed to the next level of authority if the concern is not resolved.

• The Course Lead or Junior/Senior Team Lead is responsible for preparing a summary of the points discussed and outcome of the meeting.

• Summary is placed in the student file.

• A copy of the summary is given to the student.

• A summary is also given to the faculty member involved. If the issue is resolved – the case is closed.

 

STEP THREE

• Submit a completed Formal Complaint Form to the BCON Student Affairs Committee (SAC) within five (5) academic days.

• The SAC will review the Formal Complaint Form including other written documentation and make its decision.

• Proceed to the next level of authority if the concern is not resolved.

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STEP FOUR

• Schedule an appointment with the Dean within five (5) academic days.

• Be prepared to discuss the issues of concern clearly. Do not speculate.

• The Dean may decide to intervene or not.

• The Dean will notify the student of the decision within five (5) academic days.

• Proceed to the next level of authority if the concern is not resolved.

 

STEP FIVE

• If an acceptable resolution is not reached, or if the professor is the dean, the student may appeal to the Provost using the Student Petition for General Academic Matters within five (5) academic days.

• See the Northwest University Student Appeals and Complaints procedure.

 

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Section IV.IV: Classroom Attendance and General Expectations

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Attendance is an expectation for both class and clinical. The Buntain College of Nursing prepares students for participation in health care settings. Arriving punctually is imperative as colleagues and clients depend on students to provide care.

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1 - Classroom Attendance

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Faculty maintains records of attendance, including timely arrival to class. Notify faculty as soon as possible if absence is anticipated (for example, waking up with a fever). Consult with individual faculty members as to his/her preference for notification (email, voicemail, etc.). If a student misses class due to illness or emergency, it is the responsibility of the student to get handouts, notes, etc., from fellow classmates.

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Students are expected to remain in class for the entire period. Students may leave the class when the professor indicates the session is complete. Packing up books or walking out prematurely is disrespectful and distracting to others.

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Approved absences are limited to contagious illnesses, severe illness of close family member, and death of a close family member. Students are not to make holiday plans without first consulting the class and final exam schedules.

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Students are expected to refrain from talking during videos, lectures, and presentations. In an attempt to create an environment conducive to learning, cell phones must be silent during class and clinical. Laptops and other electronic devices must be used in a way that does not distract the student using the device or other students. Laptops may be used in class only for classroom activities and note-taking. In clinical settings, cell phones may not be permitted. Cell phone messages may be accessed only during class and clinical break times. (Electronic device policy)

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2 - Chapel Attendance

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The nursing office submits a request for excused absences to Campus Ministries for chapels that occur during times of scheduled clinical experiences. Chapel attendance is expected whenever a student is on campus unless an excused absence is approved by Campus Ministries.

 

Prior to leaving for the cross cultural trips all senior students participate in a chapel service dedicated to recognizing and praying for the overall health, safety, and ministry of those traveling abroad. All senior students are expected to participate in the entire chapel service whether the student is exempt from chapel or not.

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3 - Snow Days

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Although rare, there are occasions when classes are canceled due to snow or inclement weather. The decision to cancel practicum is left to the discretion of the individual clinical instructor. This notification may happen during the very early hours of the morning and the student may be asked to tell a colleague(s) of the cancellation. The student will be informed by the instructor of any required make-up time.

Students must subscribe to the campus alert system. 

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4 - NU Breaks and Final Exam Weeks 

All NU breaks and final exam weeks are noted on the Northwest University academic calendar. Do not make travel plans during a scheduled class, clinical, or  final exam to avoid unexcused absences and not fulfilling all course expectations.

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Section IV.V: Weekend/Evening/Night Sessions

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Students may be assigned to practicum or clinical experiences during weekend, evening, or night hours based on availability of clinical site opportunities and qualified faculty. Also, at the beginning of a semester, a faculty member may notify students of mandatory Saturday class sessions. (One reason for such sessions is the increased availability of some experts to make guest presentations on days outside of the typical workweek.)

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Section IV.VI: Professionalism

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Professionalism includes a variety of behaviors. Professional behaviors include being punctual, prepared, and compliant with Northwest University, Buntain College of Nursing, and practicum or clinical site policies. Conveying respect is yet another aspect of professionalism. One way students show respect for nursing faculty is by using "Professor" or "Doctor". The College of Nursing expects students to use these titles along with the faculty member's full last name in classroom and practicum settings as well as any University sponsored event.

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1 - Academic Honesty

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Northwest University expects honesty from students in all areas, including their academic lives. Academic dishonesty is a serious violation of Christian standards and may result in the student receiving an “F” in the course, being dismissed from the course, or possibly being dismissed from the University. Instances of academic dishonesty may be reported to the Office of the Provost. Academic dishonesty includes cheating on assignments or examinations, submitting the same (or essentially the same) paper in more than one course without prior consent of the current assigning professor(s), sabotaging another student’s work, and plagiarizing. See Academic Honesty Policy   

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2 - Social Media 

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While social media can be an effective way to communicate, it also creates vulnerabilities for individuals and institutions, especially those involved in the healthcare environment. Depending on the privacy settings, anyone with access to the internet can view posted profiles, photos, and opinions and can share them anywhere. Social media networking sites are in fact public forums. The potential impact on professional careers and professions is an important consideration when posting. The Buntain College of Nursing maintains that social media networking is strictly a personal activity and any participation in such will be consistent with the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) Code of Ethics  as well as Northwest University’s Lifestyle Standards. See Social Media Networking Policy and Guidelines 

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3 - Alcohol, Tobacco and Substance Use

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The possession, use, consumption, manufacture, or distribution of any type of marijuana product and paraphernalia, controlled medication not prescribed by a healthcare provider, or illegal substance or its synthetic variation on University property, in conjunction with any University sponsored activities, or while enrolled as a student is specifically prohibited by Northwest University Alcohol, Tobacco, and Substance Use policy.

 

Any student who is found in violation of the above stated policy may receive Northwest University disciplinary sanctions, up to and including removal from campus housing, suspension, or dismissal from the University.

 

Violations of city, county, state and federal laws regarding the use of illegal drugs, including diversion of client drugs or controlled substances, and/or alcoholic beverages may result in referral to the proper local, state of federal law enforcement authorities as well as the University student accountability processes. (See Northwest University Alcohol, Tobacco, and Substance Use Policy, Diversion of Drugs or Controlled Substances Policy, and the Washington Administrative Code 246-840-513)

 

 

Section IV.VII: Technology Expectations

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Each student must have a personal computer (Chrome Books do not work with our software) and continually enhance her/his computer skills. Students are expected to check their Northwest University e-mail accounts every day to stay abreast of messages from faculty and fellow students. Assignments include text documents, internet research, PowerPoint presentations, website creation, and data collection/management. Furthermore, massive collections of journals are accessible via university subscriptions to on-line databases.

 

The Health and Science Center has two computer labs (HSC 252 and HSC 254.) All stations are equipped with MS Windows  and MS Office software and are connected to the internet via high-speed internet connections. 

 

All students must purchase pages before they are able to print.  Please visit Student Print Balance for a list of places to purchase printing.

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Section IV.VIII: Personal Information

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1 - Demographic Information 

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Students must keep the College of Nursing informed of changes in personal information such as name, address, phone number, and/or health insurance coverage, by contacting nursing@northwestu.edu.

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2 - Consistent Use of Legal Name 

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Northwest University recognizes that many of its students use “preferred” names other than their “legal” names to identify themselves. In the Buntain College of Nursing, students participate in clinical and cross-cultural experiences as well as apply for a registered nurse license which requires a student’s name to be identical to the name on his or her social security card.

 

The following are examples for which students must consistently use the legal name:

 

1. University e-mail address

2. Social security card

3. Driver’s license

4. Government issued passport

5. Nursing application

6. Clinical immunization passport

7. RN application

8. Previously issued WA State Department of Health licenses (e.g. CNA license)

9. College transcript

10. Airplane tickets for College-sponsored travel

11. Visa application for College-sponsored travel

12. College of Nursing/clinical facility identification badges.

 

Nursing students can indicate a “preferred” first name, which is a name by which the student wishes to be referred, if different from his or her legal first name. This might only be seen on class and grade rosters. Students must use his or her legal name when conducting official Buntain College of Nursing and Northwest University business.

 

The legal name, as maintained in the University’s database, will be the name that appears on the student’s official transcript, diploma, and in the commencement program. The student’s legal name can only be changed by requesting a formal name change through the Northwest University receptionist. Before requesting a name change, students must first make the legal name change on his or her social security card.

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Section IV.IX: Employment as a Certified Nursing Assistant or Nurse Technician

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The nursing curriculum in the first semester of the junior year is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission as satisfying the training requirements for Nursing Assistant Certified. For testing and certification procedures, the student should consult the Nursing Commission website.

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After the junior year of nursing school, students may choose to seek employment as a Nurse Technician.

Once licensed the following notification must be submitted to the College of Nursing:

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1. Type and date of license

2. Employer name and address

3. Any change of employer

 

For application procedures please consult the Nursing Commission website.

 

 

Section IV.X: Student Participation on College of Nursing Committees

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Student representatives are needed on the Curriculum and Evaluation and Student Affairs committees. This typically requires participation in a meeting lasting up to one hour once a month. Each class is asked to volunteer one or two representatives to each of these committees by September 15 of the academic year.

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• The Curriculum and Evaluation Committee of the Buntain College of Nursing has been established to regularly evaluate the current curriculum for consistency with the mission, philosophy, and core values of the college, and for its adherence to standards for accreditation.  The committee is also responsible for evaluating the outcomes of the program and proposing changes to the curriculum and nursing program for faculty approval.

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•  The Faculty Affairs Committee (FAC) of the Buntain College of Nursing has two main purposes:  hear and act on College level issues of the nursing faculty, individually and corporately; and take responsibility for the socio­cultural well­being of the Program’s faculty, staff and administration.  On occasions, the Faculty Affairs Committee may be asked to assist the University Faculty Development Committee in promotion and tenure issues, task forces pertaining to all University faculty affairs, and campus­wide celebrations.

 

• The Student Affairs Committee (SAC) of the Buntain College of Nursing is the body responsible for three primary areas in the education of nursing students.  First, the SAC oversees the process of admitting students to the program, secondly, it oversees the progress of students through the program, and, thirdly, the committee is responsible for post program issues both for those who have graduated and those who attended but did not graduate.

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Section IV.XI: Student Rights and Responsibilities

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Registered nurses are responsible for promoting and restoring health, preventing illness, and protecting people entrusted to their care which requires nursing students to be held to high ethical and professional standards. Therefore, in conjunction with the Northwest University Community Handbook and the Buntain College of Nursing (BCON) Student Handbook, the BCON recognizes that all nursing students have specific rights and that with these rights come responsibilities necessary for successful continuance in the BSN degree program. (Washington State regulations WAC 246-840-519)

View entire policy here.

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