Nursing Education Programs Attendance Policy

Program Attendance Policy

The Nursing Program has established a programmatic attendance policy that will help facilitate the learning of required knowledge, technical skills and patient care vital to success in the Nursing profession. The program acknowledges that emergency circumstances (i.e. serious illnesses, deaths, and funeral of immediate family) can occur; such events will be taken under advisement by the Faculty and the Program Director. However, students must provide the Program Director with documentation supporting their reason for being late and/or absent. It is required that students call their instructor ahead of time if they will not be able to attend class/clinical or will be arriving late (refer to Proper Notification for Lateness/Absence). Students are permitted to withdraw from a didactic or clinical course within the first two weeks of a course.

Didactic Attendance

Student are expected to attend every class for which they are scheduled and to arrive on time. Instructors will keep an accurate record of class attendance. Students are responsible for contacting their instructors when unavoidable absences occur and for maintaining contact every few days during any necessary extended absence. Students are responsible for withdrawing from any class. The student must complete the Online Drop and Withdrawal Form.

An instructor will withdraw the student if the student has not attended courses for two consecutive weeks. Missed instructional time is a serious deterrent to learning. A student is responsible for fulfilling the requirements of the course by attending all classes (including labs and clinical) and completing course assignments. An instructor will withdraw the student if the student has not attended courses for two consecutive weeks (or 12.5% of course duration), of scheduled course meetings during the semester whereby the student has not attempted intentional, ongoing communication with the instructor in person, via telephone, or campus email, to discuss the circumstances of the ongoing absence and plan their efforts to complete missed assignments. The student must maintain contact with the instructor if there are extenuating circumstances such as an accident, illness or death in the family.

Clinical Attendance

Absenteeism, including late arrivals and early leaves resulting in 13% of missed clinical time per semester, will cause the student to be ineligible to continue in the program. If a student misses clinical time the student will be required to complete an assignment. The assignment may include clinical site or simulation hours. Assignments and/or experiences will take place on a date and at a time when an instructor is available to provide appropriate supervision. Any clinical time missed WILL be documented on the student’s clinical attendance record regardless of assignment completion. The missed clinical time will be counted towards the percentage of absences.

The faculty recognize that, although each course builds upon the previous course, the clinical experiences may differ. Therefore, absences within each semester stand alone and do not accumulate during the program.

Administrative Actions

• Written Warning – If a student misses 4% of clinical hours through a combination of absences, late arrivals, extended break times, and/or early leaves during a scheduled clinical experience the student will receive a written warning.
• Final Written Warning – If a student misses 8% of clinical hours through a combination of absences, late arrivals, extended break times, and/or early leaves during a scheduled clinical experience the student will receive a final written warning.
• Program Dismissal- If a student misses 13% of clinical hours, through a combination of absences, late arrivals, extended break times, and/or early leaves during a scheduled clinical experience the student will receive a failing grade for the course; unless approved make-up time is granted by the Program. The student must be able to demonstrate clinical proficiency in performance skills and complete any outstanding course assignments within the allotted make-up period; failure to do so will result in a failing grade for the course. A failing course grade will not permit the student to advance in the program until successful course completion is achieved. Repeat patterns of poor attendance will result in the student being dismissed from the program.

Proper Notification for Clinical Lateness/Absence

Students are expected to notify their clinical instructor at least 60 minutes in advance of the clinical start time if they will not be able to attend clinical or anticipate a late arrival. A documented emergency will be taken under consideration by the program. Note: Both the clinical instructor and/or preceptor (if applicable) must be notified.

Failing to use proper notification procedures (“no call – no show”) for clinical absence/tardiness will be cause for administrative action. A pattern of this unprofessional behavior may result in course failure and/or dismissal from the program.

Note: Asking a classmate to inform the instructor that you will be late or absent does NOT constitute proper notification.

Administrative Actions

• Written Warning – 1st offense of “no call – no show” during the NUR program
• Program Dismissal – 2nd offense of “no call – no show” during the NUR program

Note: A “no call – no show” is considered unprofessional, therefore, the Administrative Actions listed above accumulate during the NUR program.

Completion of Missed Work Due to Absence

If a student is absent from any learning activity, the student is responsible for completing missed work. Due to lack of practice of nursing skill sets, students who are absent from laboratory experiences may not be permitted to participate in certain clinical activities for safety reasons. Students who are absent from their clinical education site will be given a required assignment equivalent to the hours missed. The assignment may include clinical site or simulation hours. Clinical time will be scheduled by the instructor, and could occur after the final examination due to instructor availability. Any clinical time missed WILL be documented on the student’s clinical attendance record regardless of assignment completion. The missed clinical time will be counted towards the percentage of absences.