Professional Standards | Bachelor of Science in Nursing Handbook 2024-2025

The American Nurses Association (ANA) and the National Student Nurses Association provide guidance regarding what constitutes professional conduct in documents such as the ANA Code for Nurses, the ANA Standards of Clinical Nursing Practice, and the Student Nurse Association Code of Academic and Clinical Professional Conduct. Nursing students are responsible for conducting themselves in accordance with these professional standards. Professional conduct is manifest by behaviors that embody the values of Nursing including integrity, regard for self and others, respect, and responsibility. Professional misconduct includes activities that undermine the values of Nursing. Professional standards augment the behavioral expectations for all students at The Ohio State University as stated in the University Code of Student Conduct. The professional standards to which students are expected to adhere include the following adapted from the Student Nurse Association Code of Academic and Clinical Professional Conduct, the rules promulgated from the law regulating the practice of nursing (Ohio Board of Nursing), and The Ohio State University College of Nursing Professional Standards.

Students in the College of Nursing are expected to:

Treat others with respect in all areas of the clinical and academic setting.
Facilitate an environment in the classroom and clinical setting that promotes learning and allows faculty to educate nursing students.
Comply with the directives of a college official which is defined as faculty, staff, clinical instructor, teaching assistants, or college administrator.
Comply with requirements in course syllabi and the College of Nursing policies as outlined in the current College of Nursing Handbook.
Comply with the Code of Student Conduct.
Arrive punctually and prepared for clinical and other academic experiences or inform appropriate individuals in a timely fashion if unable to attend.
Refrain from performing any technique or procedure, including medication administration, for which they are unprepared by education or experience and/or without faculty or preceptor approval.
Accurately identify and represent self as a nursing student in all professional and clinical settings.
Communicate academic and clinical information in a truthful, timely and accurate manner.
Abstain from the use of alcoholic beverages, illicit substances and/or any substance that may impair judgment while in the academic and clinical setting.
Identify variables in own health state that would impair clinical performance and arrange for substitute clinical experiences as needed.
Accept the moral, ethical and legal responsibility for own actions
Maintain patient/client confidentiality and privacy in all written, verbal and non-verbal communication.
Serve all patient/clients impartially and accept no personal compensation from those entrusted to their care.
Strive for excellence by maintaining and promoting integrity, truthfulness and honor in all aspects of academic and clinical responsibilities.
Uphold policies and regulations related to academic and clinical performance.
Refrain from any deliberate action or omission of care in the clinical setting that creates risk of injury to the client, self, or others.
Refrain from any deliberate action in the academic setting that creates risk of injury to self or others.
Provide care for the client in a timely, compassionate, and professional manner.
Promptly report known violations of any professional standard by other nursing students to a College of Nursing official.
Use of a personal recording device of any type with patients and with students who are assuming the role of patient in our practice labs is strictly forbidden.

Policy regarding impaired practice involving substance abuse

Procedure for alleged misconduct

Students in the College of Nursing are also expected to follow the Ohio Board of Nursing regulations prescribed in Rule 4723-5-12 of the Ohio Administrative Code as outlined here: http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/4723-5-12v1

(C) In addition to the policies required in paragraph (A) of this rule, the program administrator and faculty shall implement policies related to student conduct that incorporate the standards for safe nursing care set forth in Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code and the rules adopted under that chapter, including, but not limited to the following:

(1) A student shall, in a complete, accurate, and timely manner, report and document nursing assessments or observations, the care provided by the student for the patient, and the patient’s response to that care.

(2) A student shall, in an accurate and timely manner, report to the appropriate practitioner errors in or deviations from the current valid order.

(3) A student shall not falsify any patient record or any other document prepared or utilized in the course of, or in conjunction with, nursing practice. This includes, but is not limited to, case management documents or reports, time records or reports, and other documents related to billing for nursing services.

(4) A student shall implement measures to promote a safe environment for each patient.

(5) A student shall delineate, establish, and maintain professional boundaries with each patient.

(6) At all times when a student is providing direct nursing care to a patient the student shall:

(a) Provide privacy during examination or treatment and in the care of personal or bodily needs; and

(b) Treat each patient with courtesy, respect, and with full recognition of dignity and individuality.

(7) A student shall practice within the appropriate scope of practice as set forth in division (B) of section 4723.01 and division (B)(20) of section 4723.28 of the Revised Code for a registered nurse, and division (F) of section 4723.01 and division (B)(21) of section 4723.28 of the Revised Code for a practical nurse;

(8) A student shall use universal and standard precautions established by Chapter 4723-20 of the Administrative Code;

(9) A student shall not:

(a) Engage in behavior that causes or may cause physical, verbal, mental, or emotional abuse to a patient;

(b) Engage in behavior toward a patient that may reasonably be interpreted as physical, verbal, mental, or emotional abuse.

(10) A student shall not misappropriate a patient’s property or:

(a) Engage in behavior to seek or obtain personal gain at the patient’s expense;

(b) Engage in behavior that may reasonably be interpreted as behavior to seek or obtain personal gain at the patient’s expense;

(d) Engage in behavior that may reasonably be interpreted as inappropriate involvement in the patient’s personal relationships.

For the purpose of this paragraph, the patient is always presumed incapable of giving free, full, or informed consent to the behaviors by the student set forth in this paragraph.

(11) A student shall not:

(a) Engage in sexual conduct with a patient;

(b) Engage in conduct in the course of practice that may reasonably be interpreted as sexual;

(d) Engage in verbal behavior that may reasonably be interpreted as seductive, or sexually demeaning to a patient.

For the purpose of this paragraph, the patient is always presumed incapable of giving free, full, or informed consent to sexual activity with the student.

(12) A student shall not, regardless of whether the contact or verbal behavior is consensual, engage with a patient other than the spouse of the student in any of the following:

(a) Sexual contact, as defined in section 2907.01 of the Revised Code;

(b) Verbal behavior that is sexually demeaning to the patient or may be reasonably interpreted by the patient as sexually demeaning.

(13) A student shall not self-administer or otherwise take into the body any dangerous drug, as defined in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code, in any way not in accordance with a legal, valid prescription issued for the student, or self-administer or otherwise take into the body any drug that is a schedule I controlled substance.

(14) A student shall not habitually or excessively use controlled substances, other habit-forming drugs, or alcohol or other chemical substances to an extent that impairs ability to practice.

(15) A student shall not have impairment of the ability to practice according to acceptable and prevailing standards of safe nursing care because of the use of drugs, alcohol, or other chemical substances.

(16) A student shall not have impairment of the ability to practice according to acceptable and prevailing standards of safe nursing care because of a physical or mental disability.

(17) A student shall not assault or cause harm to a patient or deprive a patient of the means to summon assistance.

(18) A student shall not misappropriate or attempt to misappropriate money or anything of value by intentional misrepresentation or material deception in the course of practice.

(19) A student shall not have been adjudicated by a probate court of being mentally ill or mentally incompetent, unless restored to competency by the court.

(20) A student shall not aid and abet a person in that person’s practice of nursing without a license, practice as a dialysis technician without a certificate issued by the board, or administration of medications as a medication aide without a certificate issued by the board.

(21) A student shall not prescribe any drug or device to perform or induce an abortion, or otherwise perform or induce an abortion.

(22) A student shall not assist suicide as defined in section 3795.01 of the Revised Code.

(23) A student shall not submit or cause to be submitted any false, misleading or deceptive statements, information, or document to the nursing program, its administrators, faculty, teaching assistants, preceptors, or to the board.

(24) A student shall maintain the confidentiality of patient information. The student shall communicate patient information with other members of the health care team for health care purposes only, shall access patient information only for purposes of patient care or for otherwise fulfilling the student’s assigned clinical responsibilities, and shall not disseminate patient information for purposes other than patient care or for otherwise fulfilling the student’s assigned clinical responsibilities through social media, texting, emailing or any other form of communication.

(25) To the maximum extent feasible, identifiable patient health care information shall not be disclosed by a student unless the patient has consented to the disclosure of identifiable patient health care information. A student shall report individually identifiable patient information without written consent in limited circumstances only and in accordance with an authorized law, rule, or other recognized legal authority.

(26) For purposes of paragraphs (C)(5), (C)(6), (C)(9), (C)(10), (C)(11) and (C)(12) of this rule, a student shall not use social media, texting, emailing, or other forms of communication with, or about a patient, for non-health care purposes or for purposes other than fulfilling the students assigned clinical responsibilities.

Last updated February 1, 2022 at 8:50 AM