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.
- 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.
- 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.
Licensed RN students are required to be in good standing with the Board of Nursing in which they are licensed.
Licensed RN students in Ohio can access the Ohio Board of Nursing regulations prescribed in Rule 4723-4-06 (standards of nursing practice promoting patient safety) of the Ohio Administrative Code here: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4723
Online/Class Conduct
Honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility are expected student behavior. For online exams and quizzes, it is expected that students not share test questions, answers or exam related material. Students found to be in violation may be reported to the Committee on Academic Misconduct.