Student Performance Expectations

Students enrolled in the UTK-College of Nursing are expected to adhere to a code of ethical and professional conduct/behavior which establishes an atmosphere conducive to the delivery of responsible care to clients and establishes and maintains positive student/faculty relationships.

This conduct should in no way detract from the image of the profession of nursing or the reputation of the College.

Ethical and professional behavior is demonstrated by:

Respect for individual human dignity in all encounters.
Respect for the atmosphere of teaching and learning in the clinical and classroom setting.
Respect for one another by refraining from gossip, intimidation, aggression, lying and slander.
Respect and recognition of faculty workload/responsibilities by scheduling of appointments.

Performance in Clinical Experiences

Students build knowledge and skill in the practice of nursing in Clinical Laboratory experiences under the instruction and guidance of nursing faculty. Clinical experiences include participation in the nursing care of patients/clients served by health care agencies.

Please Note: Electronic devices, including laptops, tablets, smartphones/cell phones, smartwatches, cameras, etc. are not permitted for personal use during clinical experiences(including preplanning activities).

*You may only bring electronic devices to clinical experiences when directed by clinical faculty for pre-approved academic activities.

Protected Health Information (PHI) cannot be entered into any digital device.
Pictures cannot be taken in any clinical setting without prior approval.
The usage of personal cell phone and smart watch functions which include personal text messaging is prohibited during clinical/simulation experiences.

Student Performance Improvement Form (SPIF)

A Student Performance Improvement Form (SPIF) (see Appendix I) may be given for unsatisfactory appearance, attendance, tardiness, performance, and/or behavior related to clinical/lab/simulation experiences (preplanning, assignment completion, or scheduled clinical/simulation). A Student Performance Improvement Form (SPIF) may also be given for failure to follow directions or guidelines pertaining to the didactic portion of any nursing course. The severity of the issue requiring a SPIF may result in further disciplinary action up to dismissal from the nursing program. All Student Performance Improvement Forms (SPIF) are submitted to and maintained in the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

NOTE: Always refer to the UT CON Undergraduate Student Handbook and each Course Syllabi for student performance expectations.

Outstanding Student Performance Form (OSPF)

An Outstanding Student Performance Form (OSPF) (see Appendix M) may be given for any behavior which surpasses the expected standards for a student nurse pertaining to performance in clinical, didactic, or ASL experiences. Outstanding students will be evaluated based on these criteria: (a) communicated effectively, (b) reasoned critically, (c) lead effectively, (d) practiced safely, and (e) acted professionally. All Outstanding Student Performance Form (OSPF) are submitted to and maintained in the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs and may be used to determine scholarship or award recipients.

NOTE: Always refer to the UT CON Undergraduate Student Handbook and each Course Syllabi for student performance expectations.

Medical Error

As in all learning situations, occasional errors occur. To protect the legal/ethical rights of patients/clients and to facilitate learning, documentation of the conditions under which errors occur is required. To insure proper documentation, the student and faculty work together in the following procedure: Upon recognition of an error, the student, under supervision of the instructor and charge nurse at clinical facility, must complete a hospital Incident Report as required by the hospital. The student and faculty member sign this report. Additionally, the student completes a College of Nursing Medication Error Form (see Appendix J). Both the student and faculty member sign this form.

The faculty member will submit a copy of the Medication Error Form to the course coordinator and provide the student with a copy to retain for her/his own records. The faculty member will assume the responsibility for assuring that the hospital Incident Report is submitted to the appropriate persons.
The student must contact the course coordinator within twenty-four (24) hours of the error to make an appointment to discuss the error and its implications. Following the student's appointment, the course coordinator submits the completed Medication Error Form to the Assistant Dean of the Undergraduate Program.
After discussion of the incident, disciplinary and remedial action, if appropriate, will be taken at the discretion of the Assistant Dean of the Undergraduate Program in collaboration with faculty involved and will be communicated to the student, faculty member, course coordinator, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, and the Dean of the College of Nursing.

Medication Error Report (UG).pdf

Unsafe Clinical Performance

Safe clinical practice is defined as performing nursing actions (procedures, medication administration, other treatments) consistent with ANA Standards of Practice, the TN Nurse Practice Act, and guidelines defined by specialty bodies. Safe clinical practice also includes taking nursing actions to correct, minimize, and/or prevent risk to patients.

A primary responsibility of faculty/clinical instructors is to ensure the physical and emotional safety of patients under the care of nursing students. If a student's behavior is assessed to be potentially or actually unsafe, jeopardizing a patient's welfare, the student should be dismissed from the clinical area immediately. This behavior may be related to factors such as physical, emotional or mental health problems, use of chemicals, knowledge deficit, problem solving skill deficits, or lack of preparedness for the clinical assignment.

After advising the student about the unsafe clinical performance and dismissing them from the clinical experience (faculty /clinical instructor discretion), an Unsafe Clinical Performance Incident Form (see Appendix K) must be initiated to document the behavior, notify the course coordinator of the situation, and refer the student to appropriate resources for evaluation and/or assistance if needed. The student must meet with the course coordinator regarding the unsafe performance within 72 hours. All faculty documentation and any written reports from the referral resources will be submitted to the dean (or designee) of the College of Nursing.

The dean (or designee) of the College of Nursing will make the final decision regarding the student's continuation in the clinical rotation. The decision, including any conditions regarding return to the clinical area must be made and communicated to the student within two weeks. As noted in the undergraduate catalog, a student may receive an unsatisfactory grade in clinical due to unsafe clinical performance. The student may appeal decisions regarding dismissal or suspension from the clinical area, which result in a course failure. This appeal procedure is delineated in Hilltopics, the University Student Handbook. The College of Nursing reserves the right to allow re-admittance to the clinical area only if the student has accomplished the recommended remedial actions.

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