Clinical & Lab/Simulation Deportment

Students in PN, BScN and Bridging are expected to review the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) Professional Standards and Code of Conduct regarding accountability, continuing competence, ethics, knowledge, knowledge application, leadership, relationships and professional relationships.  PSW students are required to adhere to all of the following appearance and conduct requirements.

 Please note that due to the CNO’s requisite skills and abilities for nurses, there are some areas of your learning where accommodations do not apply, which include math testing, lab, simulation and clinical. For example: medication math calculations are an essential skill in clinical practice. This essential clinical skill is outlined by the College of Nurses of Ontario in their Entry-to-Practice Requirements. Accommodations (i.e., extra time, exam aids ect.) are not provided for clinical skills. This is to support patient safety and your ability to demonstrate principles of safe medication practice. We, as a school, must be able to sign that you can demonstrate this essential clinical skill for you to be eligible to write the regulatory exam for your program after graduation.

Students are required to:

• Identify themselves by name and explain their role in the clinical setting with clients and staff.

• Seek assistance appropriately and in a timely manner while maintaining standards of practice.

• Reflect positive engagement in all clinical learning opportunities.

• Demonstrate critical thinking in decision-making utilizing theoretical and/or evidence-informed practice

• Collaborate with the health care team and clients in clinical practice utilizing effective communication.

• Maintain strict compliance with client confidentiality policies and guidelines.

• Adhere to the Professions Code of Conduct and standards of practice.

• Demonstrate clinical practice that uses skills, judgement and attitude to ensure client/patient safety.

• Understand and abide by Seneca College Policies regarding student responsibilities in the classroom and in the clinical settings.

• Demonstrate behaviour which reflects mutual respect and worth of clients and families, members of the health care team, peers, and faculty at all times in the clinical setting and classroom.

• Demonstrate behaviours that demonstrate accountability and responsibility for their own actions

• Abide by uniform guidelines.

• Abide by Seneca College guidelines for electronic communication- use of Seneca College email only and no use of cell phones in the clinical setting.

• Use official Seneca College email for all communication. Acknowledges and responds to email communication in a professional timely manner.

• Abide by common rules of courtesy and punctuality. Follow the notification guidelines for absences/late arrival to the unit

• Students are prohibited from contacting clinical agencies. The Seneca Clinical Placement Office is responsible for arranging the contractual agreements between the agency and Seneca College. Students are NOT to contact the Clinical agency directly, without expressed consent from Seneca College. Should a student require information regarding a clinical placement, please contact your Program Coordinator or the Clinical Placement office.

• Students assigned to a Clinical Agency are to remain on-site during their Clinical Hours. They are NOT to leave the agency during these assigned hours. Please make arrangements to bring a lunch/snack with you for any agency placement that does not have cafeteria services.

http://cno.org/en/learn-about-standards-guidelines/standards-and-guidelines

Transportation

Travel is required in order to get to the placement setting. Due to the large geographic area, not all placement locations are accessible by public transit. It is the student’s responsibility to secure reliable transportation. Students are responsible for their own transportation and parking for clinical placements. The clinical office is not responsible for arranging or accommodating students’ transportation needs. 

Personal Appearance and Professional Conduct

The College of Nurses of Ontario has published a code of conduct for nurses. The code is an overreaching practice standard that describes the behaviour and conduct that all nurses are professionally accountable for. 

Seneca College student nurses are expected to practice according to this code. 

For further details on the code please visit: www.cno.org/codeofconduct.

PSW students are expected to follow the following requirements:

Other requirements for students are:

• Uniforms can be purchased at the campus bookstore. See Program specific requirements for uniforms.

• Uniform must be clean, pressed and well-fitting. Length of pant hem to fall at top of the shoe and not touch the floor.

• Shoes must be flat with closed toe and heel, white and impermeable to fluids (no mesh or nylon).

• OneCard Seneca ID/clinical placement ID must be visible at all times. You can request a placement ID here: Clinical Placement One Card Link

• Hair must be neat and above the collar.

• Long hair must be tied back and not fall forward.

• Religious head covers must be clean and tied back as necessary to prevent interference with client care and align with occupational safety guidelines.

• Facial hair must be neatly trimmed and must not interfere with the respirator seal.

• Students have the responsibility to ensure their own personal hygiene and cleanliness; control of strong body odour is required.

• Unscented hygiene products only. (No perfume/cologne).

• Makeup should be appropriate for daytime wear.

• Nails - see program-specific guidelines. General guidelines - nails must be clean, with no sharp edges, no fake additions to them and do not extend past the fingertip.

• Jewelry is limited to a plain wedding band, a watch with a second hand and one pair of small single posts earrings. For safety reasons, earrings that dangle are not permitted.

• Visible body piercings should be covered if possible. Piercings that are exposed must not pose a safety or infection control risk.

Students are not permitted: 

• To be left ‘in charge’ of the unit

• To take verbal or telephone orders from any health care provider

• To perform any added nursing skills or special procedure or sanctioned medical acts that requires certification

• To witness consents

• To carry narcotic keys or to take responsibility for a narcotic count at shift change

• To sign for blood products or administer blood products independently

• To feed a patient oral feeds via syringe

• To assume responsibility for patient care during an independent observational experience if the student is not directly supervised the preceptor

Appropriate use of Hand-Held Devices in Clinical

• Use of hand-held devices is regulated by agency policies and overrides Seneca College Guidelines.

• The device will not be used in the presence of any client or family member.

• The device will be concealed/silent at all times when not being used for research or calculations.

• The camera will not be accessed at any time while in the practicum setting.

• No texting, email, or communication of any type while in the practicum setting.

• Students must sanitize their device with an antibacterial wipe in accordance with basic universal precaution standards.

Documentation while in Clinical

All students are required to use the following format on the patient's medical record:

First initial, Last name Program

Program

PSW: SCPSWS

PN: SCPNDS

BScN: SCNS

Bridge: Since you are a licensed RPN, you will use RPN, SCNS

Examples:

S.Jones SCPSWS

S.Jones SCPNDS

S.Jones SCNS

S.Jones RPN, SCNS