Program Policies

Leave of Absence Protocol

• All Scholars are eligible to request an LOA except

  • Incoming Scholars within the first three months of program start date

  • Scholars who have returned from an LOA within the past 90 days

• To apply for an LOA, the Scholar must submit a Leave of Absence request form on Salesforce at least 2 weeks before their intended LOA start date and follow up with their respective DC.

  • If approved, the Scholar is required to submit their ID badge to the on-site program office before leaving, not the security office. The scholar will pick up their badge upon return from their leave before their first shift.

• An absence from the floor exceeding 110 days requires the scholar to retrain and pass both the written and practical exams with an 80% or higher

• An absence exceeding 180 days results in release from the program and the scholar must reapply if they wish to return

• Failure to return from LOA after 14 days without communication exceeding the return date will result in dismissal from the program

• More information regarding the Leave of Absence policy and procedures can be found in the training manual.

Rescheduling

• Rescheduling shifts for the NEXT month before the date your DC finalizes the calendar, during the CURRENT month will not result in any penalties

• Rescheduling shifts for the CURRENT month, during the CURRENT month, will result in either a reschedule or an Excused Missed Shift (EMS)

• Rescheduled shifts, notifying your DC >48 Hours before the shift, are permitted Three per rotation

• Excused Missed Shifts (EMS), notifying your DC <48 Hours before the shift, are permitted TWICE per rotation

• Unexcused Missed Shifts (UMS) are NOT PERMITTED and are grounds for dismissal from the program.

Uniform

• Polo shirt, tucked in at all times

• Long khaki pants (cover ankles)

• ID badge

• White, non-canvas closed-toe shoes in clean, good condition

• A black/blue pen

• Belt, if needed

*Uniforms must be laundered/cleaned between visits to the site to maintain the safety and well-being of all patients, staff, and visitors.

Transferring Patients

• Whenever you are transferring patients to another unit, you must have staff presence with you.

• Scholars are NOT permitted to transfer patients between departments alone.

Discharging

• Confirm with the nurse that the patient is ready to be discharged and that transportation arrangements have been confirmed

• Obtain a wheelchair (all patients must be discharged via wheelchair to pick up location)

• Identify the patient using two patient identifiers

• Make sure that the patient has all of his/her belongings

• Check out with the unit secretary and patient's nurse

• Carefully wheel the patient to the designated discharge location (ask if it's the roundabout or the discharge lobby)

  • Never walk the patient to the parking structure or leave the hospital grounds

  • Wheel patient backward into elevators

• Wait with the patient until their transportation arrives - never leave a patient alone

• Return the wheelchair to the same department it was borrowed from and wipe clean

• If the patient falls or displays any medical issues at any point of the discharge process, get help or take them back to the department for assessment

Patient Biohazards

• You are not allowed to pick up blood from the Blood Bank or medications from the Pharmacy

• You are allowed to drop specimens off at the Specimen's Drop-off and medications at the Pharmacy

Incident Reporting

• Report any injury or incident to the charge nurse on your unit

• If Injured: seek treatment at Employee Health or, after hours, at the Emergency Room

• Page on-call program manager immediately (i.e. before leaving the site) at 888-248-2914

• Common questions asked on the incident report:

  • What was the incident?

  • When and where did the incident take place?

  • Which department?

  • What specific room number, if applicable?

  • Who was involved in the incident: staff members, patients, scholars, visitors, etc.?

  • Did the incident result in an injury? If so, to whom?

Open Door Policy

If you ever encounter a situation and need to talk, please stop by the office or seek out one of the options below!

• Stop by the office and talk to one of the Leaders or the Program Manager. We are here as a resource for you and will try our best to provide you with what you need!

• Email your Department Coordinator or Program Manager

• Page the on-call Program Manager

• Hospital Staff on the unit