Disruptive Behaviors

The faculty and staff of the PLU School of Nursing function in a spirit of mutual respect in dealing with others in the university community. It is thus incumbent upon all members of the SoN to contribute to a culture of respect everywhere on campus, at all times, and in all SoN activities, through our decisions, actions, and speech.

The School of Nursing may remove a student from the clinical setting, classroom, lab, or online learning environment if they exhibit disruptive behavior. Disruptive behaviors such as incivility, lateral violence, horizontal violence, relational aggression, or bullying are not acceptable in the nursing profession. Civility is the reflection of professional empathy and understanding and demonstrates accountability and respect. Incivility includes: openly challenging faculty and classmates, lack of classroom etiquette, gossiping, texting, talking or misusing electronic devices during class or clinical, and making rude gestures (Holm, 2014). From the American Nurses Association, “Lateral violence refers to acts that occur between colleagues, where bullying is described as acts perpetrated by one in a higher level of authority and occur over time. The acts can be covert or overt acts of verbal or non-verbal aggression. Relational aggression is a type of bullying typified by psychological abuse. Behaviors include gossiping, withholding information and ostracism.

Behaviors can extend outside the workplace and can occur in person or in cyberspace” (Dellasega, 2009). Respecting classmates, faculty and health care provider peers is essential for coordination of safe patient care. Disruptive, uncivil, and bullying behaviors are not tolerated in the School of Nursing and may be grounds for disciplinary action or dismissal from the program.