Professional Misconduct and Safety Issues

There are many forms of professional misconduct that may affect your status as a student or affect your nursing license. Breaches in professional conduct may include, but are not limited to: academic dishonesty, disruptive behaviors, animal cruelty, sexual misconduct, drug, marijuana, or alcohol misuse, professional misconduct, or criminal conduct (such as shoplifting, DUI, fraud, trespassing, forgery, and burglary, without limitation). Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission’s Decision Making Criteria for License Application has a complete list of convictions that may affect licensure. Students are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the nursing program, for professional misconduct:

1. The School of Nursing may remove a student immediately from a classroom or clinical situation if faculty believes the student is posing harm or significant risk of harm to a patient, client or others.
2. The incident or concern will be reported to the Dean or their designee to begin the process of reviewing the incident in order to determine appropriate action and an incident report will be filed.
3. If appropriate and when required by university policy, the misconduct or safety issue will be referred to the PLU Conduct Officer, Campus Safety, and/or the School of Nursing RAP committee.
4. The student may not be allowed to attend the courses or clinical during the investigational period.
5. If the misconduct or safety issue is a potential violation of the PLU Code of Student Conduct, the matter will be referred to the PLU Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities and/or Campus Safety. PLU’s Conduct Procedures will be followed. The School of Nursing (through its RAP Committee and process) reserves the right to determine and apply additional conduct standards and sanctions for nursing professionals.
6. If the misconduct or safety issue is a potential violation of School of Nursing policy or professional standards and not a potential violation of the Student Code of Conduct, the matter will be referred to the RAP committee, the student has the right to petition the committee, present their case to the committee, and may present witnesses to the event.

Removal from the classroom or clinical setting for safety reasons may result in failure of the course and clinical. Nursing students who demonstrate a pattern of unsafe practice or who violate standards of academic performance or professional conduct are subject to dismissal from the School of Nursing.
Concerns related to student competency or professional conduct will be referred to the School of Nursing RAP committee and/or the Dean or designee for review. Problems involving possible violation of PLU’s policies as stated in the PLU Student Code of Conduct are reported to the Office of the Vice President of Student Life.

Personal working hours recommendation
Violations of Academic Integrity
Disruptive Behaviors
Sexual Misconduct and Non-Consenting Relationships
Drug, Marijuana, or Alcohol Misuse
Dismissal from the School of Nursing for Reasons of Conduct