Accrediting Agencies
California Board of Registered Nursing
1747 North Market Boulevard, Suite 150
Sacramento, CA 95834
(916) 322-3350
(800) 838-6828
www.rn.ca.gov
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN)
Formerly NLNAC/National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc.
3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 500
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000
(404) 975-5020 FAX
www.acenursing.org
SANTA MONICA COLLEGE NURSING STUDENT HANDBOOK TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page Number I. Philosophy and Objectives
Philosophy 5
Conceptual Framework 7
Diagram: Orem’s Model 9
Program Objectives 10
Level Objectives 11
Self Assessments 15
American Nurses’ Association Code of Ethics for Nurses 18
II. Curriculum
Catalog Descriptions 19
Standardized Testing 21
Medication Administration Requirements 23
III. Faculty/Staff
Telephone List: Full Time Faculty and Staff 25
IV. Student Role
Student Concerns/Problems 27
Administrative Regulation Section 4000: Student Services AR 4135 Compliance with Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA) (abbreviated)
AR 4344 Students Dismissed from a Program as a Result of Unsafe Performance
AR 4405 Student Bill of Rights AR 4410 Rules for Student Conduct AR 4411 Code of Academic Conduct AR 4412 Honor Code/Honor Council
29 30 34 35 38 47 49
Student Nurses’ Association 52
Officer - Job Descriptions 53
Procedure for Election 56
V. Grading Criteria & Procedures
Grading Criteria & Procedures 57
Statement of Concern 59
Plan of Correction 60
Rating Scale/Clinical Evaluation 62
Safe Care Directives 64
Professional Role Development 66
Dismissal, Failure, Withdrawal and Readmission Policy 70
Criminal Background Check/Drug Testing Policy 72
Readiness-Retention Policy 74
VI. Department Requirements
Essential Functions Required of Nursing Students 84
Student Dress Code 87
Student Attendance 90
Student Illness, Injury or Pregnancy 92
Additional Program Requirements 93
Clinical Requirements 94
Social and Electronic Media Policy 96
Statement on Honesty 98
Substance Abuse Policy 99
BRN Guideline for Substance Abuse 100
VII. Resources and Facilities
Campus Resources & Facilities 102
Orientation to the Nursing Skills Lab/Nursing Simulation Lab 105
List of Clinical Facilities 108
Clinical Schedules 110
Scholarship Information 111
VIII. Orem’s Model Guidelines
Orem’s Guidelines 112
Orem’s Theory and the Nursing Process 114
Criteria for Evaluation of Plans of Care 118
IX. Evaluation
Opportunity for Input 120
X. Appendices
Program Evaluations 122
Instructors’ Expectations of Students 133
Nursing Care Plans Sample 134
NLN Competencies 137
QSEN Pre-Licensure Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes 138
Family Education Records Privacy Act (FERPA) 146
Student Nurses Association By-Laws 149
SANTA MONICA COLLEGE NURSING PROGRAM
PHILOSOPHY
The Nursing Program philosophy is in accord with the philosophy and mission statement of the college. Teaching and learning are viewed as the institution’s primary responsibility. The standard of educational excellence delivered within a diversified educational setting has particular significance for the nursing program. The nursing program at Santa Monica College is designed to produce an Associate Degree Nurse who is caring, competent and compassionate. To that end, the philosophy of the nursing program incorporates beliefs regarding person, environment, health, nursing, the art and science of nursing and nursing education.
Faculty believes that each individual is a bio-psycho-social-spiritual being who is more than the total of his/her parts. As a result of these properties, the person is capable of participating in determining his/her own destiny and is, subsequently, largely responsible for decisions and actions influencing his/her state of being. Each person is in constant interaction with an ever-changing environment in order to meet personal needs. This state of being or existence is recognized as life and may have varying degrees of quality at any point in time. The attribute of quality is a perception based in the person’s unique totality and the society in which the person functions.
Health is a dynamic state of physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being and not just the absence of disease or infirmity. Health is influenced by an individual’s perceptions and adaptive abilities in response to changing needs. Health problems arise when needs are not met, are only partially met, or remain in conflict.
Nursing responds to health problems that occur when an individual requires assistance to meet identified or perceived needs. The goal of nursing is to assist the individual to attain his/her unique optimal health potential. As primary members of the health care team responding to health needs of individuals, nurses facilitate and maintain an environment conducive to promoting health.
Nursing faculty of Santa Monica College believes that nursing incorporates both art and science. Caring is believed to be a core value of nursing that directly influences the healing process. Inherent components of the caring environment include support of both the Nurses’ Code of Ethics and the Patient’s Bill of Rights. Nursing has the capacity to create caring environments and render compassionate care that acknowledges the uniqueness of each individual. Compassionate care encompasses, but is not limited to, recognition of the interdependence of all living things and sensitivity to the worth of each person.
Nursing education incorporates principles and theories from other disciplines such as physical,
behavioral, social and natural sciences. The science of nursing is based on scientific and technical data, which provides the basis for competent care. The focus of nursing is on the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual and/or potential health problems. Competent care includes the provision of direct care, guidance, support and education to individuals and groups. Competent care is rendered and managed through utilization of the systematic problem solving method called the nursing process. Through this process the nurse assesses, plans, implements and evaluates actions that assist individuals to sustain life, enhance health, recover from illness and/or complete the life cycle with dignity. Outcome criteria, which reflect competency, are considered valid evaluators of educational integration and progression.
Faculty believes that the teaching-learning experience is a shared process with reciprocal responsibilities. Students enter the Santa Monica College Program from diverse backgrounds. They are recognized as unique in their culture, experiences, values, sexual orientation, economic status, attitudes, motivation, learning styles and learning potential. Faculty accepts the responsibility for establishing and maintaining a learning environment that will broaden the students’ awareness and appreciation of the uniqueness of others. Faculty believes that varied methodologies provide opportunities for cognitive growth, self-discovery, social interactions and sharing of ideas. The faculty believes that support services should be available and accessible to students. Support services include but are not limited to educational
advisement, tutoring, assessment of skills and learning disabilities, remediation of basic skills, financial aid, health services, and psychological services. Faculty will refer students to appropriate resources to facilitate student success. It is the student’s responsibility to follow through or make an informed
decision regarding the utilization of appropriate resources. Students should also assess and evaluate their support system(s), and develop strategies to achieve successful completion of the program.
Faculty upholds and promotes the belief that learning is a process that continues throughout the lifespan. The student learner is given the responsibility for actively participating in the educational experiences provided. Students are considered to be mature individuals capable of becoming increasingly self directed, responsible and accountable for their own actions and decisions.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The nursing faculty’s view of nursing is consistent with Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Concept of Nursing, which provides the unifying framework for the SMC nursing curriculum. Nursing, according to Orem, is a human service based on the values of self-help to assist individuals unable to care for themselves. It achieves its purpose through effective procedures, and communication that takes into account the ethnic, racial, cultural, sexual and spiritual differences that influence self-care in the promotion of health. According to Orem, each human being is a complex integration of physical, psychological, interpersonal, and social functions; each is self-reliant and responsible both for self-care and the well being of their dependents.
The nursing faculty agrees with Orem that human beings have the capacity to: learn and develop; to reflect upon their experiences and their environment; to symbolize what they experience; and to use symbols (words and ideas) in thinking, communicating and guiding efforts to benefit themselves and others. Self-care is behavior that individuals can learn commensurate with their age, mental capacity, culture, society, and emotional state. Care may be rendered by others when an individual is unable to learn or provide self-care for whatever reason.
The ability of the individual to meet basic needs and maintain present states of health or well-being or move toward estimated desirable states, determines self-care demands -- a complex set of requirements for actions that assist a person to maintain or move toward a desired health state.
The goal of health care services is the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities. Nursing is a specific health care service that focuses on enhancing the self-care capacity of an individual, family, or community; on providing criteria for describing, measuring, and predicting their functional activities; and on giving direct assistance to people unable to meet the requirements for self-care.
For self-care to be therapeutic, it must help to sustain life, promote normal growth and development, and prevent or control the effects of disease and disability. Any interference with the individual’s ability to perform self-care activities related to their health state indicates a need for nursing. Thus the goals of nursing are to:
1. accomplish the patient’s self-care demand;
2. move the patient toward responsible self-care -- either independence or
adaptation to self-care interruptions or decline;
3. assist with the transfer of responsibility to family member or significant other;
4. enhance the general feeling of well-being.
The faculty utilizes Orem’s Model, the Nursing Process, the program’s philosophy and specific course objectives to prepare each student to become an Associate Degree Nurse. The preparatory courses in communication and in social, behavioral and natural sciences provide a solid foundation upon which students can build their understanding of nursing concepts and their individual approach to nursing care. Upon completion of the program, the SMC ADN graduate is eligible to take the NCLEX-RN and function as a safe and accountable entry level staff nurse: as a care provider, manager of patient/client care and a member of the nursing profession.
Education
Learning occurs in the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. It is facilitated by professional role-modeling in an environment conducive to critical thinking and the exchange of ideas and promoted by the reciprocal involvement of students and faculty. Recognizing each student’s individuality, the faculty strives to individualize the teaching/learning process based upon the student’s desires, needs, responsibilities, and experiences and to assist the student in progressing from the known to the unknown, the overt to the covert, the simple to the complex.
Nursing education is eclectic and hierarchical in nature. The curriculum builds upon previous and concurrent learning, draws from several academic disciplines, and integrates the concepts of the Orem Model, the nursing process, developmental changes throughout life, and the bio-psycho-socio-spiritual and cultural needs of the individual. Because the faculty agrees that competency-based learning is essential to nursing education, outcome criteria that reflect competency are considered valid evaluators of a student’s educational integration and progress.
Health
Orem states that health is a state of wholeness in which the individual has the capacity to live in harmony with his or her physical, biological, and social environments and to achieve well being. Because health is considered not merely the absence of disease or infirmity but rather a state of physical, mental and social well being, an individual may become a patient in need of assistance as a result of any or all of the following: 1. lack of knowledge 2. lack of skills 3. lack of motivation 4. lack of orientation 5. capacity
Assistance may be required to meet either:
1. basic self-care requisites or
Orem’s Model Major Components of the Model:
An individual is a bio-psycho-socio-spiritual-cultural and rational human being.
An individual has three categories of self-care needs: Universal, Health Deviation, and Developmental.
An individual possesses capabilities and deficits in providing for their own self-care needs and well-being. These capabilities or deficits are of five types: knowledge, skills, motivation, orientation, and capacity.
The nurse’s role is one of enabling the patient to provide for his or her own self-care needs. The nurse, with the patient, identifies the nursing assistance focus (goal) and provides the intervention mode (care) through acting, teaching, guiding, supporting and/or providing a developmental environment. These intervention modes are wholly compensatory, partly compensatory, or supportive-educative, depending on the self-care demand.
Self-Care Agency
Deficits
Deficits
Capabilities CapabilitiesPROGRAM OBJECTIVES
Competencies of the Associate Degree Nurse on Entry into Practice
The purpose of the Santa Monica College Nursing Program is to prepare Associate Degree nurses to function as caring, competent, and compassionate practitioners at an entry level of professional nursing and across a variety of care settings. The graduate of this program will be able to work with and provide care for patients of diverse groups in a multicultural community.
The Santa Monica College Nursing Program has established the following competency based objectives as outcome criteria for the graduate based on the NLN Core Components and Competencies for graduates of Associate Degree programs.
I. ROLE AS A PROVIDER OF CARE
1. Utilize critical thinking and the nursing process to formulate and maintain individualized, compassionate care for a group of patients.
2. Collaborate with members of the health team to provide a caring and compassionate environment conducive to assisting in the fulfillment of health care needs.
3. Develop and implement an individualized teaching plan that will promote and/or maintain optimal health.
4. Utilize therapeutic communication to assist patients, families, and/or significant others in adapting or coping with life experiences.
5. Communicate changes in health status that interfere with the patient’s ability to maintain or achieve optimal health.
II. ROLE AS A MANAGER OF CARE
1. Coordinate and establish nursing care priorities
2. Assist nursing personnel to develop and enhance nursing care skills.
3. Utilize appropriate channels of communication to accomplish goals related to delivery
of patient care.
4. Advocate for individual patient needs and for system changes to improve health care
delivery.
III. ROLE AS A MEMBER WITHIN THE DISCIPLINE OF NURSING
1. Maintain accountability for own nursing practice within the profession’s ethical and
legal framework.
2. Serve as a role model to members of the nursing team by fostering high standards of
nursing practice.
3. Assume responsibility for self-development and continual learning.
LEVEL OBJECTIVES
LEVEL I
Upon entry to Level I, the student will have completed English 1, Anatomy 1, Physiology 3 and Microbiology 1. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the material in these courses and will have the ability to apply this content in subsequent courses throughout the curriculum. The student will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in basic nursing skills and assess patients using Orem’s Self-Care Model in application of the nursing process. At the conclusion of Level I the student will have successfully completed Nursing 10, 10L, 15, 15L, and 36.
Upon completion of Level I the student will be able to:
Role of Provider of Care
1. Develop competency in basic nursing skills reflecting awareness of critical elements and the integration of universal factors that are appropriately applicable.
2. Utilize therapeutic communication when interacting with patients and colleagues.
3. Utilize teaching principles to promote and maintain optimal health by implementing existing teaching plans.
4. Incorporate behaviors of caring and respect during the provision of basic nursing care for patients with self-care requisites.
5. Apply the nursing process and components of critical thinking abilities when implementing therapeutic nursing interventions for patients with self-care requisites.
Role as Manager of Care
1. Complete assignments within the allotted time frame. 2. Comply with established nursing standards and protocols. 3. Identify and discuss circumstances that require patient advocacy.
LEVEL OBJECTIVES
LEVEL II
Upon entry to Level II, the student will have successfully completed all Level I requirements and is expected to apply the knowledge of principles, concepts and theories learned to all Level II course work. During Level II the student will demonstrate the acquisition of additional skills and the assessment of patients with selected health deviations. The student will formulate individualized care plans, which reflect the interdependence of the nursing process, knowledge of selected health deviations, and critical thinking abilities. At the conclusion of Level II the student will have completed Nursing 20, 20L and Nursing 25, 25L, Nursing 17, Nursing 28, and Nursing 16.
Upon completion of Level II the student will:
Role as Provider of Care
1. Demonstrate critical thinking skills when implementing therapeutic nursing interventions while providing care for patients with selected health deviations.
2. Correctly employ each component of the nursing process in theory, clinical, and written assignments.
3. Promote self-care by integration of effective communication strategies in nursing practice. 4. Perform therapeutic nursing interventions in a respectful, empathetic, and caring manner,
which reflect consideration of multi-cultural variables.
5. Integrate patient education consistently to provide assistance for the patient and immediate support system.
6. Predict nursing assistance required for the patient with selected health deviations using an analytical approach.
Role as a Manager of Care
1. Prioritize and manage nursing assistance for patients with selected health deviations. 2. Interact with members of the multi-disciplinary health care team.
3. Communicate effectively through appropriate channels to achieve stated goals in the health care setting.
Role as a Member Within the Discipline of Nursing
1. Act as a patient advocate by recognizing and reporting concerns regarding quality of care, and ethical or legal dilemmas encountered in practice.
2. Critique performance and incorporate suggestions for improving nursing practice.
3. Display behaviors, which reflect an awareness of issues of contemporary health care and the managed care environment.
4. Utilize technology appropriately to assess own learning needs and expand theoretical foundation.
LEVEL OBJECTIVES
LEVEL III
Upon entry to Level III the student will have completed Level II, or be accepted for advanced placement into Level III. The student will incorporate and transfer theoretical concepts and principles from Level I and Level II. During Level III the student is expected to incorporate increasingly complex assessment of patient needs in medical-surgical settings. The student will plan and implement nursing care, which reflects thorough understanding of the nursing process and the constant interrelatedness of psychosocial and physiological patient needs. At the conclusion of Level III the student will have completed Nursing 30, 30L, 35, 35L Speech 5, Psychology 19, and Sociology 1.
Role as a Provider of Care
1. Develop and implement individualized plans of care for patients with multi-system health deviations.
2. Assess the appropriateness of therapeutic nursing interventions based on individual patients health deviations.
3. Utilize therapeutic communication to interact with patients, families, significant others, and members of the health care team.
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic use of self with patients, facilities, significant others, and health team members.
5. Develop and implement individualized teaching plans for patient and/or family that will promote or maintain optimal health.
Role as a Manager of Patient Care
1. Assess the effectiveness of delegation by health team members in a variety of care settings. 2. Collaborate with members of a multi-disciplinary team and/or ancillary personnel to facilitate
delivery of health care.
3. Delegate aspects of care to appropriate members of the team.
Role as a Member Within the Discipline of Nursing
1. Engage in activities that promote self-development.
2. Discuss ethical and legal issues related to patients with multi-system failure.
3. Discuss allocation of resources in the current health care environment and predict the impact on health care delivery.
LEVEL OBJECTIVES
LEVEL IV
Upon entry to Level IV the student will have completed all other course work required in the nursing curriculum. The student incorporates and transfers theory and principles from Levels I, II and III. During Level IV the student will assess patients with self-care requisites, health deviations and developmental needs. The student will plan and implement care for patients in obstetric, pediatric, and medical-surgical settings. The student will also apply leadership and management principles and discuss some of the issues confronting the profession of nursing. The student demonstrates skill proficiency in providing care to patients with complex self-care demands. At the conclusion of Level IV the student will have completed Nursing 40, 40L, 45, 45L, 50, 50L, and all requirements of the program.
Upon completion of Level IV the student will be able to:
Role as Provider of Care
1. Utilize critical thinking skills and the nursing process to implement therapeutic interventions that will assist in meeting the therapeutic self-care demand, self-care requisites, health deviation, and developmental needs, for a group of patients with multi-system deficits.
2. Collaborate with members of the health care team to ensure a caring environment conducive to promoting optimal health
3. Utilize therapeutic communication to facilitate adaptation of patients, families, or significant others to maturational and situational stressors.
4. Develop and implement teaching plans that assist in promoting and maintaining health across the life span.
Role as Manager of Care
1. Demonstrate ability to delegate aspects of care to licensed and/or Unlicensed personnel. 2. Supervise and evaluate the nursing care provided by members of the health care team.
3. Assess the need for and participate in staff development that will enhance the quality of health care delivered in a variety of settings.
4. Advocate for individual patient needs and for system changes to improve health care delivery. 5. Function within the organizational framework to initiate change(s) that will improve health
care delivery.
Role as a Member Within the Discipline of Nursing
1. Demonstrate accountability for own nursing practice within the ethical and legal framework of the profession.
2. Assume responsibility for self-development and continual learning.
LEVEL I SELF ASSESSMENT Describe Behaviors That Satisfy Meeting the Following Roles: Role as Provider of Care
Role as Manager of Care
LEVEL II SELF ASSESSMENT Describe Behaviors That Satisfy Meeting the Following Roles: Role as Provider of Care
Role as Manager of Care
Role as a Member Within the Discipline of Nursing
LEVEL III SELF ASSESSMENT Describe Behaviors That Satisfy Meeting the Following Roles: Role as Provider of Care
Role as Manager of Care
Role as a Member Within the Discipline of Nursing
AMERICAN NURSES’ ASSOCIATION CODE of ETHICS for NURSES
The SMC ADN Program recognizes the professional organization of, the American Nurses Association (ANA). In addition to the California Board of Nursing Practice Act, the SMC nursing faculty incorporates the ANA Code for Nurses as a basis of its education and practice.
1. The nurse, in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems.
2. The nurse's primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, or community.
3. The nurse promotes, advocates for, and strives to protect the health, safety, and rights of the patient.
4. The nurse is responsible and accountable for individual nursing practice and determines the appropriate delegation of tasks consistent with the nurse's obligation to provide optimum patient care.
5. The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to preserve integrity and safety, to maintain competence, and to continue personal and professional growth. 6. The nurse participates in establishing, maintaining, and improving healthcare environments and
conditions of employment conducive to the provision of quality health care and consistent with the values of the profession through individual and collective action.
7. The nurse participates in the advancement of the profession through contributions to practice, education, administration, and knowledge development.
8. The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public in promoting community, national, and international efforts to meet health needs.
9. The profession of nursing, as represented by associations and their members, is responsible for articulating nursing values, for maintaining the integrity of the profession and its practice, and for shaping social policy.
American Nurses Association, Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements, Washington, D.C.: American Nurses Publishing, 2001
Santa Monica College ADN Program CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
A link to the current listing of catalog course descriptions is available on the SMC homepage at
www.smc.edu
Nursing course numbers with a companion laboratory course (L) must be taken concurrently.
The nursing curriculum plan is described in the following brochures: Associate Degree in
Nursing Program Brochure or the Licensed Vocational Nurse to Associate Degree in Nursing Brochure
Nursing Course Course Title
Units
Nursing 10 Nursing Skills 2
Nursing 10L Nursing Skills Laboratory 2
Nursing 36 Calculation in Drugs and Solutions 1
Nursing 15 Nursing Fundamentals 2
Nursing 15L Nursing Fundamentals Laboratory 2
Nursing 17 Pharmacologic Aspects of Nursing 3
Nursing 20 Introduction to Medical-Surgical
Nursing
2
Nursing 20L Introduction to Medical-Surgical
Nursing Laboratory
2
Nursing 19• Orientation to Advanced Placement –
ADN Program
2
Nursing 25 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing 1.5
Nursing 25 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
Laboratory
1.5
Nursing 16 Physical Assessment 1
Nursing 28 Community Based Nursing Practice 1
Nursing 30 Intermediate Medical-Surgical Nursing 2.5
Nursing 30L Intermediate Medical-Surgical Nursing
Laboratory
2.5
Nursing 35 Advanced Medical-Surgical Nursing 2.5
Nursing 35L Advanced Medical-Surgical Nursing
Laboratory
2.5
Nursing 40 Nursing of Children 1.5
Nursing 40L Nursing of Children Laboratory 1.5
Nursing 45 Women’s Health Care 1.5
Nursing 45L Women’s Health Care Laboratory 1.5
Nursing 50 Professional Role Transition 1
Nursing 50L Professional Role Transition Laboratory 2
ENRICHMENT COURSE OFFERINGS
Enrichment courses are courses offered to on-going nursing students to enhance and/or reinforce content of required nursing courses. These courses are optional for students. These courses cannot be used to remediate a failing grade or substitute for competency in a prior course. Some are offered on a credit/no credit basis. Most are offered in summer and winter sessions. Class size is often limited. Students on the wait list for readmission to a course must be approved by faculty prior to participating in courses offered within a clinical setting.
A link to the current listing of catalog course descriptions is available on the SMC homepage at
www.smc.edu
Enrichment Course Course Title Units
Nursing 900 Supervised Tutoring 0
Nursing 60† Multicultural Health and Healing Practices 3
Nursing 90A Nursing Internship 1
Nursing 90B Nursing Internship 2
Health 61 Medical Terminology 3
STANDARDIZED TESTING
ASSOCIATED WITH NURSING PROGRAM
Policy
Students in the Santa Monica College Nursing Program will be required to participate in a series of national testing. Students will be required to pay a test fee and will receive national percentile ranked scores in return. The Instructor of the related course will inform students of test administration times. Actual testing will occur outside of lecture time and after administration of the final examination for the related course. Testing time is incorporated into the required course units. The fee for testing for the entire program is payable at the end of the first semester to facilitate timely ordering of tests. Failure to participate in this process will result in the awarding of a grade of “Incomplete” for the associated course.
Purpose
The inclusion of external testing within the program serves the following benefits:
Students receive feedback immediately following concentration on a specific area of content or at a point in time in which certain cognitive abilities should have been integrated. The feedback ranks students among diploma, associate degree and baccalaureate degree nursing students nationwide. The results facilitate students’ awareness of their abilities and reflect acquisition of a common core of knowledge based on a particular topic.
The process of taking standardized tests and receiving nationally ranked results removes variables and/or biases which could be present at local levels such as learning or teaching styles, student/instructor relationship, and clinical or personal experiences.
The composite results received by the program provide feedback to the faculty regarding inclusion of core material. This information could promote practice appropriate program and/or specific course changes. The information also allows for tracking and trend analysis over time with consideration of variables that may have influenced results.
The process of taking multiple standardized national tests within the program provides practice for the student prior to taking the National Council Licensure Examination. In addition to practice, results provide the student with information on their preparedness for taking the National Council Licensure Examination. This information provides the student with data upon which to make decisions for studying, reviewing materials, taking additional coursework and/or paying sums of money for these purposes.
STANDARDARDIZED TESTING ASSOCIATED WITH NURSING PROGRAM
TEST NAME COST POINT OF
ADMINISTRATION
1. Hesi Mid-Curricular Test $54.00 At the end of N25/25L class.
2. Hesi Exit Test $50.00 At the end of N50/50L
TOTAL $104.00
Total payment is due before the end of the first semester. Fees are subject to change and are non-refundable.
MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
SANTA MONICA COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF NURSING
MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
All medications are expected to be administered safely, through use of the SIX RIGHTS. They are to be administered in a timely manner and are to be documented accurately.
REQUIREMENTS:
1. At the beginning of each shift, the student will check the medication record to determine which medications are to be administered that shift and the time to be administered.
2. Medications will be prepared for administration within 30 minutes of the actual written time of administration, except for extenuating circumstances (patient off floor, patient NPO, missing meds, etc.).
3. Oral medication will be placed in a medicine or soufflé cup in their unit dose package (do not open packages to half a tablet until checked by the instructor but be sure to state that tablet is to be halved). The medication/soufflé cup should then be placed in the medicine cart drawer of that patient*. Equipment for medications delivered by other routes (syringes, IV tubing, etc.) should be available at the medicine cart/drawer. The medication by parenteral route (or other) should be in the patient’s medication drawer or on the medicine cart. Non-unit dose medications and narcotics should be prepared in the presence of the instructor.
4. All oral medication placed in the medicine/soufflé cup and any other medications to be given by another route (topical, IVPB, subcutaneous, IM sublingual, etc.) should be at the medicine cart for the instructor to check. Medications checked by the instructor at this time will be considered to be those that the student will deliver to the patient. Any incorrect medication(s), set up by the students at the time they are checked by the instructor at the medicine cart, will be considered and classified as a medication error and managed accordingly.
5. Asepsis (medical and/or surgical) must be maintained during the entire medication procedure. 6. PATIENT NAMEBANDS WITH TWO IDENTIFIERS (NAME & HOSPITAL
NUMBER) MUST BE CHECKED PRIOR to MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION AGAINST the MAR.
7. PRIOR to check by the instructor, the student must be knowledgeable regarding the essential aspects of the medications and essential aspects pertaining to the route of administration as well as the nursing implications. See Safe Care Directives in the Nursing Student Handbook. 8. The student will be knowledgeable of normal ranges and/or therapeutic ranges and of
inappropriate vital signs and/or level (based on the normal and/or therapeutic ranges) that will cause a medication to be held and will state these to the instructor at the time of medication check. Failure to have vital signs/lab or drug values will be considered as failure to meet the provision of this policy and will be evaluated as “unsatisfactory medication administration.” 9. The students will demonstrate skill proficiency in all medication administration.
10. All students must have with them at ALL clinicals: a working watch with a second hand, a stethoscope, and current drug book or they will be sent home.
11. All medication must be documented immediately FOLLOWING MEDICATION
ADMINISTRATION AND NO MORE THAN 10 MINUTES FOLLOWING UNLESS A SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE HAS PREVENTED THIS.
REMEDIATION:
NUR15L and NUR20L (first and second semester courses) remediation will follow the first and second errors in medication administration. Remediation will be determined by the lead instructor and the clinical instructor. Remediation will include but not limited to viewing appropriate videos, CD-ROMs, CAI, etc.
After Nursing 20/20L the student will have to remediate and will be placed on a Plan of Correction. This might result in failure in the course and/or dismissal from the program.
If the error(s) occurs prior to midterm evaluation, an “UNSATISFACTORY” will be placed on the student’s midterm clinical evaluation record.
The student will receive an “unsatisfactory” in the objective pertaining to “administer medications safely and correctly” if consistent violation of the provisions of this policy in medication administration occurs during the course. This unsafe behavior can result in being dismissed from the program. ERROR FREE MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION IS
EXPECTED FOLLOWING REMEDIATION.
AS NOTED, ANY UNSATISFACTORY IN A CRITICAL REQUIREMENT
OBJECTIVE/ELEMENT WILL RESULT IN AN UNSATISFACTORY FINAL GRADE FOR THE CLINICAL COURSE.
I have read and understand the Nursing Department policy on Safe Medication Administration Requirements.
NAME (PRINT) ___________________________________________ SIGNATURE _____________________________________________ DATE: ___________________________________________________
TELEPHONE LIST: Full Time Faculty & Staff
Office Phone: (310) 434-3450 Office Fax: (310) 434-3469
__________
Ida Maria Danzey Associate Dean, Health Sciences (310) 434-3458
FACULTY
Victoria Aberbook Obstetrical Nursing (310) 434-8753 Medical-Surgical Nursing
Eve Adler Medical-Surgical Nursing (310) 434-3464
Pediatric Nursing
Vini Angel Medical-Surgical Nursing (310) 434-3454
Assistant Director, Nursing Program
Georgia Farber Psychiatric Nursing (310) 434-3459
Carole McCaskill Medical-Surgical Nursing (310) 434-3462
Obstetrical Nursing
Holly Thiercof Medical-Surgical Nursing (310) 434-3452
Eric Williams Medical-Surgical Nursing (310) 434-3455
STAFF
Janet Robinson Nursing Counselor (310) 434-8778
Lisa Battaglia Nursing Counselor (310) 434-3456
Stephanie Yee Nursing Counselor (310) 434-3492
Valencia Rayford Nursing Counselor (310) 434-3456
Bronwyn Webber-Gregg Administrative Assistant (310) 434-3450
Please leave a message at any time at the above office phone numbers. Home phone numbers can only be given out by the individual whose phone number is being requested, this includes students, faculty and staff.
All requests requiring the Associate Dean’s signature must be made in writing. Students must authorize release of any information in writing. This is a State law concerning student confidentiality. Requests such as these may require several weeks to process. Mail for the Associate Dean, faculty, or staff may be given to the Administrative Assistant.
Nursing Counselors
The Nursing Counselors are here to assist you with your academic and psychological well-being. Their hours are posted in the nursing office. The counselors are well versed in the nursing program
curriculum and general academic advising. You may leave a voice mail for them at 310-434-3456. One of them will return your call at their earliest opportunity.
Faculty Meetings
One student from each semester will be elected by their respective classes to represent collective student viewpoints at the ADN faculty meetings. However, all students are welcome and may speak to any agenda item. Meeting dates, time, and location are posted in the facility on the bulletin board. Students will be excused from the meetings when confidential student or personnel matters are discussed.
STUDENT CONCERNS/PROBLEMS
Students and faculty alike have worked together to assure students the opportunity to express their ideas, suggestions and concerns. Improvements occur as a result of frustrations properly channeled. The following options exist as avenues of expression.
Instructor
If you have a recommendation, concern or complaint regarding a particular course - either the classroom or clinical setting - it would be most appropriate to discuss the thought with the instructor of the course or clinical section. The telephone numbers of the nursing faculty are listed in this handbook. Each full time instructor has voice mail. Faculty office hours may be requested through the Administrative Assistant of Health Sciences. The Administrative Assistant is also willing to leave a message on your behalf at the home phone number of any part time faculty member who can then return your call. If, for some reason, you are unable to meet with your instructor, you may want to make an appointment with the Associate Dean of the program (310-434-3458)
Associate Dean
If you are unable to discuss your thoughts or concerns with your immediate instructor, you are welcome to make an appointment with the Associate Dean of the program. Any on-going student in the program has priority in securing an appointment through the department Administrative Assistant. The content of the meeting may be held in confidence if you so desire. The goal of the meeting would be to facilitate problem resolution. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, you may make an appointment with the campus Ombudsperson.
Ombudsperson
If, after meeting with your immediate Instructor and/or the Associate Dean of the program, you remain dissatisfied with a particular event, you should make an appointment with the campus Ombudsperson to discuss the matter further. The Ombudspersons are Dr. Lucy Kluckhohn and Dr.Tina Feiger (310-434-3986).
Process
If a student has concerns regarding a grade received in a course, student-instructor relationships or any other matter that affects the student’s learning in the nursing program, it is recommended that the student follow the process listed below:
1. Make every attempt to first approach the instructor(s) involved to discuss concerns. If
you are not able to discuss concerns with the instructor, or are not satisfied with instructor discussions, then go to Step 2.
2. Discuss your concerns with the Associate Dean of the Nursing Program who may
involve the concerned parties (with student permission) in an attempt to resolve the situation.
3. Discuss your concerns with the Campus Ombudsperson who will recommend options to
4. Initiate the grievance process according to college policy and procedure.
Role of Campus Ombudsperson
In conjunction with the Dean, Student Life, the Student Ombudsperson acts as a mediator, listening ear and resource for students with problems involving other students, faculty and administrators. Responsibilities also include handling grade disputes and other various complex issues.
The Ombudsperson mediates differences and grievances that students have involving other students, instructors, and administrators. She/he investigates and mediates a wide range of problems, including grade appeals and difficulties within the classroom. The Ombudsperson listens to your concerns and may offer suggestions for the successful resolution of your problem.
The campus Ombudsperson is available to students for consultation at any point in the problem-solving process. Students who are not able to meet during scheduled hours may phone the Ombudsperson and set up an appointment. The telephone number is available from the Administrative Assistant or online at http://www.smc.edu/ombuds/.
If you have followed steps 1, 2, and 3 and still are not satisfied, you may want to initiate the grievance process according to college policy and procedure. Be advised that all concerns are not grievable.
Student Grievance
All students have access to the Student Grievance Procedures as delineated by the Santa Monica College Policy and is available at http://www.academicsenate.com/ and/or
http://www.smc.edu/disciplinarian/. Information regarding this procedure is explained in the SMC Nursing Student Handbook. The student may also seek information in the Student Activities Offices. The college Ombudsperson is available for any concerned student regarding this process.
SMC Administrative Regulations Section 4000: Student Services
TABLE OF CONTENTS ARTICLE 4100: ADMISSION AND REGISTRATION
AR 4135 Compliance with Family Educational Rights and Privacy ( FERPA) (abbreviated)
ARTICLE 4300 : STUDENT PROGRESS AND GRADUAION
AR 4344
Students Dismissed from a Program as a Result of Unsafe Performance
ARTICLE 4400 : STUDENT CONDUCT, ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS
AR 4405
Student Bill of Rights
AR 4410
Rules for Student Conduct
AR 4411
Code of Academic Conduct
Santa Monica Community College District ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION
Section 4000: Student Services
AR 4135 Compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
This regulation implements the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and State law.
A. Student Privacy Rights
Current and former students have the following rights regarding their student education records: 1. The right to be informed about their education records.
2. The right to inspect their education records.
3. The right to request amendment to their education records.
4. The right to have a formal hearing if the request for amendment is denied.
5. The right to prevent unauthorized disclosure of any or all of the information in their education records, subject to specific exceptions identified in FERPA and State law.
6. The right to lodge a complaint to the U.S. Department of Education about a violation of FERPA regarding their education record.
7. The right to waive these rights in writing, including the right to give written authorization to a third party to obtain a copy of their education records.
B. Definitions
For the purposes of this policy, Santa Monica Community College District (hereinafter “Santa Monica College” or “College”) has used the following definitions of terms:
1. “Student” means any person who attends or has attended Santa Monica College. The word “attend” includes, but is not limited to, attendance in person or by paper correspondence, videoconference, satellite, Internet, or other electronic information and telecommunications technologies for students who are not physically present in the classroom.
2. “Record” means any information recorded in any way, including, but not limited to, hand writing, print, computer media, video or audio tape, film, microfilm, and microfiche.
3. “Education records” means any record maintained by Santa Monica College or an agent of the College which contains personally identifiable information related to a student. The following are not education records:
i. Records that are kept in the sole possession of the maker, are used only as a personal memory aid, and are not accessible or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the maker of the record.
ii. Records relating to an individual who is employed by an educational agency or institution, that are made and maintained in the normal course of business, relate exclusively to the individual in that individual's capacity as an employee; and are not available for use for any other purpose. Records relating to an individual in attendance at Santa Monica College who is employed as a result of his or her status as a student are education records and not excepted under paragraph of this definition.
Santa Monica Community College District
iii. Records made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other
recognized professional or paraprofessional acting in his or her professional capacity or assisting in a paraprofessional capacity which are made, maintained, or used only in connection with treatment of the student and disclosed only to individuals providing the treatment. For the purpose of this definition, “treatment” does not include remedial educational activities or activities that are part of the program of instruction at the agency or institution;
iv. Records maintained by Santa Monica College if (a) the records are maintained solely for law enforcement purposes, (b) are revealed only to law enforcement agencies of the same jurisdiction, and (c) the office holding these records does not have access to
education records maintained by the College.
v. Alumni records which contain information about a student after he or she is no longer in attendance at the College and which do not relate to the person as a student. vi. Grades on peer-graded papers before they are collected and recorded by a teacher. 4. “School Official” means:
i. A person employed by the District in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position.
ii. A person elected to the Board of Trustees.
iii. A person such as an attorney or auditor employed by or under contract to the District to perform a special task.
5. “Legitimate education interest” means an official need to review or access a student education record by an official or employee of the College in order to fulfill a professional responsibility; to perform appropriate tasks that are specified in his or her position description or by a
contractual agreement; to perform a task related to the student's education; to perform a task related to the discipline of a student; or to provide a service or benefit relating to the student or student's family, such as health care, counseling, job placement, or financial aid.
School officials who use student education record information to serve their own personal needs or for purposes which are not related to their job responsibilities do not have a legitimate education interest in the information being used.
6. “Personally Identifiable Information” includes, but is not limited to-- i. the student’s name;
ii. the name of the student’s parent or other family members; iii. the address of the student or student’s family;
iv. a personal identifier, such as the student’s social security number, student number, or biometric record;
v. other indirect identifiers, such as the student’s date of birth, place of birth, and mother’s maiden name;
vi. other information that, alone or in combination, is linked or linkable to a specific student that would allow a reasonable person in the school community, who does not have personal knowledge of the relevant circumstances, to identify the student with reasonable certainty;
Santa Monica Community College District ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION Section 4000: Student Services
Page 22 Section 4000 Student Services
vii. information requested by a person who the educational agency or institution reasonably believes knows the identity of the student to whom the education record relates; or viii. email address.
C. Annual Notification
Students will be notified of their rights under FERPA and State law annually by publication in the Santa Monica College Catalog. The catalog is available on the College’s website.
D. Procedure to Inspect Educational Records
1. Students may inspect and review their education records upon request to the appropriate record custodian. Students should submit to the record custodian or an appropriate College staff person a written request which identifies as precisely as possible the record or records he or she wishes to inspect. (Forms for this request are available in the Admissions and Records Office.)
2. The record custodian or an appropriate College staff person will make the needed arrangements for access as promptly as possible and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. Access must be given in 15 work days or less from the receipt of the request. [Note: FERPA requires that access be provided with 45 days; however, state law requires that access be provided within 15 days.]
3. When a record contains information about more than one student, the student may inspect and review only the records which relate to him/her.
E. Right to Refuse Access
Santa Monica College reserves the right to refuse to permit a student to inspect the following records: 1. The financial state of the student's parents.
2. Letters and statements of recommendation for which the student has waived his or her right of access or which were placed in file before January 1, 1975.
3. Records connected with an application to attend Santa Monica College if the application was denied. 4. Those records which are excluded from the FERPA definition of education records. The records will be made available if required by State law.
F. Refusal to Provide Copies
Santa Monica College reserves the right to deny copies of records not required to be made available by the FERPA or State law in any of the following situations:
1. The student has an unpaid financial obligation to the College. 2. There is an unresolved disciplinary action against the student.
G. Fee for Copies of Records
The fee for copies will be $0.20 per page. The fees charged to students for transcripts are:
1. $5 for an official transcript, with the first two free for currently enrolled students 2. $10 service charge in addition to the transcript fee for a “Rush” transcript.
3. A student may obtain an unofficial copy of his/her transcript at no charge from the SMC Website.
H. Disclosure of Education Records
Santa Monica College will disclose information from a student's education records only with the written consent of the student, except as set forth below. The College may disclose information without student consent as follows:
1. To officials and employees of Santa Monica College, if that person has a legitimate educational interest to inspect a record.
2. To authorized representatives of the Comptroller General of the United States, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, an administrative head of an education agency, state education officials, or their respective designees or the United States Office of Civil Rights, where that information is necessary to audit or evaluate a state or federally supported education program or pursuant to a federal or state law, except that when the collection of personally identifiable information is specifically authorized by federal law, any data collected by those officials shall be protected in a manner that will not permit the personal identification of students or their parents by other than those officials, and any personally identifiable data shall be destroyed when no longer needed for that audit, evaluation, and enforcement of federal legal requirements. 3. To other state and local officials or authorities to the extent that information is specifically required to be reported pursuant to state law adopted prior to November 19, 1974.
4. To officials of other public or private schools or school systems, including local, county, or state correctional facilities where educational programs are provided, where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or is directed to enroll.
5. To agencies or organizations in connection with a student's application for, or receipt of,
financial aid, provided that information permitting the personal identification of students may be disclosed only as may be necessary for those purposes as to determine the eligibility of the student for financial aid, to determine the amount of the financial aid, to determine the
conditions that will be imposed regarding the financial aid, or to enforce the terms or conditions of the financial aid.
6. To accrediting organizations in order to carry out their accrediting functions.
7. To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions for the purpose of developing, validating, or administering predictive tests, administering student aid programs, and improving instruction, if those studies are conducted in such a manner as will not permit the personal identification of students or their parents by persons other than
representatives of those organizations and the information will be destroyed when no longer needed for the purpose for which it is conducted.
8. To appropriate persons in connection with an emergency if the knowledge of that information is necessary to protect the health or safety of a student or other persons, or subject to any
regulations issued by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. Santa Monica Community College District
9. To the alleged victim of any sexual assault or physical abuse, including rape, forced sodomy, forced oral copulation, rape by a foreign object, sexual battery, or threat or assault, or any conduct that threatens the health and safety of the alleged victim, which is the basis of any disciplinary action taken by a community college, shall be permitted access to that information. Access to student record information shall be in the form of notice of the results of any
disciplinary action by the community college and the results of any appeal, which shall be provided to the alleged victim within three days following that disciplinary action or appeal. The alleged victim shall keep the results of that disciplinary action and appeal confidential. 10. In compliance with a court order or a lawfully issued subpoena. The College shall make a reasonable effort to notify the student in advance of compliance with a lawfully issued subpoena and, in the case of compliance with a court order, if lawfully possible within the requirements of the order. This notification shall take place using a standard form approved by the FERPA Compliance Officer.
I. Record of Requests for Disclosure
Santa Monica College will maintain a record of all requests for and/or disclosure of information from a student's education records for the appropriate record retention period. The record will indicate the name of the party making the request, any additional party to whom it may be redisclosed, and the legitimate interest the party had in requesting or obtaining the information. The record may be reviewed by the eligible student. Personal information may be transferred to a third party only on the condition that such party will not permit access by any other party without the written consent of the student. (As an example, information released to agencies for auditing purposes or for improving instruction.) In such cases, Santa Monica College will issue the following statement to accompany records released: “All student education records will be destroyed when they are no longer needed for implementation of the study. Student education records may not be released without the written consent of the student.”
J. Directory Information
Santa Monica College designated the following items as Directory Information: Student name
City of Residence Age
Major field of study
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports Weight and height of members of athletic teams
Dates of attendance
Degrees and awards received and most recent previous school attended Student’s photograph
The College may disclose any of those items without prior written consent unless notified in writing to the contrary by the student.
Students have the following options in connection with the release of directory information: 1. Do NOT permit SMC to release Directory Information to anyone.
2. Do NOT permit the release of information to the Military
K. Correction of Education Records
1. Any student may file a written request with the Superintendent/President to correct or remove information recorded in his or her student records which the student alleges to be:
(1) inaccurate; (2) an unsubstantiated personal conclusion or inference; (3) a conclusion or inference outside of the observer's area of competence; or (4) not based on the personal
observation of a named person with the time and place of the observation noted.
2. Within 30 days of receipt of the request, the Superintendent/President, or his or her designee, shall meet with the student and the employee who recorded the information in question, if any, if the employee is presently employed by the community college district. The
Superintendent/President or his or her designee shall then sustain or deny the allegations. 3. If the Superintendent/President, or his or her designee, sustains any or all of the allegations, he or she shall order the correction or removal and destruction of the information.
4. If the Superintendent/President, or his or her designee, denies any or all of the allegations and refuses to order the correction or removal of the information, the student, within 30 days of the refusal, may appeal the decision in writing to the Board of Trustees.
5. Within 30 days of receipt of an appeal, the Board of Trustees shall, in closed session with the student and the employee who recorded the information in question, if any, and if that employee is presently employed by the community college district, determine whether to sustain or deny the allegations.
6. If the governing board sustains any or all of the allegations, it shall order the chief
administrative officer, or his or her designee, to immediately correct or remove and destroy the information.
7. The decision of the governing board shall be final.
8. Records of these administrative proceedings shall be maintained in a confidential manner and shall be destroyed one year after the decision of the governing board unless the student initiates legal proceedings relative to the disputed information within the prescribed period.
9. If the final decision of the governing board is unfavorable to the student or if the student accepts an unfavorable decision by the chief administrative officer, the student shall have the right to submit a written statement of his or her objections to the information. This statement shall become a part of the student's record until the information objected to is corrected or removed.
L. Subpoenas.
Each office that routinely receives subpoenas for student records shall have a written policy on compliance with subpoenas. The written policy shall be approved by the FERPA Compliance Office. Any out of the ordinary subpoenas for student records shall be referred to Campus Counsel for review prior to release of the records.
Santa Monica Community College District
ARTICLE 4300 STUDENT PROGRESS AND GRADUATION
AR 4344 Students Dismissed from a Program as a Result of Unsafe Performance
These guidelines have been developed to assist faculty and departments in withdrawing students from programs in which the student’s behavior and/or performance is determined to be unsafe.
These programs include, but are not limited to: Education/Early Childhood Education Cosmetology
Nursing
Respiratory Therapy
The overall process for determining whether a student meets the program standards specific to a particular program may include up to three levels of intervention: the instructor level, the program or department level, and the college level (joint administration-faculty committee). The student may seek the ombudsperson’s assistance.
I. Faculty Level
1. Instructors are encouraged to use their professional judgment in identifying student behavior and/or performance that they consider inappropriate to a specific program. 2. The instructor should meet with a student as early as possible in the semester to discuss his/her concerns. Such concerns include, but are not limited to the following: issues of safety regarding self, other students, patients, clients, or children; lack of sensitivity in classroom or field work situations; poor judgment; or any other concern. The instructor
