Enrollment in College of Nursing (CON) courses is synonymous with implicit acknowledgment and acceptance of the rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern student conduct at HSC Fort Worth. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with all policies and procedures governing academic conduct, which can be found in the HSC Fort Worth Student Catalog and the Student Code of Conduct and Civility. Additional information related to the College of Nursing can be found in the Student Handbook and the College of Nursing Procedures.
The CON supports an environment that promotes professional and ethical behavior that achieves academic growth and individual self-discipline. Each student within the CON upon matriculation, shall have signed an Academic Integrity Agreement that articulates the following:
- The student must be familiar with all policies related to academic ethics and professional integrity within the CON and HSC Fort Worth;
- The student agrees to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct and Civility and other policies related to ethical behavior;
- The student agrees to conduct them self professionally and ethically during all academic pursuits within the CON at HSC Fort Worth; and
- The student agrees to report observed and suspected violations of academic integrity to the Office of Care and Civility.
Faculty members are expected to report any infractions of the Academic Integrity rules and regulations governing student behavior to the Division of Student Affairs. These infractions include dishonesty, cheating, plagiarism, and theft. Possible sanctions for a violation of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, receiving a grade of zero for an assignment or exam, disciplinary probation, suspension, and dismissal from the university as described and assessed under the Student Code of Conduct and Civility (see Student Policy website; 7.126).
Specific policies and procedures have been established for students wishing to appeal reports of academic misconduct. These policies and procedures appear on the policy website. Instructions for pursuing appeals on any other matter can be sought from the Division of Student Affairs. All students are responsible for making themselves aware of the definitions and implications of academic misconduct. For further information on academic misconduct, penalties, and appeal procedures, students should refer to the Student Code of Conduct and Civility.
The UNTHSC College of Nursing expects on-time attendance in all educational activities (lecture, lab, simulation, seminar, clinical, and all onboarding activities). As such, students must be prepared and present on time at the beginning of each assigned course time, clinical day, and other learning activities.
Logging into an online class is not enough to demonstrate student attendance. A student’s “online presence” is noted throughout the course via early alert detection, discussion board posts, activities, and/or assignment completion. Any student failing to complete 15% or more of a course’s requirements/assignments to date is in violation of the attendance policy and may be dropped from the course. If students miss an assignment for any reason, they are encouraged to contact the Course Lead to avoid being dropped.
Students who do not engage in academically related activities prior to the census date may have their federal financial aid eligibility adjusted.
Students must have dependable transportation for commuting to and from campus and for fulfilling all assigned clinical duties. It is mandatory for students to accept clinical assignments as designated. It is important to note that transportation will not be arranged or provided by the CON or HSC Fort Worth.
Upon acceptance of admission into the College of Nursing, the student must attest that they meet the program’s Health and Technical Standards. The standards will be provided in the acceptance letter, and attestation is required to matriculate into the program.
Observation: Students should be able to obtain information from demonstrations and experiments in the basic sciences. Students should be able to assess a patient and evaluate findings accurately. These skills require the use of vision, hearing, and touch or the functional equivalent.
Communication: Students should be able to communicate with patients to elicit information, detect changes in mood and activity, and establish a therapeutic relationship. Students should be able to communicate via English effectively and sensitively with patients and all members of the healthcare team both in person and in writing.
Motor: Students should, after a reasonable time, be able to perform a physical examination and diagnostic maneuvers. Students should be able to execute some motor movements required to provide general care to patients and provide or direct the provision of emergency treatment of patients. Such actions require some coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements balance and equilibrium.
Intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities: Students should be able to assimilate detailed and complex information presented in both didactic and clinical coursework, engage in problem-solving. Candidates are expected to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, synthesize, and transmit information. In addition, students should be able to comprehend three dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures and to adapt to different learning environments and modalities.
Behavioral and social abilities: Students should possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibility’s attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients, fellow students, faculty, and staff. Students should be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. They should be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, professionalism, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities that are expected during the education processes.
Ethics and professionalism: Students should maintain and display ethical and moral behaviors commensurate with the role of a physician in all interactions with patients, faculty, staff, students, and the public. The candidate is expected to understand the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of medicine and function within the law and ethical standards of the medical profession.
The technical standards delineated above must be met with or without accommodation.
Students who, after review of the technical standards determine that they require accommodation to fully engage in the program, should contact the Office of Disability Access to confidentially discuss their accommodations needs. Given the clinical nature of the program, additional time may be needed to implement accommodations. Accommodations are never retroactive; therefore, timely requests are essential and encouraged.
Placement on the Dean’s List occurs when a CON student achieves a semester grade point average of 3.51 or greater for a semester that is primarily didactic. Due to the varying experiences during clinical practica, Dean’s List recognition is not awarded for clinical practica. A student placed on academic or disciplinary probation during their enrollment is not eligible for Dean’s List recognition.
Students may be awarded “Honors” upon graduation if their overall grade point average is greater than or equivalent to 3.51 on a 4.0 scale. No graduate who has failed a course or rotation, or who has been placed on academic or disciplinary probation during their enrollment can receive a degree with honors. No more than 20% of a single graduating class will be awarded “Honors” at graduation.
Students who wish to take a Leave of Absence must discuss this with the appropriate Associate Dean and receive approval from the Dean of the College of Nursing. LOA forms are located in the Registrar’s Office.
Licensed Students returning from a Leave of Absence must show proof of a current, unencumbered license prior to returning to classes. (7.103 Institutional Academic Policy)
A withdrawal from a course or the program is a formal procedure that must be initiated by the student. Students who wish to drop a course, withdraw from the program, or ask for an Incomplete must discuss this with the faculty of record for the course(s) involved to determine the impact of the action for the student moving forward. The student will then collaborate with the faculty, and the Student Success Coach, and Registrar to complete the forms required.
It is the student’s responsibility to stay abreast of progress toward the degree and to file the necessary forms in the College’s Office of Student Success. A final cumulative grade point average of 3.0 is required to qualify for graduation.
The graduation requirements for the RN to BSN Program are as follows:
- A Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (Post-Licensure) will be conferred upon successful completion of 120 credit hours within the designated curriculum and prerequisite requirements;
- Students must comply with all HSC Fort Worth legal and financial obligations;
- Evidence of an active, unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license in a state approved through the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
- Students must complete all degree requirements with a grade C or above.
- A student who has earned a grade of less than C (D or F) in two required courses at the undergraduate level or who has earned a grade of less than C (D or F) twice in the same undergraduate level required course will be removed from the nursing program.
- All students have the rights and responsibility to follow due process afforded to them based upon the institutional requirements. The HSC Fort Worth Student Affairs Policy Manual addresses the academic and non-academic grievance/complaint policy to which all HSC Fort Worth College of Nursing programs adhere.
The graduation requirements for the MSN in Nursing Practice Innovation are as follows:
- A Master of Science degree in Nursing Practice Innovation will be conferred upon successful completion of 39 credit hours within the designated curriculum;
- Students must comply with all HSC Fort Worth legal and financial obligations;
- Evidence of an active, unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license in a state approved through the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
- Students must complete all degree requirements with a grade B or above.
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A student who has earned a grade of less than B (C, D, or F) in two required courses at the graduate level or who has earned a grade of less than B (C, D, or F) twice in the same graduate level required course will be removed from the nursing program.
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All students have the rights and responsibility to follow due process afforded to them based upon the institutional requirements.
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The HSC Fort Worth Student Affairs Policy Manual addresses the academic and non-academic grievance/complaint policy to which all HSC Fort Worth College of Nursing programs adhere.
All summative assessments (exams) are administered through Testing and Evaluation Services (TES) using Examplify software. Online exams will be proctored utilizing an approved vendor proctoring software. Every exam is available for 48 hours and requires following the complete exam protocol established by TES. Any violation of the protocol may result in a scoring penalty for the exam. Penalties range from a warning to receiving a zero on the exam, depending on the student’s violation history and the violation.
CON students are expected to convey a professional appearance and are expected to be neat and clean. Students in violation of the dress code may be asked to leave immediately to change into appropriate attire. If a CON student dress code violation occurs at times of graded activities, no additional time will be given to complete any activity while the student changes to appropriate attire.
The following items are not deemed professional in the classroom:
- clothing that shows the mid-drift or low-cut tops
- halter tops or tube tops; spaghetti straps tops
- mini-skirts or shorts above the mid-thigh
- see-through clothing
- clothing with distasteful or crude lettering or messages
Unless otherwise instructed by CON Course Leads, CON students must wear solid-colored teal scrubs to all clinical activities.
- Shoes must be flat, impermeable (non-mesh), leather or leather-like, closed-toe, and closed heels, with a non-skid or non-slip sole. Students must follow clinical agency policy regarding shoes.
- Attire should fit with room for body movement.
- Undergarments should not be visible.
- No tattoos on the face or neck will be permitted, with the exception of permanent makeup that is not extreme in nature. Tattoos that do not align with the organizational values or those deemed inappropriate, vulgar, or obscene must be covered. Students must follow clinical agency policies regarding the visibility of tattoos or piercings.
For specific information related to Jewelry, Hair, and Nails and other circumstances and situations, please see the College of Nursing Student Handbook.
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