At the University of Wisconsin (UW) Madison School of Nursing, students will engage in experiential instruction that will serve as a foundation for a long and successful career. Nursing students are tasked with aligning with the institution's standards of academics, ethics, and professional behavior to remain compliant throughout their time in the program. Graduation and entry into the healthcare field depend on maintaining a clean record at UW—Madison, and any form of disciplinary action can derail future career opportunities.
If you're a nursing student defending against misconduct allegations, remediation programs, or other barriers to graduation, the Lento Law Firm is here to help. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team is ready to assist UW—Madison School of Nursing students in challenging the intuition's moves to investigate, adjudicate, and sanction. For professional help, call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or submit your case online, and we will contact you.
UW—Madison School of Nursing Professional Standards and Behaviors Code
Becoming a student at UW—Madison entails an obligation to uphold strict institutional standards, all of which are found in the School of Nursing Professional Standards and Behaviors Code. The school's rules state that "unacceptable student behaviors" are commonly categorized into academic, clinical, and personal infractions.
Academic Misconduct
Since nursing students often conduct work outside the traditional classroom, the school environment will extend to online modules, off-campus fieldwork, and settings in professional medical centers. Therefore, the university's disciplinary body will have jurisdiction to manage academic rule violations anywhere, and it will consider any of the following as academic misconduct subject to punishment:
- Plagiarism: Taking credit for another person's work, appropriating another's results or methods, copying the content of others, or taking false credit in any other manner.
- Cheating: Using unauthorized study aids, information, or technology on an exam, allowing another person to do all or part of one's work, using notes or texts for an online exam.
- Data Fabrication or Falsification: Making up data or results or manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes.
- Aiding and Abetting Dishonesty: Providing material, information, or assistance to another with the reasonable expectation that it will be used to commit a prohibited act.
Clinical Misconduct
In the clinical setting, students are expected to demonstrate professionalism, competence, integrity, accountability, and safety. These expectations extend across all aspects of the clinical experience, including interpersonal interactions, teamwork, communication, and practice, and the following will be targeted as misconduct in a clinical setting:
- Failure to prepare for the clinical experience, including lacking competency.
- Demonstrating irresponsible, harmful, or unsafe practices.
- Breaching HIPAA guidelines or a patient's privacy.
- Intentionally conducting a procedure without prior approval or adequate supervision.
- Excessive tardiness and a lack of respect for fellow students or coworkers.
- Refusing to give necessary care to patients, including abandonment.
- Failure to document care accurately, including errors of omission or commission.
Personal Misconduct
Since nursing students are representatives of UW—Madison's program and public-facing professionals, they must treat peers, faculty, colleagues, and clients with compassion, integrity, and respect. The following examples represent unacceptable violations of professional standards:
- Criminal activity committed or failed to be reported within 48 hours.
- Sexual misconduct or harassment on or off campus.
- Incivility, bullying, or "disrespectful actions that may or may not have a negative intent behind them."
- Disruptive behavior, including obstructing or disrupting classes or any other activities or programs sponsored by the school.
- Failure to demonstrate accountability, responsible planning, or commitment to education.
- Participating in classroom and clinical activities while under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances.
- Obstructing a UW—Madison School of Nursing investigation.
- Inappropriate social media use, such as posting negative or untrue information about peers, faculty, other professionals, or clinical sites, and bringing a negative light to one's practice.
Academic Progression
Students typically complete the nursing program in four years; however, additional semesters may be required depending on course sequences, area of study, placement in classes, and clinical experiences. If requirements for the degree have not been completed within five years of admission, though, the student's academic record will be reviewed by the Office of Academic Affairs.
Moreover, every student (pre-nursing and nursing) must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA in each semester to remain in good academic standing to graduate, and failure to do so will result in the following:
- Verbal warning
- Academic probation with remediation
- Dismissal
Fortunately, nursing students may appeal when they believe they were awarded a grade for a course that does not reflect their performance. The process follows a pathway similar to misconduct management at UW—Madison but is primarily sought through academic deans.
UW—Madison School of Nursing Misconduct Procedures
When an incident of alleged misconduct is reported, the complainant—typically a faculty member—and the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs will meet with the student to discuss the evidence. If it's determined that a violation has occurred, the faculty will recommend sanctions and attempt to resolve the matter informally.
A student may appeal sanctions to the Professional Standards Review Committee by submitting within ten business days, and must be based on at least one of the following:
- Procedural violations seriously compromised the grievance process.
- Evidence clearly does not support the findings.
- Sanctions are excessive related to the violation.
- Significant new evidence not reasonably available at the time of the investigation was unearthed.
A five-member hearing committee will convene to consider evidence, including witness testimony, and ask the student appellant to answer questions. By a majority vote, the committee may decide to dismiss the sanction or uphold it with additional punitive conditions.
Nursing Student Sanctions
Sanctions are determined depending on the type of misconduct. Depending on the severity, academic sanctions can start at an assignment failure and quickly move to remediation or removal from the program. Clinical misconduct will lead to removal from the clinical setting with proscribed remedial tasks for the student to gain a more professional demeanor. For personal misconduct, the range can be everything from losing student privileges to dismissal. If students are found responsible for violations, UW—Madison School of Nursing will enforce the following common punishments:
- Written reprimand
- Assignment failure
- Privilege loss
- Probation
- Remediation
- Restitution
- Dismissal
Even though minor measures like written reprimands may seem innocuous, the creation of a disciplinary record will harm your chances of gaining top employment upon graduation. Moreover, it will lead UW—Madison officials to judge a potential second incident harsher than if it was a first instance.
Hire an Experienced Nursing Student Defense Attorney
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team is a worthwhile investment for UW—Madison School of Nursing students. Our team of attorneys can help you exercise your rights during the grievance process, build a defense strategy to challenge allegations, and even engage the school's Office of General Counsel to protect your good standing as a student.
The nationwide Lento Law Firm assists nursing students in navigating misconduct allegations and progression violations. We will guide you and promote a favorable outcome and will stand with you every step of the way. Call us now at 888-535-3686 or submit your case online, and we will contact you.
