At Samuel Merritt University (SMU) College of Nursing, students have access to world-class academics and clinical experiences serving patients in the Central California region, as well as the opportunity to partner with local non-profits, schools, and medical facilities. Graduating from SMU College of Nursing places individuals in high demand for employment nationwide and across the world. Yet, entry into the professional healthcare field upon graduation is heavily based on maintaining a clean academic and disciplinary record.
Any form of academic or behavioral sanctions can significantly derail graduation prospects and future career opportunities. If you're facing remediation, allegations of unprofessional conduct, or defending yourself against SMU's disciplinary authority, get in touch with the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team. We are a team of attorneys who can help you mitigate adverse action while focusing on your studies. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 now or submit your case online, and we will contact you.
Academic Standards for SMU College of Nursing Students
Enrollment at the SMU College of Nursing requires an obligation to promote the best standards and practices of nurses in the field and improve the health and well-being of people in all communities. Although requirements vary slightly between pre-licensure, graduate, and doctoral programs, students at each level of education will abide by strict academic standards.
One of the most significant facets of SMU College of Nursing is maintaining academic integrity, and the university will address any allegation or breach of standards. The program identifies academic dishonesty as the following:
- Purposeful falsification of data or results.
- Failure to acknowledge or report errors or omissions with patient care.
- Violation of testing security protocols.
- Copying another person's work.
- Failure to properly cite sources.
In addition to ensuring acts of academic dishonesty and plagiarism are swiftly adjudicated, SMU College of Nursing imposes program progression requirements. Each level of the program requires a minimum grade on each assignment. For instance, pre-licensure students must complete each course with "no grade lower than 'C.'" Moreover, if students average below 73 percent in theory and clinical assignments, they must redo the course, and two-course failures automatically lead to dismissal from the program.
As a stop-gap measure, instructors or program officials may enforce remediation requirements after the first-course failure to help the student realign with studies. However, to complete mandated remediation tasks, nursing students must also remain current with normal coursework, thus presenting a further risk of falling behind.
SMU College of Nursing Professionalism Standards
Students are public-facing representatives of SMU College of Nursing, and each must demonstrate the accountability of a healthcare professional and future employee. Therefore, the program maintains professionalism standards to regulate student behavior in the classroom, through clinical experiences, and even in a student's personal life. SMU has derived the following professional behavior objects that students must abide by:
- Avoid using aggressive or profane language with patients, staff members, faculty, and classmates.
- Exhibit a courteous demeanor and professional behavior with program members and those in a healthcare setting.
- Present a professional appearance with attention to personal hygiene, neatness, and following the SMU College of Nursing dress code.
- Arrive at all clinical settings and class meetings on time.
- Notify instructors of any physical, psychological, or substance abuse conditions that would limit one's ability to perform healthcare duties.
- Provide healthcare services to any patient regardless of "race, creed, national origin, physical disability, gender, sexual orientation, or disease."
Failure to maintain behavioral or other non-academic protocols will land a nursing student in trouble. However, since nursing students are also held accountable to licensing authorities (in graduate and doctoral programs), issues can also arise from outside complaints that will also be investigated and adjudicated by SMU's disciplinary authority.
SMU College of Nursing Misconduct Procedures
When disputes or allegations of misconduct arise, the resolution procedure begins between the two parties attempting to come to an informal agreement. Faculty and students must meet and discuss the issues, and either party may request another person be present as a witness but may not act as a participant. The faculty member will document the communication, which includes a resolution, if applicable, a list of further steps, and a timeline of implementation.
If the parties fail to reach a consensus, the decision is then forwarded to the Student Grievance Committee (SGC). The student respondent will submit documentation to the highest academic or administrative officer (Step 2 Officer), who will provide the student with all procedural guidelines and again attempt to resolve the matter, which can include appropriate sanctions. If the student is unsatisfied with the Step 2 Officer's recommendation, the SGC will select a time and place to review the grievance. Students may be provided with an opportunity to review all evidence and meet with the SGC to answer questions.
The SGC will then deliberate and render its recommendation, which will include the following:
- Dismissal of the grievance.
- Upholding the Step 2 Officer's decision.
- Recommending the reconsideration of the original decision.
- Recommending the program's decision be reversed.
Any action from the Step 2 Officer or the SGC resulting in dismissal or suspension is subject to review and approval of the SMU College of Nursing Vice President. The concluding decision is considered final.
Nursing Student Sanctions
Depending on the severity of the violation, punitive measures can take many forms. SMU College of Nursing will support the following for students at all levels of education:
- Probation
- Suspension
- Dismissal
If you're dismissed from the program, there are narrow opportunities to appeal. Only procedural errors or substantial information becoming new open avenues of sanction mitigation. Unfortunately, program dismissal will remain on a student's record—even when they try to apply to nursing school elsewhere.
Hire an Experienced Nursing Student Defense Attorney
Protecting your status as a student of good standing at SMU College of Nursing is of the utmost importance. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team understands how vital you are to the future of the healthcare field, and our dedicated team of attorneys will ensure you remain aligned with your studies on the way to graduation.
We can help you navigate misconduct allegations and progression requirements, as well as comprehend your rights during the grievance process. The nationwide Lento Law Firm has helped guide nursing students to more favorable outcomes, including engaging a school's Office of General Counsel to resolve issues outside formal settings. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or submit your case online, and we will contact you.
