The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing at the UMass Chan Medical School in North Worcester, Massachusetts, offers several educational options for those who have already qualified to be nurses and those with a bachelor's degree in another subject who aspire to work in the field. If you are a student at the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, you have already shown that you can earn at least a bachelor's degree, and you may have also proven yourself by qualifying to become a nurse. This heretofore, positive academic trajectory, however, does not guarantee that your path forward will be without bumps. Issues including failure to make academic progress or allegations of unprofessional behavior can create roadblocks you must navigate.
But rest assured, you do not have to go it alone. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has the experience, knowledge, and resources to help you resolve any issues so you can return your focus to successfully completing your academic program and achieving your professional goals. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has helped nursing students in Massachusetts and across the country with disciplinary issues at their schools, and they can help you. Call 888-535-3686 for help, or complete our contact form and we will get in touch.
Expectations of Students at the UMass Chan Medical School Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing
The programs at the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing offer several different pathways for individuals already in or aspiring to work in the nursing field. There are two different Doctor of Nursing Practice programs: a Ph.D. in Nursing program, a Master of Science, Nursing & Professional Leadership program, three post-graduate certificate programs, and continuing education opportunities. In addition, the school offers its Graduate Entry Pathway for those who have earned a bachelor's degree in a field other than nursing; these students first work toward their Registered Nurse licensure before going on to earn either a Doctor of Nursing Practice or a Ph.D. in Nursing.
All students at the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing are subject to the standards and policies described in its Student Handbook. In addition to laying out the coursework, clinical work, and technical standards for each degree and program, the handbook sets out the school's Policy for Professional Behavior, Student Expectations, Honor Code, Academic Policies and Procedures, and more.
In addition to conducting themselves according to the values of the UMass Chan Medical School regarding professionalism, students must also adhere to those dictated by outside agencies such as the American Nurses Association. Required qualities include empathy, integrity, honesty, concern for others, good interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation. Unacceptable behaviors include cheating, fabrication, facilitating dishonesty, and plagiarism.
The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing places particular importance on its nursing students upholding “high standards of ethical conduct and honesty.”
Possible Responses of the UMass Chan Medical School Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing to Violations of Its Policies and Standards
The Student Handbook goes into detail about expectations for student behavior and academic performance, and it describes the institutional response for allegations of falling short (e.g., the convening of an Honor Code Committee) and sanctions for substantiated allegations (e.g., Academic Dismissal).
Honor Code Committee - If any individual in the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing community suspects a nursing student of violating the school's Honor Code and the issue cannot be resolved through direct discussion with the student, that individual may file a claim with the Chair of Academic Standards committee within ten days of the discussion. The Chair may then recommend to the Dean of the school that an Honor Code Committee be established. The Dean appoints three faculty members and one student to join the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee on the ad hoc Honor Code Committee. The student may bring their advisor and another individual for support but may not bring an attorney; the individual who filed the claim will also attend. After the hearing, the Honor Code Committee will make its recommendations to the Dean; from start to end, the process takes about one month. The student may appeal the decision by filing a grievance.
Academic Dismissal – The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing may dismiss any nursing student for “Unsatisfactory performance of academic or clinical requirements and/or Deficiency in standards of professional conduct, ethical practice, or professional abilities.” These include having a grade point average below 3.0, failing two courses, violating the school's Honor Code, falsifying information on university documents, engaging in unethical behavior, failing to provide appropriate patient care, and more.
Option for Student's Response to Sanctions: The Grievance
Students may file a grievance with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs after outcomes including “probation, dismissal, academic warning, clinical warning, and academic or administrative withdrawal.” The student must do so within fifteen calendar days of the concerning outcome. If a meeting between the Dean and the student does not resolve the issue, the student may request a Hearing Committee during which the student may testify and present witnesses and documents. The student may bring an attorney to the hearing as an advisor, but the attorney may not speak on behalf of the student or otherwise participate in the hearing.
How the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team Can Help You
Nursing is a caring profession, and you should be able to put all your energy into pursuing the educational requirements to excel in this noble field. Do not let your focus be sidetracked by allegations of ethical violations or threats of academic dismissal. Whatever the details of your case, however serious it may seem, the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team is prepared to help you navigate the bureaucracy at the UMass Chan Medical School Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing.
Using a collaborative approach and leveraging our comprehensive understanding of the relevant legal issues, we will review your case and determine the best strategy for achieving the outcome you want.
Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 to discuss your UMass Chan Medical School Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing discipline issue with our team, or you can tell us about your case online.
