The University of Portland School of Nursing & Health Innovations is in Buckley Center on the southeast side of the university's campus, which sits along the Willamette River on Portland's west side. The School of Nursing & Health Innovations offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Integrative Health and Wellness, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. The school emphasizes its commitment to the values of integrity, compassion, and social justice and always strives for academic excellence. The University of Portland is a private Catholic school.
Attending the University of Portland requires a significant financial investment—for an academic year, tuition alone is more than $56,000 for a full-time undergraduate student, and another $20,000 or so is required for housing, food, books, course materials, and fees. While many see this as a prudent investment, the student who encounters disciplinary issues and sanctions from the nursing school can have their progress toward graduation impeded and may even be expelled. The promise of a bright future as a nurse is shattered, leaving disappointment and debt as the only outcome of their academic journey.
If you are a nursing student at the University of Portland School of Nursing & Health Innovations facing disciplinary action, you do not have to do so alone. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has experience representing nursing students at schools across the country, and we can help you. Call us today at 888-535-3686 or tell us about your case online—we want to help you achieve the best possible outcome in your case.
Standards and Expectations for Nursing Students at the University of Portland School of Nursing & Health Innovations
As is the case with many institutions of higher education, students at the University of Portland must become familiar with more than one set of guidelines. Nursing students at the School of Nursing & Health Innovations must adhere to two handbooks and the university bulletin, as well as the Code of Ethics for Nurses from the American Nurses Association.
The BSN Student Handbook describes the guidelines and principles of the School of Nursing & Health Innovations. It states that nursing students must sign a “B.S.N. Student Commitment to Academic Integrity” when they begin their program, and they must follow the Code of Academic Integrity found in the University of Portland Bulletin. The Code provides examples of violations of academic integrity and describes the penalties for each.
The Life on the Bluff Student Handbook details the Portland University policies and standards of student conduct that apply to all students. Its General Standards of Student Conduct provides a list of prohibited behaviors such as theft, violence, or sexual misconduct, followed by detailed descriptions of general university policies, which include listings for everything from Key and Building Access to Lewd Conduct. The listing for Honesty and Integrity refers students to the Academic Bulletin for more information on the university's policies on academic dishonesty.
When a Nursing Student at the University of Portland School of Nursing & Health Innovations Fails to Meet Program Requirements or Violates Behavior Guidelines
To earn a nursing degree, nursing students must complete both coursework and clinical nursing requirements satisfactorily. If a School of Nursing & Health Innovations student falters in either area, faculty, and staff, work with the student to create an Academic Professional Plan (APP) that includes assessments of the student and plans for the student to access resources such as counseling or tutors. Behaviors that may trigger the implementation of an APP include the following:
- chronic lateness in class or clinical sessions
- unprofessional behaviors
- inadequate preparation
- failure to meet program outcomes
- violation of course, school, or agency HIPAA policy
- violation of the university drug, alcohol, and controlled substance policies
- violation of academic integrity
If a nursing student accumulates three APPs, or if they do something that places anyone in danger, a review panel composed of the BSN program director and at least two other faculty members will be assembled; the student will be present, and their academic advisor may also attend. The panel, using SMART goals, will determine action steps for the student; their recommendations will be reviewed by the associate dean and then sent in letter form for the student's signature.
Violations of the university's Code of Academic Integrity are among the most serious a nursing student can commit, and the response dovetails with the nursing school's APP process. The code provides three primary examples of violations of academic integrity—cheating, forgery, and plagiarism—and describes four levels of violations, ranging from Level 1, which are minor first offenses presumed to be unintentional, to Level 4, which are presumed to be intentional and premeditated.
The process for addressing the violations begins with a meeting between the student and the faculty member who observed the violation or had it reported to them, and may progress to the involvement of the associate of the nursing school in determining penalties.
Penalties for violating the Code of Academic Integrity range from redoing an assignment or engaging in community service to academic probation to suspension or dismissal from the university.
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team Can Help Nursing Students Facing School Sanctions
If you are a nursing student facing sanctions because of poor academic performance or allegations of misconduct at the University of Portland School of Nursing & Health Innovations, the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has the knowledge and experience to help you achieve the best outcome possible. You have invested too much time and money in your nursing education to let the outcome you deserve—a nursing degree and access to a rewarding career—slip away now. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 to discuss your issue with our team, or you can tell us about your case online.
