There are some fields where a boss might let instances of unprofessionalism slide—nursing isn't one of them. In particular, certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) must exhibit the highest levels of composure, compassion, and professionalism, as their quality of work holds lives in balance.
Therefore, it is reasonable that CRNA education programs hold students to high professional standards. Even so, our team has seen unjust discipline blemish CRNA students' transcripts and affect their future job prospects. In some cases, CRNA students face dismissal because of unfounded or exaggerated allegations of unprofessional conduct.
Attorney-advisor Joseph Lento and his Student Defense Team will help if you face one or more allegations of unprofessionalism. We aim to mitigate harm to your personal record and future goals and, ideally, to bypass all potential disciplinary measures.
How Professional Boards Governing CRNAs Define Professional Conduct
If nursing programs, employers, and licensing boards are to take discipline against students and nurses for alleged unprofessionalism, the bodies must define what unprofessionalism is.
The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) lists a Code of Ethics as a de facto professionalism code. This code demands that nurse anesthetists:
- Honor their responsibility to the patient: This includes presenting accurate and complete information, discussing the process before administering anesthesia, obtaining informed consent, and discussing any adverse events honestly.
- Honor their responsibility as a professional: The tenets of professionalism for CRNAs include competence, responsibility, leadership, respect for patients and colleagues, and serving as an admirable role model and educator of others.
- Conduct all research processes professionally: CRNAs must get informed consent from research subjects, protect research participants, be honest in research findings, and seek to minimize the risk of harm during research processes.
- Conduct all business practices ethically: The AANA commands that every CRNA “maintains ethical business practices in dealing with patients, colleagues, institutions, corporations, and others.” This includes honoring contractual obligations and adhering to legal business practices.
- Endorse products and services ethically: CRNAs must not put others at foreseeable risk through their endorsements of products or services.
- Honor their responsibility to society: The AANA encourages CRNAs to collaborate with other medical professionals to advance their knowledge and that of the medical community. By collaborating eagerly, CRNAs advance the quality of medicine for all (thus honoring their responsibility to society).
In short, CRNAs (like nursing students) must exercise good judgment, ethical behavior, and abundant caution in all aspects of their careers.
Licensing boards in the 50 American states also maintain codes of conduct, which are conditions for a nurse obtaining and maintaining their license.
These codes generally align with the AANA's Code of Ethics, though you must consider the specific criteria of licensing boards in the state(s) where you will practice.
While not each of these mandatory guidelines applies to CRNA students (who will likely not be endorsing products, for example), the AANA guidelines are a blueprint for professionalism standards in nursing programs.
How Nursing Programs Define Professional Conduct
Kansas University's (KU) Department of Nurse Anesthesia Education is an example of the standards CRNA programs hold their students to.
Professional standards fall under the section “Professional, Behavioral, and Social Attributes,” and expectations include that CRNA students will:
- Exhibit a degree of “emotional health” commensurate with the demands of anesthesiology
- “Exercise good judgment,” which is a reasonable but subjective demand
- Complete the diagnosis and treatment of patients in a prompt manner
- Develop “mature sensitive and effective relationships with patients”
- “Tolerate” the physical and psychological workload of being a CRNA student, which KU describes as “taxing”
- Maintain composure in stressful circumstances
- Be adaptable and flexible to the ever-changing circumstances that medical environments pose
- Accept and implement criticism and feedback
- Show “compassion, integrity, concern for others, open-mindedness, interpersonal skill, self-discipline, focus, and motivation”
This final point shows just how high the expectations for CRNA students are. While CRNA students accept these high expectations when they pursue a career in anesthesia, they remain human. When they fall short or are subject to unjust allegations of unprofessionalism, CRNA students deserve the benefit of the doubt, empathy, compassion, and due process from those with the power to issue discipline.
Why Is Professionalism Such an Emphasis for Professional Boards and CRNA Programs?
Given the choice of lax expectations and rigid professionalism demands for CRNA students, the latter is better. There is simply too much at stake in the anesthesiology field not to hold CRNA students and anesthesiologists to a high bar.
The Lancetexplains that a substantial number of anesthesia-related deaths occur each year. Even when anesthesia errors are not fatal, they can be immensely harmful to those affected. By establishing rigorous professionalism expectations, luminaries in anesthesiology seek to reduce the risk that unfit professionals enter the field.
However acceptable as these rigorous guidelines are, every CRNA student must receive due process when accused of unprofessionalism. The Lento Law Firm Team will work to ensure that you receive the due process you are entitled to.
Examples of Unprofessionalism in Nursing Programs
CRNA students face day-to-day challenges that practicing anesthesiologists do not, and vice versa. Some circumstances that may produce allegations of unprofessionalism for CRNA students include:
Academic Integrity Violations
While academic violations can sometimes fall into their own disciplinary category, allegations of cheating, plagiarism, data fabrication, or other academic misconduct may qualify as unprofessionalism. These allegations call into question a CRNA student's integrity and willingness to act professionally.
Unacceptable Patient Interactions
CRNA students are expected to:
- Show patience and compassion towards patients, even when a difficult patient provides a reason not to
- Give a good-faith effort to address patients' concerns
- Administer anesthesia only when it is safe to do so
- Foster a relationship with patients and ease their minds
Any deviation from best caregiver practices could result in allegations of unprofessionalism.
Inability to Accept Feedback
If a superior determines that a CRNA student does not accept, process, or implement feedback in a professional manner, they may levy a complaint of unprofessionalism against that student.
Poor Interactions with Fellow Students or Superiors
Healthy, eager interaction with peers and superiors is a mandate of the AANA Code of Ethics and Codes of Conduct in most nursing programs. A CRNA student may be accused of unprofessionalism if they:
- Use curse words or offensive slang in a professional setting
- Disrespect superiors, whether through words or actions
- Refuse to share observations, data, or other sources of possible collaboration with others
- Display annoyance, anger, or other adverse emotional states
Anesthesiologists are expected to be unflappable regardless of any stress they face. If a CRNA shows any indication of emotional, psychological, or interpersonal instability, they may expect to face discipline.
Substance Abuse Issues
Sobriety of mind and hand is vital for anesthesiologists to do their jobs effectively. Any indication of substance abuse issues, whether it involves alcohol, illicit drugs, or prescription drugs.
Sexual Misconduct
Mount Carmel College of Nursing explicitly prohibits the following:
- Sexual harassment
- Stalking
- Dating violence
- Sex-based discrimination
- Domestic violence
- Other forms of sexual misconduct
Like most nursing programs, Mount Carmel College of Nursing encourages students to report sexual misconduct to the school's Title IX Coordinator. Any allegations of sexual misconduct against you will also likely proceed through your university's Title IX Office.
Criminal Conduct
If you are arrested for or convicted of a criminal offense, your nursing program may take disciplinary action against you. The policy regarding criminal conduct may be specific to your nursing program, and punitive action may be contingent upon a conviction.
There Are Valid Explanations for Lapses in Professionalism
As a team that defends CRNA students accused of unprofessionalism, we generally see two categories of clients:
- Those who have been falsely accused of unprofessional conduct
- Those who have had a lapse that led to one or more instances of unprofessionalism
In each case, we pursue the best possible outcome for the student. However, our approach and expected outcome may differ based on whether you feel you're falsely accused or admit to wrongdoing. In either case, you deserve mercy and capable representation from the Lento Law Firm Team.
You might have exhibited unprofessionalism because:
- You were acclimating to the demands of your CRNA program
- You did not know or understand professionalism expectations for your program
- You were enduring extraordinary personal circumstances, such as the dissolution of a relationship or the death of a loved one
- You were experiencing mental health issues that affected your attention or demeanor
- You were responding to unprofessionalism from others, such as colleagues or superiors
These and other contextual factors may not excuse instances of unprofessionalism. However, when a nursing program is considering discipline, context could be the difference between major discipline and minor discipline (or even no discipline at all).
You should not suffer heavy-handed discipline for an honest error. Our team will work to ensure that your reputation and ambitions remain intact.
Possible Disciplinary Procedures at Your CRNA Program for Alleged Unprofessionalism
Each nursing program follows its own guidelines and procedures when faced with an allegation of unprofessionalism by a CRNA student.
The KU Department of Nurse Anesthesia Education provides one example of the sort of disciplinary path you may face. The university's student handbook explains that the range of sanctions for CRNA students includes:
- Admonition
- Warning or censure
- Reduction of grade
- Probation
- Suspension
- Dismissal
As your nursing program determines which disciplinary measures you will face (if any), you may endure:
- A probationary period: Your program may place you in a sort of holding pattern while it adjudicates the issue of alleged unprofessionalism. Though programs may respond to unproven allegations on a case-by-case basis, we will work to ensure you receive fair treatment during this time.
- A formal investigation: An appointed investigator may interview you, anyone who has accused you of unprofessionalism, and any other parties who may have insight into the matter. If permitted, your attorney-advisor from the Lento Law Firm will accompany you to any investigative meetings. We can also help you craft any written statements related to the allegation of unprofessionalism.
- A hearing: Hearings are a common step in adjudication processes at graduate universities, including nursing programs. A hearing may be the primary opportunity to prove you did not act unprofessionally or to display that you're deserving of leniency. Your attorney-advisor from our team can present and question witnesses, present evidence, make opening and closing arguments, and make a comprehensive case in your favor.
- An appeals process: Most nursing programs allow students to appeal any adverse rulings, including a finding of unprofessionalism. Grounds for appeal may include the emergence of new evidence, a punishment that does not fit the alleged offense, bias among those who ruled over your case, and a deviation from standard adjudication protocols.
Our team crafts its services to meet your needs. We will advise you throughout the adjudication process, no matter where you currently stand in that process.
Consequences of Discipline Against a CRNA Student
In a field as competitive as anesthesiology, any sanctions for alleged unprofessionalism deserve your complete attention. Consider that receiving any discipline could:
- Smear an otherwise strong academic and behavioral record
- Remove you from your current tier of job candidates
- Limit your professional opportunities
- Diminish your earning potential
- Cause psychological distress
- Cost you any scholarship you currently rely upon
- Result in other serious consequences
If you're facing suspension or dismissal, the stakes are obviously even higher than usual. You may have difficulty enrolling in a new program. Your entire goal of being a CRNA may be at stake.
That said, you should fight vigorously against any formal sanctions, and our experienced team will lead the fight.
How the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team Will Help You Fight Allegations of Unprofessionalism
Our team will negotiate directly with your nursing program's Office of General Counsel (OGC). These are the attorneys representing the program, and those attorneys may be able to resolve the issue directly.
The Lento Law Firm Team will also provide honest, unbiased advice. We will fight for the ideal outcome in a difficult situation, and you'll know exactly what our goal is. For compassionate, capable representation, call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online.
