Duquesne University School of Nursing is a nursing school established in 1935 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. DUSN is part of Duquesne University and offers BSN, MSN, Post-Master's Certificates, DNP, PhD, and Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice programs. The nursing school offers multiple growth opportunities due to its learner-centric approach, holistic approach to patient care, and global study programs. Upon graduation, you can look forward to a wealth of professional opportunities in Pittsburgh and beyond. But to remain enrolled and benefit from the program and the school's training programs, you must demonstrate professional behavior and maintain high grades to succeed. Failure to do so leads to multiple issues down the line, like probation, suspension, and expulsion.
As a nursing student, you juggle numerous responsibilities in your educational, personal, and perhaps professional life. With the pressure to succeed and complete your program, you may be under significant stress, deterring you from your goal and causing you to have lapses in judgment. It's normal to make mistakes, and they are part of the learning process. However, some mistakes lead to severe sanctions, especially if they are egregious or repetitive. With so much that can go wrong and your degree on the line, you need a shoulder to rely on and a knowledgeable team by your side. Contact the Student Defense Team at the LLF Law Firm to learn more about your options, or call 888-535-3686.
Behavioral and Academic Standards
Nursing schools like DUSN have notoriously strict rules to deal with violations of their conduct and honor codes. Since they have their reputation to consider, they must maintain a level playing field to attract new students and keep their rankings high. As a future nurse, you are in a position of public trust, and that incurs different ethical expectations from the average working professional. The school of nursing trains you to become an ethical and moral nurse. It penalizes you for behavior that goes against these principles. On the other hand, maintaining high grades is as essential as ethical behavior. If you cannot learn the material required to progress, you may undergo probation or dismissal.
Professionalism and Academic Issues
According to the Student Handbook at DUSN, academic integrity is high on the list of expectations at the nursing school. The academic integrity policy covers multiple actions that count as infarctions, maintaining that they discourage the pursuit of truth and understanding that the school abides by and believes in. Honesty, professionalism, and holding oneself to the highest standards are the main components of academic integrity. Violations of the handbook and the policies stated below may lead to accusations, a hearing, and possible sanctions. These include:
- Cheating on an academic exercise, test, or quiz, purchasing essays, asking other students to complete one's work
- Plagiarizing by not citing properly or omitting the source of a work or by submitting a paper done for another instructor without receiving permission
- Deceit in academic matters by deliberately giving the administration false information or withholding relevant information from a faculty member
- The misuse of documents by forging, altering, or improperly using a nursing school document in an unauthorized manner
- Assistance in the violation of academic integrity principles or collaborating with other students to violate these principles
Suppose you face accusations of violating one or more of these policies. In that case, you face an adjudication process that leads to sanctions. Severe sanctions can upend your future and prevent you from graduating on time – if at all – and cause reputation damage and financial issues. When facing an accusation, call the Student Defense Team at the LLF Law Firm for more information about the best way to approach your case.
Adjudication Process
If students commit a violation, their professor sends a complaint to the Nursing School Chair, who contacts the office of the Provost to inquire about the student's conduct and review whether they have past charges against them. Then, the case goes to the Nursing School Academic Integrity Committee, which reviews the matter and recommends a sanction to the Dean within ten university days of receiving the complaint. The Dean may override or agree with the sanction. In cases where the recommendation is a suspension or expulsion from the university, they inform the University Provost or the Vice President for Academic Affairs of the decision.
If the student disagrees with the sanction, they have the right to appeal to the University Academic Integrity Committee within ten days of receiving their decision. Once received, the AIC deliberates and makes a final decision for the case in 15 university days. Some of the sanctions imposed on students who commit violations include:
- Informal reprimand or warning
- A formal reprimand
- Clinical or course failure
- Disciplinary probation
- Suspension
- Dismissal
- Discretionary sanctions
With so much at stake and your degree on the line, don't wait until the appeal process to take action. Every day that passes decreases the likelihood of a positive outcome.
Contacting the Student Defense Team
Being a nursing school student at DUSN is an exhilarating, fast-paced time in your life that involves rigorous training. Despite the excitement and dynamics of your program, you may also face challenges or slip when you least expect to. Whether you made a genuine mistake or experienced a lapse in judgment, you deserve due process and a fair adjudication process.
The Student Defense Team at the LLF Law Firm understands what you are going through and the considerable stress you are under. With years of experience working with nursing school students nationwide, the Student Defense Team is by your side when you have nowhere to turn.
Don't let a mistake ruin your chances of graduating and starting a vibrant career as a nurse. If you or someone you love face accusations of unprofessional behavior or academic issues, don't delay. Contact the Student Defense Team at the LLF Law Firm or call 888-535-3686 for more information.
