Nursing is a noble profession, but nursing schools don't just give degrees away. As a student at the Regis University School of Nursing, you face challenges other undergraduates don't. You have to carry a heavier science load, for example, and your major courses don't just provide you with general theoretical knowledge. They serve as professional training. Perhaps the biggest difference between you and the typical undergrad, though, is that you're held to much higher standards of personal behavior.
If all of this sounds a bit daunting, it should. No one wants to worry whether or not the nurse who treats them is fully qualified. It's not always easy to navigate such a serious program, though.
The good news is, you don't have to do it alone. The Lento Law Firm is here to help. What can a lawyer do to help you with academics? It turns out that college success can be as much about learning to deal with university bureaucracy as it is about getting to class on time. No one knows more about bureaucracy than attorneys. And no one knows more about educational bureaucracy than the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team.
What can we do for you? Call 888-535-3686 to find out, or take time right now and fill out our online questionnaire.
Nursing Standards at Regis University School of Nursing
Your success at the School of Nursing starts with mastering the curriculum. You may have thought that your first two years of science courses were difficult. Things only get harder once you're actually accepted into the School of Nursing, though. You've got a couple of semesters of pharmacology, such as Pathophysiology and Normal and Therapeutic Nutrition. All of that is before you start tackling some of the more practical courses in nursing, such as Clinical Reasoning and Judgment and Health Assessment.
You're also one of the few majors at Regis that has its own set of outcomes (Student Handbook20-21). You're not going to graduate unless you can successfully demonstrate that you've met all of these.
- Engage in the professional roles of the nurse as a care provider
- Recognize the complex relationships between healthcare needs and diverse backgrounds and perspectives
- Understand the ways in which arts, social sciences, and humanities reflect our human perceptions of healthcare
- Apply methods of critical thinking to improve healthcare
- Develop facility communication with other healthcare team members
- Use technology in a variety of nursing roles
- Demonstrate respect for the intrinsic worth of all individuals and a commitment to the public good
- Participate in personal and professional service activities
- Assume responsibility for continued educational growth
Simply put, there's more expected of you than most undergraduates. That applies in a more practical sense as well. Like all Regis University students, you need to keep your GPA above 2.0 in order to remain in good standing. In addition, though, you must earn a minimum cumulative average of 75 percent on all exams in order to pass nursing courses. Should you fail a course, you must retake it, and the School of Nursing allows you just one chance to do that. Fail a second time, and you can be dismissed from the program altogether (Student Handbook 58-59).
Issues of Misconduct
Nursing students are sometimes surprised to learn that misconduct can get them into more trouble than low grades. Nurses hold a position of public trust, though, and as such are held to high standards of moral and ethical conduct. Expectations begin in nursing school.
Like all students at Regis University, you're expected to abide by university rules and regulations.
- Academic Integrity Policy: Cheating and plagiarism are explicitly forbidden, but anything that might tend to give you an unfair advantage in completing your coursework can get you into trouble.
- Student Code of Conduct: This document governs your non-academic behavior and includes prohibitions on things like underage drinking, hazing, weapons possession, and trespassing.
- Title IX Sexual Misconduct Policy: Complies with federal government Title IX guidelines barring sexual discrimination and harassment.
As a nursing student, you face additional expectations. You must abide by the ethical rules that govern the nursing profession, and you must meet the School of Nursing's standards of professional conduct (Student Handbook 29-32). Under these rules, you can find yourself in trouble for anything from verbal abuse of a patient to HIPAA violations.
Sanctions
Whatever the particular offense, the School of Nursing employs the same set of sanctions as the university.
- Formal warning
- Probation
- In-course punishments such as lowered grades on assignments and lowered course grades
- Special educational assignments
- Attendance at a workshop or class
- Mandated counseling
- Restorative justice
- Restitution
- Loss of privileges
- Suspension
- Dismissal
- Denial or revocation of degree
Keep in mind that sanctions carry additional weight for you as a nursing student. No matter how minor the offense or how light the punishment is, any finding of Responsibility (guilt) can have serious repercussions on your future. Even a warning for cheating can cost you your chance at graduate school, for instance, and any black mark on your record is going to be a concern at job interviews. Additionally, most state licensing agencies require you to report any misconduct violations you committed while in school.
Administrative and Judicial Processes
You are under a tremendous amount of scrutiny as a nursing student at Regis, and the consequences for a mistake are serious. However, no one can punish you without first giving you the opportunity to defend yourself. You have due process rights.
- Academic Defenses: It can sometimes be difficult to defend yourself from an academic sanction. That's because they're generally based on facts that aren't in dispute—your classroom performance and your GPA. Of course, Regis doesn't dismiss you the moment you fall out of good standing. You're allowed a probationary period and the chance to make up work. In addition, there are a number of strategies that can help you keep your grades out of the danger zone. Extenuating circumstances, for instance, can be grounds for extra time to improve.
- Misconduct Defenses: Any time you're facing a misconduct charge, Regis should conduct a full investigation. You should also be allowed to defend yourself at a hearing. You can present evidence, call witnesses, and raise questions about the evidence against you. However, sanctions can be more severe in these cases than in the case of academic deficiencies.
Whether you're dealing with an academic issue or a disciplinary issue, your Lento Law Firm attorney is well-versed in all Regis University and School of Nursing processes and procedures. They can help guide you through school bureaucracy and show you how to make the best use of your rights.
Trust the Lento Law Firm to Handle Your Case
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team has defended hundreds of students from all types of issues—from rape charges to cheating scandals. We are always on your side, ready to fight for your rights, and determined to get you the best possible resolution to your case.
For more information on what we can do for you, call us today at 888-535-3686 or click on our online form and tell us about your problem.
