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The College of Nursing Student Handbook is designed to be a resource for academic procedures and policies specific to nursing students. Students should use the handbook as a first point of reference for questions concerning the program of study, course scheduling or academic policies, and refer to online policies for additional clarification.

Advisers and faculty are prepared to assist students throughout their nursing program and in planning for a career after graduation. SDSU has several resources to assist students and opportunities for student participation at the university and college levels. Please utilize these and all that they offer.

You have embarked on an exciting and rewarding journey. We are here to assist and support your educational and career endeavors. While you are primarily responsible for your own success, many individuals are ready to assist you in your efforts. On behalf of the dean, faculty and the staff of the College of Nursing, we wish you success with your academic studies and pursuits.

Table of Contents

Section 1: Introduction

Section 2: SDSU Student Policies

Section 3: College of Nursing Student Policies

Section 4: College of Nursing Advising, Admission and Progression

Section 5: College of Nursing Professional Standards

Section 6: College of Nursing Academic Standards

Section 7: Student Opportunities

Section 8: End of Program Information

Section 9: Graduate Student Specific Information

Section 1: Introduction

The College of Nursing (CON) Student Handbook is designed as a guide to help students in their educational pursuits. The handbook directs students to services, procedures, policies and requirements of the South Dakota State University CON. The purposes are to:

• Provide guidance for new and continuing students.
• Describe general expectations and resources.
• Inform students of their rights and responsibilities.

The handbook should be used in conjunction with syllabi and other materials distributed during orientation, registration or by faculty and administrative offices. The CON reserves the right to change policies and procedures without prior notice. Changes are often made in response to university or partnership policy changes. This handbook is not intended to be and should not be regarded as a contract between the university, college and/or any student or other person. The CON will post a notification to students when changes in procedures or policies are made. The student is accountable for those changes.

About the College

The CON began in 1935 with the goal of educating nurses to meet the health care needs of the people of South Dakota and beyond. Approximately one-third of the newly licensed registered nurses in South Dakota are SDSU graduates. The college’s mission, vision and values may be accessed at the CON website.

Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program and postgraduate advanced practice registered nurse certificate program at South Dakota State University are accredited by the .

SDSU CON Healthcare Simulation Center has full accreditation by the in the areas of teaching/education. This status will be granted from Oct. 25, 2022 through Dec. 31, 2027.

Section 2: SDSU Student Policies

Students are responsible for reviewing the SDSU student policies found in the SDSU Academic Catalogs and Student Handbooks. SDSU student policies are not included in this handbook.

Section 3: College of Nursing Student Policies

Students are responsible for also reviewing the Healthcare Simulation Center Handbook. These policies are not included in this handbook.

Technical Standards

The SDSU Technical Standards for admission, academic progression and graduation are an integral component of the SDSU CON academic requirements. See Technical Standards for details.

Key areas of the technical standards in nursing include:

• Observation
• Communication
• Motor movement
• Intellectual, conceptual and quantitative abilities
• Behavioral and social attributes
• Ability to manage stressful situations

Nursing students must meet all requirements of the Technical Standards, with or without reasonable accommodations, in order to successfully progress through and graduate from the program. These requirements pertain to student conduct regardless of the setting (e.g. classroom/didactic, office, on-campus simulation, off-campus clinical, email communications, etc.).

3-2 Guideline: Student Complaint Process for Graduate and Undergraduate Programs

Definition of Student Complaint: A student complaint is a program-related problem or condition that a student believes to be unfair, inequitable, discriminatory or a hindrance to the educational process.

Definition of Financial Appeal: A student appeal may be initiated if a student believes they were billed by the CON due to an unfair, inequitable or discriminatory reason. Financial appeals must be initiated within thirty days after the occurrence. Financial concerns related to tuition, fees etc. should be directed to the SDSU Financial Aid office.

Purpose of Student Complaint Process Guidelines: The student complaint guideline is intended to provide a voice for the student who has a course concern, program-related concern, financial appeal or other general issue. The student complaint guideline is not intended to address changes in policy and does not apply to grading practices or student misconduct.

Students who have an academic appeal must follow the process outlined in the SDSU Policy 2:4. Student misconduct procedures are outlined in the SDSU Policy 2:4. Students will find resources for Title IX/Equal Opportunity complaints on the SDSU public website. Students also have the option to submit complaints through the university’s electronic reporting system.

Students should follow the chain of communication outlined below to resolve a student complaint or financial appeal. Students who start at a higher level on the chain or skip an individual will be referred to the appropriate individual. Academic advisors can assist the student with this process.

Chain of Communication:

• Faculty member
• Assistant dean or specialty coordinator/program director
• Associate dean for academic programs
• Dean of the CON

Students who have a student complaint or financial appeal must adhere to the following steps:

1. The student should make an appointment with the faculty member to discuss the student complaint and seek resolution. The faculty member will document the complaint and provide a response within ten calendar days after the student meeting.
2. A student who is dissatisfied with the faculty member’s decision may contact the assistant dean or specialty coordinator/program director within ten calendar days after the faculty member’s response to arrange a meeting. The assistant dean or specialty coordinator/program director will document the complaint and provide a response within ten calendar days after the student meeting.
3. A student who is dissatisfied with the assistant dean or specialty coordinator/program director’s decision may schedule an appointment to meet with the associate dean for academic programs within 10 calendar days after the assistant dean or specialty coordinator/program director response. The associate dean for academic programs will document the complaint and provide a response within ten calendar days after the student meeting.
4. A student who is dissatisfied with the associate dean for academic programs decision may schedule an appointment to meet with the dean within 10 calendar days after the associate dean for academic programs’ response. The dean will document the complaint and provide a response within 10 calendar days after the student meeting.

After discussion with the dean, the student will adhere to the final decision regarding the complaint. A concern not resolved at the assistant dean or specialty coordinator/program director level will be considered a formal complaint. All such complaints are filed with the associate dean for academic programs.

3-3 Injuries, Exposure or Needle Sticks

Students who experience injury, exposure to blood or body fluids or a needle stick while in clinical, simulation or the skills lab are expected to notify the instructor immediately. The instructor will guide the student in accessing any medical care needed and will assist with completion of required reports at the agency and for the university. Students are responsible for the costs of any necessary medical care. Policies differ depending on the campus site.

3-3 Student Travel Policy

Description: This policy states that students are responsible for their own travel. Students are responsible for their own transportation to class, clinical and practicum. Travel time does not count as clinical or practicum time.

3-4a Travel Related to Site Visits (APRN only)

Practicum courses will require faculty to visit the student’s clinical site. When the clinical site visitor is required to travel greater than 200 miles, the student will be responsible for costs associated with travel.

Travel expenses may include the following:

• Airfare
• Hotel
• Rental car
• Parking
• Mileage
• Per diem/meal

The student will be invoiced upon completion of the site visit. All invoices must be paid by the end of the applicable semester. In some instances, it may be possible for the student to travel to an approved clinical site to complete the site visit and pay for his or her own travel expenses to this site. The student will need to contact the APRN program director if this is desired.

Section 4: College of Nursing Advising, Admission and Progression

4-1 Academic Advising

Academic advising is formal and informal guidance intended to help you investigate, identify and accomplish individual academic and career plans. The process of academic advising is an important part of the successful completion of the nursing program and graduation requirements. Academic advisors can provide you with assistance in course selection and scheduling, academic issues, application to the nursing major and information on campus resources.

The CON employs professional academic advisors who advise students at the undergraduate level from prenursing through completion of the nursing program and at the graduate level throughout their plan of study. Students are assigned to an academic advisor who will ensure they meet the academic requirements for graduation and help them with resources for success. Students work closely with their academic advisors throughout their academic careers. Students are expected to meet with their academic advisor at least once a semester. Students who have concerns about the academic advising process with their academic advisor may contact the director of nursing student services.

Academic advisors assist students with the following:

• Registering for classes
• Application process
• Dropping courses or making significant schedule adjustments
• Academic difficulties (including midterm deficiencies)
• Academic petitions finding or using university information and academic resources
• Transferring to another college or university
• Changing majors at SDSU
• Identifying equivalent courses at other universities

4-1a Advising in the Graduate Program

Academic Advisor

Each student admitted to the graduate nursing program is assigned to the nursing advisor/graduate specialist for academic guidance. The student and advisor should meet (in person, by telephone or by email) at least once each semester.

It is the responsibility of the academic advisor to:

1. Advise the student concerning the selection of coursework.
2. Assist in planning and submitting the program of study (in collaboration with faculty adviser).
3. Provide counsel in other matters pertinent to successful completion of graduate study.
4. Monitor the progress of the student and report as needed to the specialization coordinators/program directors and associate dean for academic programs.

The academic advisor and/or faculty adviser will assist the student in completing their plan of study. The plan of study for master's and postgraduate certificate program students (templates located in D2L, under graduate nursing student information) should be submitted to the student’s academic advisor at the start of the second year of the program. After approval and signature is obtained from the academic advisor, the plan of study is sent to the dean of the graduate school for approval. The plan of study for the doctoral students, DNP and Ph.D. (templates located in D2L under graduate nursing student information) will be drafted once all committee members are finalized. The student is responsible for obtaining all the committee members’ signatures prior to filing the plan with the SDSU Graduate School.

Students who have filed an official plan of study with the SDSU Graduate School are bound by the approved plan. Any changes to the plan of study must be approved by the advisor and Graduate School. This process is done via completion of the change to plan of study form (templates located in D2L under graduate nursing student information) and then sent to the Graduate School.

If a student has not filed a plan of study and changes are made to the program and/or specialization curriculum plan, the student must file a plan of study that adheres to the new requirements. Students who have already filed a plan of study may choose to adhere to the existing approved plan of study or may choose to file a change of plan of study that reflects the program and/or specialization curriculum plan.

Specialization Coordinator/Program Director

The SDSU graduate nursing program provides specialization coordinators or program directors for graduate nursing students. These coordinators function as the primary contact person for students regarding selected program or program specialization specific questions. Specialization coordinators include the master's nurse educator coordinator, master's nurse administrator coordinator, and DNP clinical nurse leader coordinator. The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) program director serves as a link for APRN students, and the Ph.D. program director supports Ph.D. students. Postgraduate certificate students are connected accordingly with their chosen specialization. Coordinator information is posted in D2L under graduate nursing student information.

Faculty Adviser

If applicable, graduate students select a faculty adviser (faculty member must have graduate faculty status).

• Master's students (thesis only) select a faculty adviser who also serves as the chair of the student’s thesis committee. The faculty adviser is selected no later than the completion of NURS 670.
• DNP students select a faculty adviser to serve as the DNP Project chair. The faculty adviser must hold a terminal degree and a relevant practice focus. Co-advisers are allowed. The faculty adviser is selected no later than the completion of NURS 850.
• Ph.D. students are appointed a faculty adviser upon admission. The student may request a change of adviser following Graduate School guidelines to allow for evolving research interests and changing circumstances. Co-advisers are allowed.

Additional details about this process, the makeup of the committee, and the role of the advisory committee are described in the SDSU graduate catalog.

The student and faculty adviser should meet (in person, by telephone or by e-mail) at least once each semester.

It is the responsibility of the faculty adviser to:

1. Assist in planning and submitting the program of study.
2. Provide counsel on other matters pertinent to successful completion of the graduate study.
3. Monitor the progress of the student and report as needed to the specialization coordinators/program directors.
4. Advise the student regarding the selection of committee members.
5. Assist the student to submit the Graduate School request for appointment of committee members including the graduate faculty representative.

The student has the right to petition the graduate admissions and scholastic standards committee in writing to change their faculty adviser (see change of adviser section below).

For Master's Thesis Students, DNP Students and Ph.D. Students Only

The thesis committee chair, the DNP project chair(s) or the Ph.D. dissertation chair(s) will be the person who will chair the final oral examination.

Adding and/or Dropping a Course

Procedures for adding or dropping a course are outlined in the .

4-2 Transfer Course Permission and Transcript Evaluation

Current SDSU students should see their academic advisor before enrolling in support courses at other colleges and universities that have not been approved to replace an SDSU support course. When these courses are taken at colleges or universities outside the South Dakota Board of Regents System, students must have official transcripts sent and evaluations processed through the Office of Records and Registration. Once courses are evaluated, the student can check the electronic system to see how their courses are officially transferred to SDSU. Students should keep in mind that the transcript evaluation process may take several weeks to finalize. Having all transfer work evaluated in a timely manner is important to ensure accurate advising and graduation.

Doctorate Students Only: Obsolete Coursework

Doctorate (DNP and Ph.D.) programs must be completed within eight years from admission to the program. Courses taken more than eight years before completion of the doctorate are considered obsolete. Obsolete courses may be used in the doctoral degree program if validated and accepted by the advisory committee according to Graduate School requirements.

Ph.D. Students Only

Approved statistics courses to meet the minimum six credit statistics requirement for the Ph.D. in nursing plan of study are:

• HSC 631 – Biostatistics I (SDSU)
• HSC 731 – Biostatistics II (SDSU)

Statistics courses other than HSC 631 and HSC 731 on a student’s plan of study must be approved by the associate dean for academic programs.

4-3 Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Physical Assessment Coursework Expiration for APRN Students

Description: This policy provides guidelines for the expiration of coursework in the “3P” courses (pathophysiology, pharmacology and physical assessment) for graduate nursing students who are not currently certified as an APRN. Students must have current knowledge and skills to be competent in these areas. Additionally, in accordance with the consensus model, each of these three courses must contain a lifespan component.

• Students who are admitted to the graduate nursing program of study will have a plan of study on file which demonstrates the appropriate timeline for each of these three courses.
• Students who transfer in coursework from another institution will provide evidence of a family or lifespan component for each of the “3P” courses.
• Students who choose to unenroll from the plan of study will be notified of this policy.

For PmHNP and AGACNP Postgraduate Certificate Applicants

Students who have not previously completed either NURS 623 (Pathophysiology – Lifespan), PHA 645 (Pharmacotherapeutics – Lifespan) or NURS 631 (Advanced Assessment – Lifespan) will be required to complete those courses as part of this program or have similar coursework reviewed by the CON.

4-4 Progression, Site Transfer and/or Readmission

Undergraduate

• The nursing curriculum courses are delivered in a cohort model so students in the major will register for a bundle of classes that must be taken and all passed successfully before moving on to the next semester’s nursing courses. Students who fall out of progression may be placed at a new site based on space availability.
• On rare occasions, students may be allowed to transfer from one nursing major program site to another. These requests must be submitted via a site transfer request during the progression process. Requests for site transfers are approved on a space-available basis and only for extenuating circumstances; written documentation must be provided. The student should contact their academic advisor for further information and initiation of the appropriate form.

Remediation Required for Undergraduate Students Out of Progression in the Nursing Program

Purpose of NURS 491: The CON team is dedicated to student success throughout the nursing program. We recognize there are situations where students may not be successful in a semester and fall out of progression in the nursing program, which can create challenges in maintaining nursing knowledge, critical thinking skills and technical skills. NURS 491 will serve to “bridge the gap.” It does not introduce new concepts; it is intended to reinforce current or past knowledge and skills.

Who needs to take NURS 491: Any student who is out of progression in the nursing program and not enrolled in a clinical course will be required to take one credit of NURS 491 (a variable credit course that progression students take during the semester prior to resuming progression in the nursing program). This includes Brookings and Rapid City standard students who are retaking a course during the summer to resume with their cohort in the fall. Students will be required to take one credit of NURS 491 for each time they are out of progression in a different semester. Students must successfully complete NURS 491 to resume in the nursing program.

What is included in NURS 491: This course will provide an individualized approach to enhance student knowledge, skills and abilities based on semester and individual needs. There is substantial one-on-one student-teacher involvement and delivery may include online and face to face components (including on campus lab days).

Graduate

Students formerly enrolled as graduate students at SDSU and who have not maintained continuous enrollment (excluding summer semesters) must apply for readmission to their program. Programs may require the student to update supporting documents for the application. Readmitted students are encouraged to contact their graduate adviser prior to registration. Students who are readmitted may be required to change their advisory committee, file a new plan of study or resubmit other matriculation documents. Readmission decisions will be made on a space available basis. If a previously admitted student has an enrollment lapse of twelve months, a new application must be completed and submitted to both the SDSU Graduate School and the graduate nursing program.

Section 5: College of Nursing Professional Standards

5-1 Professional Standards

Nurses have ethical and professional standards to maintain in working with clients or patients. As members of the health care team students are expected to demonstrate professional conduct and behaviors consistent with professional nursing and the Code of Ethics for Nurses. Unethical, dishonest or illegal conduct that is inconsistent with the Code of Ethics for Nurses may result in dismissal from the nursing major. Student conduct concerns are handled by the vice president of student affairs.

5-2 Unsafe Behavior During Nursing Courses

Student behavior may be considered unsafe in the clinical, simulation or classroom setting if it endangers self or others. Unsafe or unacceptable clinical performance occurs when there is harm or potential for harm. This can be determined by the faculty or nursing staff in the area. Clinical includes all on-campus or off-campus experiences.

Unsafe or unacceptable care may occur when procedures are carried out incorrectly, care is not delivered in a timely manner, assessments are inaccurate or changes are not reported. Some examples include:

• Inability to complete care/assignment within the established time period
• Inappropriate or untimely communication
• Evidence of behaviors by the nursing student that reflect an impaired state
• Evidence of inadequate preparation for clinical activities
• Incorrect or inadequate assessment/intervention
• Dishonesty

If a student is not prepared for clinical, the faculty member may ask the student to leave which will result in an unexcused absence. A performance improvement plan document will be initiated by the instructor. The faculty member will work with the student to correct the performance. Should a student’s behavior continue to be unsafe, the faculty member can choose to remove the student from the clinical area at the time of the occurrence or for the rest of the semester. The CON may require a student to be drug tested for cause.

5-3 Nursing Student Professional Performance Improvement

Nurses and students have ethical and professional standards to maintain in working with clients or patients. As members of the health care team, students are expected to demonstrate professional conduct and behaviors consistent with professional nursing, CON technical standards and the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses.

Professional Performance Improvement

The professional performance improvement process is intended to strengthen a student’s academic, clinical and professional behavior and facilitate student growth toward achieving program outcomes by providing honest, direct and immediate feedback. The student performance improvement plan (PIP) signifies commitment between the student and faculty to establish a performance improvement plan to correct identified knowledge and or behavioral deficits. The student is asked to use reflection and self-evaluation during the remediation process. In turn, the faculty will provide the student with the necessary guidance, support and resources as outlined in the PIP for student success.

Purpose:

• Provide the student with individualized, specific and mutually agreed upon action steps to improve student performance.
• Promote professional responsibility and accountability in class, clinical experiences, simulation, lab or when representing SDSU CON.

Unethical, dishonest, unsafe or illegal conduct that is inconsistent with the Code of Ethics for Nurses may result in dismissal from the nursing major. Student conduct concerns are handled by the vice president of student affairs.

Procedure

The PIP is initiated when a student is identified as demonstrating unsatisfactory professional performance (academic, clinical, practice and unprofessional behavior). In line with just culture, students will be given warning when they demonstrate unprofessional performance or behaviors and allowed time to demonstrate improvement. However, the warning is bypassed, and the written plan enacted when the performance or behavior is unethical or unsafe, placing the student, patient, faculty, program or even the agency at risk. Examples include breaching confidentiality, being impaired or under the influence of drugs during class or clinical, performing an invasive nursing skill incorrectly or unsafely after having been validated, performing a skill that the student has not learned yet etc.

Warning

When unacceptable performance or behaviors are witnessed or brought forward, the faculty may meet with the student to discuss (warning) the behavior and outline acceptable performance behaviors. Conversation and specific behavior may be documented on the clinical evaluation tool or on appropriate course-specific documents. If performance does not improve or is deemed unethical or unsafe, faculty will initiate a written PIP.

A PIP is initiated when any of the following occurs:

• Student performance is clinically unethical or unsafe.
• Continual or repeated performance issues following the initial verbal notice.
• Student is at risk of not achieving one or more of the courses or learning outcomes.
• Student performance can be enhanced by remedial learning to meet the course or program outcomes.
• Student performance is unprofessional and violates CON standards, the Code of Ethics for Nurses or university student conduct code.
• Issues of academic integrity such as cheating, plagiarism, etc., should be addressed on the Academic Integrity Resolution Form following

PIP Steps:

1. Recognize student behavior that does not meet CON undergraduate performance standards.
2. Determine if a PIP is needed and which performance standards will be addressed in the PIP.
3. Notify semester coordinator/program director/specialization coordinator and the assistant dean via email of need for PIP.
4. The assistant dean will communicate to the faculty member who will need to attend meeting following these guidelines:
   1. First PIP: student, faculty member and/or program coordinator
   2. Second PIP: student, faculty member, program coordinator and site assistant dean
   3. Third PIP: student, faculty member, program coordinator, assistant dean and associate dean for academic programs
5. Faculty member will arrange a time to meet with student and required attendees. The student may invite their academic advisor to be present.
6. Complete part A of PIP form.
7. Obtain all necessary signatures.
8. Faculty arranges a meeting with the student on an agreed upon evaluation date.
9. Complete part B of PIP form.
10. A signed copy of the PIP form should be given to the student.
11. The original PIP should be routed to the assistant dean at the program site for record keeping. The original PIP will be retained by the assistant dean at the program site until graduation, at which time the PIP will be destroyed.
12. The faculty member completing the form should retain a copy.

5-3a Student Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) Form

Guidelines: Faculty will fill out the form (available to faculty in Teams), print it and then meet with the student. Signatures are not needed until the meeting with the student.

5-4 Attendance Guideline

Purpose: To inform students regarding attendance requirements

Description: This policy lists which nursing events are considered excused absences and how clinical and/or lab make-up is arranged. SDSU’s general class attendance policy, as stated in the SDSU undergraduate catalog and policy and procedure manual, will be followed.

College of Nursing Excused Absences

Within each academic year there are activities that are regarded as CON approved events for excused absences from nursing or health science classes, laboratory or practicums. Such events include the South Dakota Nurses’ Association Convention; the Student Nurses’ Organization Convention; the Student Nurses’ Organization meetings, workshops or board meetings, wellness or health forums on campus sponsored by the university and the South Dakota Public Health Association. Events not included in this list will be reviewed on an individual basis by department leaders.

The guidelines to be used to arrange an absence which applies to the above events are as follows:

• This is a concept of general approval and not blanket approval. Students are expected to make individual arrangements with faculty members well in advance of the activity.
• Students may request an excused absence from class and lab to attend these events. Because these are official college approved events, it is expected that faculty will facilitate students to attend them.
• Students must be attending these events either in conjunction with their participation in the organization or as a class assignment. In the case of an RN or a graduate student, the student is a member of the relevant organization, its board or committees.
• Students must arrange in advance with the faculty for the excused absence and determine what accountability is necessary because of the absence.This is a concept of general approval and not blanket approval. Students are expected to make individual arrangements with faculty members well in advance of the activity.
• Students may request an excused absence from class and lab to attend these events. Because these are official college approved events, it is expected that faculty will facilitate students to attend them.
• Students must be attending these events either in conjunction with their participation in the organization or as a class assignment. In the case of an RN or a graduate student, the student is a member of the relevant organization, its board or committees.
• Students must arrange in advance with the faculty for the excused absence and determine what accountability is necessary because of the absence.

5-5 Guideline: Nursing Tardiness Action Algorithm for Clinical, Simulation or Community Experiences

Tardiness defined: Arrival of five minutes or more after assigned arrival time as published in the semester, clinical or simulation calendar, or as previously agreed upon by a community clinical group.

Background: This tardiness guideline was developed in accordance with just culture – duty to produce an outcome. Duty to produce an outcome includes an individual’s responsibility for the outcome of a situation. For students, examples of duties required to produce an outcome include arriving on time, following dress code and meeting program requirements.

Procedure for instructor: In the event a student is tardy, the faculty member will review the two situation descriptions, select the situation that most closely matches the current situation and follow the required action.

Situation #1: Tardiness has no impact on ability to provide safe direct patient/client care.

Examples such as:

• Student is prepared to provide safe care.
• Experience does not include direct patient/client care.
• Student can receive patient/client report.
• Student can complete onsite preparation, as required for safe care, prior to accepting responsibility for patient/client care.

Action: Student can stay for clinical shift, simulation experience or community clinical. For the first occurrence, the instructor will initiate conversation regarding professional performance expectations. A second occurrence requires the semester coordinator/specialization coordinator/program director to initiate a PIP. All tardiness is noted on the clinical evaluation tool.

Situation #2: Tardiness inhibits/prohibits ability to provide safe direct patient/client care.

Examples such as:

• Student is unorganized/unprepared.
• Student has missed patient/client report.
• Student is unable to complete onsite preparation, as required for safe care, prior to accepting responsibility for patient/client care.

Action: Student is required to leave the clinical setting immediately and is required to initiate the process of scheduling clinical makeup as outlined in the billing procedure for an unexcused off or on campus clinical. Semester coordinator/specialization coordinator/program director initiates a PIP. Tardiness is noted on clinical evaluation tool.

5-6 Guidelines for Clinical Absences: Billing Procedure for an Unexcused Off or On Campus Clinical

Excused

• University officially approved absence per South Dakota Board of Regents policy (verified medical reasons, death of a loved one or verified extenuating circumstances)
  • Verified medical reasons:
    • Acute physical and/or mental illness or condition with validating documentation such as a providers' note, to be produced upon request.
    • Surgery for acute health issues with validating documentation such as a provider’s note, to be produced upon request.
    • If applicable to any of the above, the student would need to complete the health attestation for students form.
    • Death of a loved one with validating documentation such as a eulogy or obituary, to be produced upon request.
• Verified extenuating circumstances with validating documentation such as a notice of jury duty summons or active military orders.
• Birth/adoption of your child.

Unexcused

• No call, no show
• Personal interview, vacation, breaks
  • University absence policy
• Unsafe practice (impaired judgment)
• Clinical appearance policy
• Unprepared for clinical
• Out of compliance only applies to off campus clinical; does not apply to on campus clinical

For medical appointments, students are expected to make reasonable efforts to schedule medical appointments around course work commitments. Routine health appointments should be scheduled around course work commitments. Examples would include dental appointments, annual physical examinations, elective surgery and preventive health maintenance appointments.

For absences that do not meet the university approved absences criteria, request for approved absence is to be submitted to the semester coordinator, graduate specialization coordinator or APRN program director at least one month prior to the semester start date or earlier. However, it does not guarantee approval or accommodations to avoid an unexcused absence.

Any absence will require that the student make up the missed hours and assignments. The makeup for an unexcused absence may be required to occur outside of any prescheduled dates. The makeup for an unexcused absence may be required to occur outside of any prescheduled dates. The student is responsible for initiating the process of scheduling makeup within 24  hours (Monday through Friday) after the absence to the faculty of record via Jacks email. If a student demonstrates a pattern of repeated excused and/or unexcused absences, the faculty, semester coordinator, graduate specialization coordinator or APRN program director will reach out to the student to schedule a meeting to discuss academic success. A PIP or contract for success may be initiated.

Billing Procedure

For an unexcused absence, the student will be billed by the CON for the number of hours missed.

On and off campus

Includes skills lab, face to face simulation, virtual simulation and orientation.

• Fewer than two hours = $66
• Greater than two to four hours = $132
• Greater than four to six hours = $198
• Greater than six to eight hours = $264
• Greater than eight to 10 hours = $330
• Greater than 10 to 12 hours = $396

Community Clinical

Based on the community clinical experiences, unexcused absences will be handled on an individual basis.

An incomplete grade will be recorded for all courses for which payment has not been received before the final date grades are due for the semester.

5-7 Prohibition of Employment During Clinical/Practicum Hours Policy

Purpose: This policy outlines the prohibition of students engaging in employment during their assigned practicum/clinical hours to ensure the integrity of the educational experience and professional development.

Description: Students are strictly prohibited from engaging in any form of employment during their shifts assigned for practicum/clinical hours. Any employment during the designated student practicum/clinical shift constitutes a conflict of roles and is considered dishonest to both the student’s employer and the educational institution. This policy applies to all students enrolled in programs requiring practicum/clinical hours as part of their curriculum.

Any student found to be working during their practicum/clinical hours will face disciplinary action, which may include dismissal from the program.

Procedure

1. Reporting violations: Any suspected violation of this policy should be reported immediately to the program director or clinical faculty member.
2. Investigation: Upon receiving a report, an investigation will be conducted to determine if the policy has been violated. The SDSU program director or clinical faculty member will collaborate with the clinical site to investigate the report.
3. Disciplinary action: If a violation is confirmed, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.

5-8 Patient Privacy

Students must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Students must complete required training prior to clinical. Violations of HIPAA may result in sanctions up to and including dismissal from the nursing program as well as federal prosecution, fines and imprisonment.

5-9 Use of Mobile Devices in a Clinical Setting

Purpose: To provide guidance to students and faculty regarding the use of mobile devices during clinical. Clinical includes all on campus and off campus clinical experiences.

1. The use of mobile devices is prohibited when facility communication devices are provided. This includes but is not limited to hospital telephones (land lines) and computers that have access to education needs (electronic health information, internet).
2. If mobile devices are deemed necessary by the clinical instructor, mobile devices may only be used during clinical for educational purposes.
3. Additional restrictions may be imposed by the individual clinical facility policy regarding the use of mobile devices. Clinical facility policy supersedes the CON policy.
4. HIPAA
   1. All students have been advised of and are expected to comply with HIPAA regulations. All patient related information is confidential. Patient related information is defined as all information related to the health, business or personal matters of the patient or patient’s family. This includes but is not limited to Protected Health Information (PHI) that is based on a patient’s diagnosis, examination, treatment, observation or conversation and information maintained in medical records that contain diagnostic or treatment related information.
   2. PHI may not be entered into personal mobile devices.
   3. Still photos, audio and video recording are prohibited.
5. Cleaning of mobile devices must comply with the infection control policy and procedure at the clinical site. If the device becomes contaminated, it should be cleaned with the recommended disinfectant. If a patient is in isolation, the mobile device may not be taken into the patient’s room unless it is approved within the infection control policy and procedure.

5-10 Social Media and Electronica Communication

Description: To describe appropriate use of electronic communication (such as email) and define inappropriate use of social media and associated reporting requirements. Consequences for misuse of social media are provided.

• Legal Guidelines:
  • Nursing students have ethical and legal obligations to maintain privacy and confidentiality at all times. Students must not post any identifiable student, faculty or patient information. Removing the individual’s name does not necessarily protect the person or patient’s identity and sharing information, even with names removed, may be enough to constitute a violation of one or both of the laws listed below and may have academic, employment and legal consequences (American Nurses Association, 2011).
  • Course materials including presentations, assignments and associated images or recordings are the intellectual property of SDSU and protected under copyright law. It is unlawful and unethical for nursing students to share class materials or recordings/images of class materials.
• Use of Electronic Communication:
  • Electronic communication guidelines include the use of email, discussion boards and other typewritten communication related to CON activities.
  • When using electronic communication, students should follow netiquette guidelines.
  • When communicating with CON instructors and staff, students should follow email etiquette guidelines.
  • Students should refer to the course syllabus for preferred methods of communication with faculty. Text messaging is not appropriate for official communication between faculty and students.
• Use of Social Media:
  • Social media is defined as websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.
  • Nursing students must not refer to patients, faculty, peers or clinical agencies in a disparaging manner, even if they are not identified.
  • Nursing students must uphold the legal guidelines (FERPA, HIPAA and Intellectual Property) in all social media content.
  • When using social media, students should only post content that reflects positively on them, the CON and SDSU.
  • If students post content regarding the CON or SDSU, it should be clear that it does not represent the CON or SDSU and that the content posted represents only the views of the student.
  • Students representing the university on social media in an official capacity must adhere to SDSU Social Networking Guidelines.
  • Inappropriate online postings may negatively impact future career opportunities in the nursing profession. Employers and educational institutions may conduct web searches on prospective employees, including online information and postings, and may use that information to make hiring decisions.
• Communication With and About Patients:
  • Communicating with patients or family members via social media is prohibited. “Online contact with patients or former patients blurs the distinction between a professional and personal relationship. The fact that a patient may initiate contact with the nurse does not permit the nurse to engage in a personal relationship with the patient” (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2011, p. 3).
  • Students must not post any personal or health related information associated with patients or others such as name, diagnoses, age, room numbers, photographs or other images, injuries or treatments of patients, or other information in regard to procedures, surgeries, births, deaths or any incidents on any social media.
  • Nursing students must not transmit, by way of any electronic communication or social media, any patient-related information or image that is reasonably anticipated to violate patient rights to confidentiality or privacy or to otherwise degrade or embarrass the patient.
• Reporting of Inappropriate Use of Social Media:
  • Nursing students must promptly report any identified breach of confidentiality or privacy by SDSU nursing students, other SDSU students, other nurses or other health care professionals to a faculty member, adviser or supervisor.
  • Nursing students who view content that violates ethical or legal standards should first bring the content in question to the attention of the individual who posted it so that this individual can take appropriate action. Just as nurses are required to report posts that could threaten patient privacy regarding health information or patients’ health or welfare (American Nurses Association, 2011), nursing students are obligated to report posting violations.
• Consequences:
  • Any student failing to adhere to the standards set forth in this policy is subject to administrative action, including any and all of the following: written reprimand, course failure, administrative withdrawal from the nursing major and administrative withdrawal from the university.
  • Any post that could be harmful or reflect negatively on other students, the CON, SDSU or any other persons, may result in liability for the individual sending the message.
  • Posting photographs/recordings without permission from the individuals in the photographs/recordings may also result in legal consequences.

Associated link(s):

5-11 Nursing Student Uniform and Appearance

Purpose: To define the CON requirements and expectations for appropriate and professional appearance, supporting safe practice in all clinical settings on campus (lab and simulation) and off-campus clinical. Clinical site policies supersede this CON policy. An approved SDSU logo student white coat and name badges are to be worn only for clinical experiences and as authorized by the CON.

Graduate nursing students should wear professional attire when meeting with agency personnel for clinical experiences, projects or dissertation. Students must wear their SDSU student name tag.

RN to BSN program students should wear professional attire when meeting with agency personnel and during population-based clinical experiences. Students must wear their SDSU student name tag. There is no specific uniform requirement for RN to BSN students.

Photo ID name badges: Photo ID and SDSU CON name badges are required for all clinical activities, regardless of the uniform worn. The badge is to be worn on the upper half of the torso (not at the waist) and visible to all. The CON pays for the first name badge. If the name badge is lost or damaged, the student is responsible for replacement and should contact Nursing Student Services at their location. Other unique identifying tags may be required per clinical site.

Clinical clothing for undergraduate on and off-campus clinical: The clinical uniform for students consists of blue scrub pants, scrub top with official institutional logo/wordmark and name badge. The pants should be no shorter than ankle length and they should not touch the ground (this may involve the need for alterations). A longer-than-knee length skirt, matching the blue uniform color, is allowed. For infection control purposes, students should wear a lab coat over the uniform while on campus prior to or after clinical sessions. Optional attire: matching blue scrub jacket with official institutional logo/wordmark. In some clinical areas, long sleeves may be discouraged for infection control. Uniform order forms are available from Nursing Student Services.

Undergraduate community clinical: For clinical that occurs in the community, students will wear the designated blue polo shirt with official Institutional logo/wordmark; khaki, navy or black dress-style slacks or longer-than-knee length skirt; and name badge. The pants should be no shorter than ankle length and they should not touch the ground. Optional attire: matching blue scrub jacket with official Institutional logo/wordmark. Skin-tight pants or leggings are unacceptable clinical attire.

Graduate: Students should wear business casual attire with the SDSU white coat to all clinical experiences. The exception may be on-campus procedure labs. For these experiences, faculty will discuss the dress code before the on-campus experience. Pants should be no shorter than ankle length and they should not touch the ground. Skin-tight pants or leggings are unacceptable clinical attire. Skirts and dresses should be no shorter than knee length.

AGACNP clinical: AGACNP students will follow facility institution guidelines for clinicals which occur in sterile environments such as operating rooms. Please consult with faculty for these clinical experiences.

Shoes for all clinical settings: Clean, flat, protective and fully-enclosed professional nursing or athletic shoes are required. Examples of unacceptable shoes include but are not limited to thin canvas or mesh shoes, slippers, boots, sandals and shoes with wooden soles. Community clinical faculty may make weather-related, site-specific exceptions to shoe requirements.

Additional supplies: Additional supplies needed will be based on the clinical site and experience and may include a watch with second-timing function, stethoscope and a black ink pen.

Other expectations

Hair: Should be clean and neat, worn above the collar, and off the face. Facial hair must not compromise personal/patient safety. The CON recognizes the importance of cultural and religious practices regarding hair styles and head coverings.

Jewelry/piercings/tattoos: Jewelry, piercings and accessories must be minimal, appropriate, and safe (infection control and personal/patient safety) for the work being performed. Inappropriate jewelry/tattoos include anything obscene or sexual in nature and/or anything that can be construed to be discriminatory against sex, race, ethnic background or religion. Inappropriate tattoos must be covered with bandages, clothing or cosmetics. Examples of unsafe jewelry/piercings include dangling/hoop/bar and/or gauges that a finger can hook into or pull.

Fragrances: Many individuals are sensitive to environmental odors and pet hair. Students should avoid fragrances (perfume or aftershave, other scented products), as well as tobacco smoke, body odor and pet dander.

Nails: Fingernails should be clean, well-trimmed and must not prohibit job duties or hand hygiene. Artificial nails, nail adornments and chipped polish are prohibited for infection control/safety concerns. Some specialized areas may not allow nail polish of any kind.

Additional considerations:

• Clinical site policies supersede this, nursing student uniform and appearance policy. For example, in some specialized areas, students will wear the designated uniform of that unit. Students should consult with the course faculty member or APRN Program Director concerning any changes in clinical uniform.
• Prenursing students with questions related to uniform and appearance will contact nursing student services. Nursing students with questions related to uniform and appearance will contact their faculty member.
• Failure to comply with this policy may result in an unexcused absence and may include the initiation of a PIP.

Related policy: Health Care Simulation Center Handbook Code of Conduct

5-12 Compliance Requirements

To better serve our students, SDSU CON uses a secure, online platform for managing our students' compliance documents. The online management system allows students to meet the requirements of the agencies where they participate in clinical experiences. This online management system provides students with the following features:

• Secure upload of immunization records and other compliance documents from a personal computer or device.
• Electronic access to documents 24/7 while in the program.
• Email reminders for requirements not yet completed or with approaching renewal deadlines.
• Easy and comprehensive way to complete background checks and drug screenings.

Upon admission to the nursing program, the student will be given instructions to complete compliance requirements through the online compliance management system.

Compliance requirements that are not approved in the online compliance tracking system (Exxat) by the stated deadline, including documents/screenings that require renewal throughout the course of the program, will result in the following:

• The student will not be allowed to participate in off-campus clinical experiences until in compliance.
• Each absence will be considered unexcused and will follow the billing procedures for an unexcused off or on-campus clinical.
• Registration hold will be placed on future course registration until the student is in compliance.

Requirements due/expiring on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday must be addressed prior to the expiration date. If the requirement is not approved in the online compliance tracking system by 5 p.m. on Thursday (prior to the expiration), the student will not be permitted to attend off-site clinical on the following Monday, if applicable.

Students who are not in compliance will be notified by SDSU nursing compliance by the second working day of each week. The student will remain out of compliance until the requirement has been approved in the online compliance tracking system. Compliance requirements can be found under Requirements After Admission” for each nursing degree option.

5-13 Return to Clinical Policy

Description: Requirements of admission to the nursing program include compliance with technical standards and clinical partner requirements. A change in health status or health concern may impact a student’s ability to meet these standards. A student who has experienced a change in health status (such as hospitalization, surgery, injury, birth, etc.) must work with the appropriate provider to complete a health attestation for students form outlining any restrictions that would prohibit them from fully participating in nursing program clinical experiences, including on- and off-campus clinicals. Per SDSU Policy 2:5 Class Attendance, “should excused absences be excessive, the faculty member may recommend withdrawal from the course(s) or award an incomplete grade."

The Health Attestation for Students form is available in the D2L courses NURS 112 nursing major and graduate student nursing information and Exxat.

Undergraduate

Undergraduate students must submit the Health Attestation for Students to the semester coordinator(s) and upload the form to the compliance management system. The semester coordinator(s) will notify the assistant dean and collaborate with the assistant director of academic and clinical placement, the Healthcare Simulation Center director, and the student’s adviser as necessary. The student may not be allowed to return until the technical standards can be met, as determined by provider documentation of restrictions.

Graduate

Graduate students must submit the Health Attestation for Students to the APRN program director or specialization coordinator and upload the form to the compliance management system. The APRN program director or specialization coordinator will notify the associate dean for academic programs and collaborate with the assistant dean of academic and clinical placements, the Healthcare Simulation Center director and the student’s adviser as necessary. The student may not be allowed to return until the technical standards can be met, as determined by provider documentation of restrictions.

5-14 NURS 495 Practicum Capstone

SDSU will priority place for NURS 495 practicum capstone at South Dakota clinical facilities. Other requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may be subject to additional charges. Any additional charges for practicum placement are the responsibility of the student.

Section 6: College of Nursing Academic Standards

6-1 Undergraduate Grading Scale, Progression and Program Requirements

Purpose: The following policy includes the grading scale, progression guidelines and program requirements for the nursing major.

Undergraduate Grading Scale

• A = 92 to 100%
• B = 84 to <92%
• C = 76 to <84%
• D = 68 to <76%
• F = <68%

No Rounding. All grades will be recorded to the hundredths place (two decimal points). The point value will not be increased to the next highest number. For example, 91.99% will not be rounded up to 92%.

Progression:

• Entrance into the second and subsequent semesters of the major courses requires satisfactory completion of all nursing major and required support courses. If students withdraw from a course or fail to progress as planned in the major for any reason, there is no guarantee that there will be a place for them in another semester due to the limited size of clinical sections. The final decision for readmission and continuation in the nursing major rests with the dean of the CON.
• Students enrolled in the standard program will not exceed four years from the start of the nursing program to completion.
• Students enrolled in the NACC program will not exceed two years from the start of the nursing program to completion.
• If a student chooses to transition from the NACC program to the standard program, the student will not exceed four years from the start of the nursing program to completion.

Grades Needed to Continue in the Nursing Major (Undergraduate):

• A grade of C or higher is required in all nursing major courses (including prefixes NURS, HSC or PHA). All undergraduate courses with the NURS prefix utilize the university’s ConnectState early alert function, which notifies the student’s advisor when a student is not meeting course expectations. Students who fail a nursing major course may repeat with application to and permission from the progression committee.
• Permission may be granted based on the circumstance related to the failure and based on available space. Students should work with their academic advisor to initiate a progression application.
• Students should consult with their academic advisor as early as possible if a potential failure in a nursing course exists. Advisors can assist students with the appropriate steps to take and assist students with a withdrawal from the course(s) if that is appropriate.
• Students should note that while a withdrawal (W) grade in a course prevents failure, students receiving them will still need to apply to repeat the course(s) and progress in the major. Additionally, the university differentiates between various types of withdrawal grades and a GPA impact may occur with a large number of W grades. Students should consult the university catalog grading policies.
• A student who fails a course due to unsafe practice in a clinical experience will not be eligible for readmission to the nursing major unless evidence is submitted that unsafe behaviors have been corrected.
• Incomplete I grades may be given at the instructor’s discretion in appropriate circumstances and per university policy.
• All incomplete I grades in nursing major courses and other required courses must be satisfactorily removed before progression to the next semester of the nursing major.
• Students falling out of progression (not continuing with the same cohort through the same Semester 1 through Semester 5 courses in normal progression), may incur additional academic costs. For example, ATI or other subscriptions required of students in the program may need to be extended at the student’s expense.

6-2 Graduate Nursing Grading

Description: A student must earn a B or higher in each graduate nursing course to progress in the graduate nursing program. There is no rounding of grades in graduate nursing courses. If a C or lower is earned, the course must be repeated.

Graduate Grading Scale

• A = 91 to 100
• B = 81 to 90
• C = 71 to 80
• D = 61 to 70
• F = <61

No Rounding. All grades will be recorded to the hundredths place (two decimal points). The point value will not be increased to the next highest number. For example, 91.99% will not be rounded up to 92%.

All courses taken appear on the student’s academic record, but when a course is repeated, only the most recent grade is calculated into the cumulative GPA. This policy applies to both undergraduate and graduate coursework

6-3 Graduate Student Academic Progression

Description: This policy describes the criteria and processes for progression towards program or degree completion. The graduate nursing policy on academic progression is two-fold in that it includes both the overarching Graduate School policy and graduate nursing program specific components as identified below.

Graduate School Policy

The SDSU graduate nursing program adheres to the graduate student admission and progression policy.

Graduate Nursing Program Policy

The graduate nursing program requires the following additional criteria for progression:

• Students are required to successfully complete each course in their respective program plan of study. Successful completion is defined as completing the required course with a grade of B or higher.
• Fabrication or misrepresentation of clinical hours, preceptor evaluations or faculty evaluations, either intentionally or unintentionally, will result in failure of the clinical, thus failure of the course (grade F), and may result in removal from the program.
• Students who do not successfully complete the required course(s) will be required to repeat the course(s) in order to progress in the program.
• Requests are reviewed each semester and decisions made based on space availability and academic performance.

6-5 ATI Protocol for Undergraduate Students

Assessment Technologies Institute offers an assessment-driven review program designed to enhance student National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses success. The comprehensive program offers multiple assessment and remediation activities. These include assessment indicators for academic success, critical thinking and learning styles, online tutorials, online practice testing and proctored testing over the major content areas in nursing. Assessments are incorporated into nursing courses once students complete the initial semester of the nursing major. Students should refer to the protocol listed in individual D2L course sites for more information.

Section 7: Student Opportunities

7-1 Student Involvement

Students are encouraged to be involved in university and college activities. The activities listed here are specific to the CON. There are additional activities available to students at the university level.

Student representative(s) participate in general course discussions and provide input to the faculty team. Student representatives are not included in discussions regarding the performance of other students.

The CON has nursing student ambassadors at each site. Check with academic advisors on the application process. Ambassadors assist with a number of events and activities representing the college to future and current students, families and the public.

Student Nurses Association chapters are active at each site. They have informational meetings with speakers, fundraising projects to support community service activities and participate in state and national association activities.

A Nurses Christian Fellowship group may be available at each site.

7-2 Guideline: Student Representative Role

Purpose: To guide the process for selection, duties and expectations of student representatives.

Description: Within the first three weeks of each semester, students elect two student representatives for their cohort. During a class period, the semester coordinator or designee will ask students to nominate class members for the student representative positions. After the nominations cease, the semester coordinator or designee will call for a vote. Students will vote for two nominees. Student representatives may only serve one semester.

Job Duties:

• Semester team meetings are generally held monthly. The semester coordinator will notify the student representatives of the team meeting schedule.
• The student representative(s) attends a semesterly team meeting to provide information on how the students are doing and offer suggestions and ideas for helping students’ learning.
• No student representative(s) will be present while faculty members are discussing either an individual student’s or faculty member’s performance.
• The student representative(s) is not allowed to bring forth an individual student’s issue. If approached by a fellow student who has an individual issue or complaint, that student should be referred to the course faculty or the semester coordinator. See SDSU CON student complaint process for graduate and undergraduate programs.
• Prior to the semester team meeting, the student representative(s) will send items for the agenda. Some semester coordinators may ask student representative(s) to survey their cohort using the suggested questions below.
• At the beginning of each team meeting, a maximum of 15 minutes will be set aside to discuss the student representative agenda items.
• The semester coordinator will dismiss the student representative(s) following discussion of the student representative agenda items and appropriate announcements
• Student representatives demonstrate leadership and serve as role models; therefore, they are expected to act professionally and always use professional communication (written and oral).
• For time sensitive or immediate concerns, the student representative(s) is encouraged to talk to the semester coordinator as soon as possible.
• Following the team meeting, the student representative(s) is expected to communicate with their fellow students about discussions and feedback provided from the meeting.

Suggested Questions:

• What are things that are going well?
• What are some things students are struggling with?
• What are some things that would help the students achieve their goal of becoming a nurse?
• List possible suggestions or solutions (be specific).

Section 8: End of Program Information

8-1 Exit Survey

It is an expectation that students will complete an online exit survey as part of the college program evaluation process. Information gathered through these exit processes will be reviewed and reported in aggregate. No individual student comments or information will be reported.

8-2 Requesting a Reference or Recommendation

The student may contact the faculty member or academic advisor of choice for the recommendation. Providing additional background information such as the student’s community/college activities and professional or leadership positions held, or scholarships awarded, is beneficial. Prior employment should also be included. Allow adequate time for the faculty member/academic advisor to write the recommendation before the stated deadline.

8-3 Graduation Application

The student must submit a graduation application by the date specified by the university for the term in which completion of the degree is expected. Failure to submit this application will result in a delay in graduation. Students who submit an application but fail to graduate may be assessed a charge and a registration hold will be placed on their account. The registration hold will be removed once the charge is paid.

8-4 Pinning and Hooding; Annual Commencement Ceremonies

The CON holds a pinning and hooding ceremony for graduating students in December (Brookings and Rapid City), May (Brookings and Rapid City) and August (Brookings). The pinning and hooding ceremony recognizes the discipline of nursing uniquely and in addition to university ceremonies of graduation.

The university commencement (graduation) ceremony occurs each year in May at the Brookings campus. Since this ceremony is an annual event, students completing their degrees in the previous twelve calendar months may attend. August and December graduates may request to participate in the May ceremony by contacting the Registrar’s Office. All students are encouraged to participate in the spring commencement ceremony; however, attendance is optional. See the graduation website for more information regarding graduation and commencement guidelines.

There are additional charges associated with ordering academic attire and graduation announcements, and the Registrar’s Office provides information to students who have applied for graduation, including how to order diplomas and ordering academic regalia at .

8-5 Registration for NCLEX and State Licensure (RN Licensure)

There are two steps students must take to become licensed as a registered nurse: 1) register for the National Council Licensing Exam through Pearson Vue, and 2) obtain and complete information for state board licensure in the state in which the student plans to practice. Licensure and application processes differ by state, so it is important to check the state board of nursing website for the state in which the student plans to obtain a license. It is important to begin this process early in Semester 5 as some require a background check, drug screen, or other documentation. The steps for licensure and links to the state nursing boards are found on at the .

8-6 Certification (APRN or additional certification)

Students who complete the Nurse Educator, Nurse Administrator, Clinical Nurse Leader, Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner or Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specializations are eligible to take the National Certification Exam for their respective specialization (see below).

Note: Additional requirements may be required by the certifying body, e.g. nursing experience, experience in specific employment setting/role, etc.

Section 9: Graduate Student Specific Information

9-1 Academic Progress of Thesis, Project and Dissertation Coursework

All students pursing a master’s degree (if opting for the thesis option), a DNP degree or a Ph.D. degree must complete a thesis, project or dissertation, respectively. Each semester a student is engaged in activities in support of these objectives, the students must be enrolled in the in NURS 798, NURS 880 or NURS 898. The instructor, in consultation with the student, will determine the goals of the coursework for that semester. The student should be notified of the goals in writing sufficiently early in the semester to allow for completion of the goals. Each course will be graded with either an S or U, for Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory, respectively. Students receiving a U grade for NURS 798, NURS 880, or NURS 898 in two semesters may be dismissed from the program. Recommendation for dismissal will be communicated from the instructor to the Ph.D. program director/APRN program director/master’s specialization coordinator to the associate dean of academic programs to the dean of the graduate school l who will conduct the review. The review will consider the student’s entire academic performance weighed against (a) the necessary research, clinical and/or scholarly abilities to complete the student’s chosen graduate degree and/or (b) the rate of progress toward degree completion.

9-2 Continual Registration for Dissertation, Project or Thesis

Students who have completed the required number of dissertation, project, or thesis credits on the plan of study but are still involved in research work as part of the degree requirement, must continue to register for one credit for each succeeding semester, including summer, until the degree is awarded.

Registration is the student’s responsibility and must be completed and payment made by the appropriate deadline each semester. Failure to register may delay award of the degree and thereby require additional registrations.

9-3 Annual Evaluations

Thesis students and doctoral students shall be provided with written progress evaluations on an annual basis. In accordance with Graduate School requirements, the student’s adviser and committee are expected to conduct an annual formal review of the student’s progress toward degree completion, including assessment of satisfactory performance in coursework and completion of thesis, project, or dissertation goals. The review will include a written evaluation summary documenting review findings and include discussion of progress, future recommendations, and the opportunity for student input and rebuttal. The Annual Review form is posted in D2L undergraduate nursing student information.

9-4 Master's Thesis or Nonthesis Options

The master’s program specializations include two options: thesis or nonthesis.

• The thesis option includes a minimum of five credits of NURS 798 Thesis. The thesis is an original research study of limited scope completed under the direction of a thesis adviser. The thesis is defended at the oral exam but must be accepted and approved by the Graduate School before the student is allowed to graduate.
• The nonthesis option includes coursework only.

For master’s degree specializations thesis master's students, Graduate School rules for graduation require a final oral examination before a committee comprising a minimum of two faculty members with graduate faculty status from the CON and one university graduate faculty representative appointed by the Graduate School. A listing of CON graduate faculty can be found in D2L course under graduate student nursing information.

Thesis Planning Checklist

* The Graduate School sets deadlines for graduation each semester.

9-4a Final Oral Exam

Thesis master's students follow the Graduate School requirements for the final oral exam. Nonthesis master's students will follow the graduate nursing degree specialization requirement for the final exam.

9-5 DNP Projects (DNP APRN Only)

The DNP options require the completion of a DNP Project (NURS 880). Additional information on this process can be found in the DNP project handbook in D2L under graduate nursing student information.

Each DNP student will have a committee to guide and evaluate the DNP Project. The committee will include the faculty adviser (chair), two SDSU CON faculty members who hold graduate faculty status and a SDSU graduate representative.

• Bachelor's to DNP students or postmaster's DNP /FNP or PMHNP students who do not have Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) certification must have one committee member with APRN certification in the specialty in which the student is seeking a degree.
• Postmaster's DNP students who are certified as an APRN (CNP, CNM, CRNA or CNS) do not need to have a faculty member on the committee with the same APRN certification as the student.
• Students (with the assistance of the DNP project chair and Graduate School) will secure the graduate faculty representative (GFR) to serve on their committee. The GFR must be a faculty member (external from the student's major department) and also hold graduate faculty status. If the student does not indicate a GFR, the SDSU Graduate School will assign a graduate representative (at random) to ensure the quality and fairness of the DNP project process including the final oral exam.
• The DNP student will identify a stakeholder in the clinical setting who will serve as an expert in the DNP Project topic area. The stakeholder will guide project implementation in the clinical setting. The stakeholder is encouraged to participate in DNP proposal and defense but is not required to attend the proposal and defense.

9-6 Ph.D. Students Only: Comprehensive Written Examination, Student Portfolio

The purpose of the comprehensive written examination is to assess the Ph.D. student’s progress in attainment of program competencies and student learning outcomes, including mastery of research processes and integration of knowledge commensurate with expectations of the Ph.D. degree and Graduate School requirements. A student portfolio will be used to satisfy the comprehensive written exam requirement. The student portfolio documents the student’s scholarly growth and accomplishments in meeting the program competencies and student learning outcomes of the Ph.D. program. Deliverables in each portfolio component demonstrate academic and professional growth and development in an organized, coherent format to facilitate monitoring and evaluation by the student’s faculty adviser and advisory committee.

In collaboration with the faculty adviser, the student is responsible for creating a program timeline to fulfill portfolio requirements and scheduling regular meetings, according to the timeline, with their adviser and advisory committee to review progress in selecting and completing the portfolio components. Periodically during the program and when the student has completed or is nearing completion of coursework, the portfolio may be submitted to the student’s faculty adviser and committee for evaluation. Upon successful completion of portfolio components and passing the exam as determined by the advisory committee, the student may progress to the comprehensive oral exam.

The student must be enrolled in at least one NURS 898 dissertation credit when the portfolio is reviewed to fulfill the comprehensive written examination requirement. Student portfolio documents are posted in D2L under graduate nursing student information.

9-7 Ph.D. Students: Comprehensive Oral Examination

Upon passing the comprehensive written examination, the doctoral student will work with the faculty adviser and advisory committee to schedule the comprehensive oral examination through the Graduate School. A minimum of 21 calendar days must transpire between official notification to the student of successful completion of the comprehensive written examination and the comprehensive oral examination attempt.

The doctoral student will meet with the faculty adviser and advisory committee for approximately two hours during which questions about the written examination portfolio document and required coursework will guide the discussion. The GFR must be present for this exam. The advisory committee will designate the outcome as either a pass or fail. Passing requires the approval of the GFR and all but one other advisory committee member. Comments are required to support a fail. The faculty adviser will submit required committee decision paperwork, including indication of successful completion of the written comprehensive examination, using Graduate School policies.

The student must be enrolled in at least one NURS 898 Dissertation credit when the comprehensive oral examination is taken. Upon satisfactory completion of both the comprehensive written and oral examinations, the student is formally admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. The student may use the designation of Ph.D. or doctoral candidate to signify Ph.D. candidacy. The abbreviation Ph.D.(c) and variations are not recognized credentials and should not be used.

The dissertation proposal defense may be scheduled any time following successful completion of the comprehensive oral examination. The Ph.D. comprehensive oral exam checklist and the comprehensive exam rubric are posted in D2L under graduate nursing student information.

9-8 Ph.D. Students Only: Dissertation Proposal and Review Meeting

Upon achieving candidacy, the student may schedule the dissertation proposal review. The purpose of the dissertation research proposal review meeting is to assure the proposed research is original, feasible, rigorous, methodologically sound and meets program expectations before granting approval to proceed with the proposed research.

1. The student must complete training and hold valid certification on the protection of human research participants as required by the university at the time of the proposal.
2. The proposal is expected to provide written information typically found in a dissertation proposal or the equivalent — chapter 1: introduction, chapter 2: review of the literature and chapter 3: methodology or an alternate form as the advisory committee directs.
3. The proposal will address provisions for research compliance and protection of human subjects. This may include supportive documents such as participant invitation and consent forms, protocols, risk and benefit analysis and a completed Human Subjects Research Application form. Proposals will not be submitted for IRB approval until approved by the advisory committee. Multiple applications to different entities may be required depending on institutional requirements and where data is collected.
4. The proposal will include correspondence authorizing use or modification of tools to be used in the proposed research.
5. At the review meeting, the student will present the proposal (approximately 20 minutes) and timetable for completion of the proposed research. The advisory committee will ask questions and engage in dialogue about all aspects of the proposed research and may offer suggestions or proposed revisions or improvements before rendering a decision.
6. The committee decision options are to approve unconditionally, approve with recommendations or to disapprove authorization to proceed with the proposed research and submission of the Human Subjects Research application. Approval of recommendations may require a second committee review at the discretion of the advisory committee.
7. With advisory and human subjects committee(s) approvals, the student may begin data collection.

Note: Students are required to meet compliance requirements of the CON and/or facilities where research is conducted.

The Ph.D. dissertation proposal checklist and the rubric for dissertation proposal grading are posted in D2L under graduate nursing student information.

9-9 Ph.D. Students: Manuscript Dissertation Requirement

The dissertation for SDSU Nursing Ph.D. program students will be written in the form of a manuscript dissertation (MDIS) consisting of a minimum of three manuscripts suitable for publication. The traditional five-chapter dissertation is not an option.

Upon completion of the dissertation research, the student follows the MDIS guidelines and submits the final dissertation document to the advisory committee at least 10 working days prior to the final examination/dissertation defense. MDIS guidelines are posted in D2L under graduate nursing student information.

9-10 Ph.D. Students Only: Final Examination/Dissertation Defense

The student negotiates and arranges the final examination/dissertation defense exam date, time, and location with the faculty adviser and advisory committee. The GFRe must be present for the final examination/dissertation defense.

The student initiates the final oral examination form online to the Graduate School at least 10 working days prior to the final examination/dissertation defense. The final examination/dissertation defense must occur prior to the Graduate School deadline for that semester. CON staff are available to assist with arranging the location and technology needs.

This final oral examination conducted by the advisory committee is approximately two hours in length. The exam begins with a session open to the public (up to one hour at the discretion of the student’s committee) and will include a student presentation of the dissertation research and additional dissertation manuscripts with opportunities for questions and answers. The advisory committee and student then recess into closed session discussion focused on the dissertation research and associated manuscripts as well as the student’s ability to defend the research including questions about the student’s general knowledge, judgment, critical thinking, educational journey and future scholarly pursuits.

Following the presentation and discussion, the student is dismissed for closed committee deliberation. The advisory committee will designate the outcome as either a pass or fail. The adviser will notify the student of the decision. Passing requires the approval of the GFRand all but one other advisory committee member. Comments are required to support a fail. The faculty adviser will submit required committee decision paperwork following Graduate School policies.

Refer to the graduate catalog for requirements on final submission of the dissertation. The dissertation defense rubric is posted in D2L under graduate nursing student information.

9-11 Use of Distance Technology

In keeping with online program delivery, examination meetings, including the Ph.D. student annual review, comprehensive oral exam, and dissertation proposal meetings as described below may be conducted using video technology with committee members and the student at different locations, and the student is not required to be present with a committee member. Distance technology may also be used for the final examination/dissertation defense but requires the candidate to be present with at least one CON committee member for the exam.

9-12 Use of External Editor By Students in Scholarly Writing

An external editor is defined as anyone with no (a) no official instructional capacity in a course taken by the student, or (b) responsibility for supervision of a program-specific student writing requirement whose services are solicited and used by the student for the purpose of providing feedback intended to improve scholarly writing.

Expectations

• Students who use an external editor assume sole responsibility for their own academic work.
• These expectations and guidelines apply to all scholarly work during graduate study including coursework, the capstone project and paper, thesis or dissertation.
• For courses taken at the SDSU CON, use of an external editor must be disclosed to the course professor.

Guidelines

If a graduate nursing student employs the assistance of an external editor, the following guidelines apply.

9-13 Use of an External Statistician by Graduate Students

An external statistician is defined as an individual with statistical expertise whose services are solicited and used by the student to provide guidance and feedback regarding statistical calculations related to academic progression and degree completion requirements. An external statistician may not have (a) an official instructional capacity in a course currently taken by the student, or (b) responsibility for advising or supervision of a degree or program-specific mathematical calculation requirement. Students must secure a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) if using an external statistician.

Expectations

• Students who use an external statistician assume sole responsibility for their own academic work and external statistician compensation.
• These expectations and guidelines apply to all scholarly work during graduate study including coursework, the DNP Project, thesis, or dissertation.
• For scholarly work completed at the SDSU CON, the use of an external statistician must be disclosed to the faculty adviser and committee.
• Students must provide the faculty adviser with the raw data used in analysis and any documents provided by the external statistician.

Guidelines

If a graduate nursing student employs the assistance of an external statistician, the following guidelines apply.

9-14 Research Funding

Students are encouraged to apply for funding to support their research or program of study. There are numerous grants and traineeships available from the Federal government, professional organizations, and philanthropic programs. Please see the SDSU Research webpage for assistance in finding funding. Please discuss possible funding sources with an adviser and visit the Nursing Research webpage for additional ideas and support.