Administrative Violation In Nursing Education and Annoying Acts, Violations and Criminal Conduct by Nursing Student
Annoying Acts and Administrative Violation By Students In Nursing Education, Administrative Violations By Students In Nursing Education, Criminal Conduct By Nursing Students and Nursing Education.
Annoying Acts and Administrative Violation By Students In Nursing Education
Annoying acts are behaviors that may not be desired but do not violate an administrative code of conduct. Annoying acts are usually included in the institution’s policy informing the student of behaviors that are or are not expected of the student.
Student conduct policies can address poor interpersonal communication skills, such as monopolizing class discussion, and discourteous, abrasive, aggressive, or hard-to-get-along-with behaviors. Annoying acts may also include poor time or life management skills, entering class late or leaving class early, or repeated excuses for poor performance.
From a developmental perspective, addressing annoying behaviors in the learning environment offers a tremendous opportunity to assist the student toward professional comportment. It is important for the educator to be mindful of the manner used to communicate with a student regarding annoying behaviors.
In confronting students regarding annoying behaviors, faculty are keeping small problems small and possibly avoiding an escalation of behaviors along the continuum. The risk management level is low, but over time these types of behaviors can escalate.
Although these behaviors are at the more benign end of the continuum, it is best to document any observed behaviors and interactions with students regarding their conduct. The key in responding to annoying behaviors is to keep grounded in the learning experience, even though the behavior is annoying to you.
When talking with students about annoying behaviors, focus on the importance of the learning environment and on the goal of meeting or exceeding the course learning objectives. You are not simply asking the student to be polite or thoughtful; you are exploring with the student how his or her behavior is not serving him or her, you, or the rest of the learning community.
Based on these authors’ experience, most likely once faculty have met with a student who displays annoying behavior, brought these behaviors to the attention of the student, and suggested new behaviors, no further misconduct will occur. In fact, coaching sessions can often lay the foundation for a productive teaching learning mentoring relationship.
From a professional educational standpoint, it is important to note that these annoying acts, left unchecked, may subsequently manifest themselves in the professional workplace. Clearly and consistently holding students accountable for their actions has an immediate effect on the individual as a learner and a future effect on the individual in his or her professional life.
Administrative Violations By Students In Nursing Education
Administrative violations are behaviors that violate an administrative code of conduct. Administrative violations include a variety of behaviors that significantly disrupt the learning process, such as acts of intimidation or harassment. These behaviors may be motivated by a desire to gain an academic advantage through scholastic misconduct, such as cheating, plagiarism, or fabricating results.
Because codes or policies of student conduct are unique to each institution, it is strongly recommended that faculty acquaint themselves with their institution’s code to know when a student may have violated policy. From a developmental perspective, there may be an opportunity to assist the student, but this will depend on the incident and the student’s disposition and attitude for change.
For instance, an incident involving an alcohol-impaired student coming to an on-campus class that has a zero tolerance for such behavior would limit faculty’s ability to work with the student in a coaching capacity.
If faculty have reason to believe that a student has violated the campus student code, the best approach is to document the faculty’s observations, when reasonably possible talk with the student, and engage the student to fully understand the situation.
If after talking with the student it continues to appear that a violation has occurred, then documentation of the student’s behavior should be referred to the appropriate administrative officer as prescribed by campus policy. It is important to communicate with the student regarding any allegations of misconduct.
In confronting students regarding possible violations, the sooner you confront the student, the better. It might be advisable to contact your department chair to assist you in talking with the student. In confronting the student immediately, you avoid an escalation of behaviors along the continuum.
The risk management level is moderate but over time these types of behaviors can escalate and increase the administrative severity and the possibility of the behavior violating local, state, or federal law. These behaviors should be documented, as should interactions with students regarding their conduct.
Faculty should expect that the incident will be referred to the appropriate administrative office for disciplinary review.
Criminal Conduct By Nursing Students and Nursing Education
Criminal conduct can be characterized as behaviors that violate local, state, or federal criminal law. Criminal conduct includes a variety of behaviors that significantly disrupt the learning process, such as threats or acts of violence, stalking, intimidation, harassment, possession of firearms, drugs, alcohol, or theft.
Because local and state laws can vary and the application of the law to college populations can vary as well, it is strongly recommended that faculty acquaint themselves with the practices at their institution. It is also recommended that faculty discuss these legal issues with their department chair and fellow colleagues so that they become familiar with the historical context and institutional practice.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination based on sex, including harassment and the continuum of sexual violence. Historically, Title IX has been inconsistently enforced on campuses across the nation, with the issue often clouded because of drug or alcohol use by those involved.
Guidance in the application of Title IX states that sexual violence “refers to physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable of giving consent due to the victim’s use of drugs or alcohol” (United States Department of Education, 2011).
To promote a safe learning environment and comply with Title IX, faculty should act on and report all suspected incidents of sex discrimination or violence in a timely manner, regardless of whether the victim chooses to report the incident to law enforcement.
From a developmental perspective, acts that are determined to be criminal allow very little opportunity to assist the student and should be quickly relegated to campus and local law enforcement personnel for investigation and disposition. For instance, an incident involving one student threatening to injure a fellow student limits faculty’s ability to work with the student in a coaching capacity.
If faculty have reason to believe that a student has acted criminally, the best approach is to document their observations and immediately report the observations to the appropriate campus law enforcement personnel. When criminal conduct is suspected, it is important for faculty to inform their immediate supervisor (e.g., department chair) of the incident and contact campus law enforcement.
Each situation will dictate the faculty’s role regarding any further engagement with the student regarding her or his behavior. In many cases, as the student’s instructors, faculty may know the student best and could become a vital resource as to the most constructive approach to take with the student to minimize any threat of violence or disruption to the student and to the greater learning community.
The risk management level is high and all exchanges with the student should be carefully coordinated with campus law enforcement and the campus office responsible for student conduct to limit an escalation of criminal conduct. The campus administration may further hold the student accountable for an administrative violation of the student code of conduct following an investigation of the alleged behavior.
It is important to understand that a university or college cannot and should not insulate the student from being held accountable for criminal actions. These behaviors should be well documented. Faculty should expect that the incident will be referred to the appropriate administrative unit for disciplinary review.
Pursuing a single incident through multiple levels of the university as well as pursuing both criminal and administrative action is not considered double jeopardy; rather it is a result of multiple jurisdictions properly responding to a single behavior.