Revision Responsibility: Registrar

Responsible Executive Office: President

Purpose: To establish responsibility for student attendance requirements and faculty attendance reporting requirements for all courses at Platt, including online courses (eCourse), blended learning courses (eCombination), web-enhanced/face-to-face (eCompanion) courses, and nursing clinical/simulation learning environments.

Policy:

Establishing Attendance Week One

Students must establish attendance in all courses (online, hybrid, and face-to-face) each quarter during the first week of class in order to determine financial aid eligibility.  While the attendance policy allows student absences totaling no more than 20% of the total contact hours for each course over 10 weeks, students must attend the first course of each class (online, hybrid, and face-to-face) during week one of each quarter. 

If a student cannot be in attendance during the first class in a course to establish attendance, s/he must have a documented notice in writing to the College Registrar prior to the course beginning.  Even if a student notifies a faculty member, s/he must also notify the College Registrar in writing.  Funding for a student will not occur for a course until attendance has been established. 

For students who do not attend the first class of each course and establish attendance and no documented prior exception has been granted (i.e. Title IX related absence), then financial aid disbursements will not be made for that course and students will be dropped from the course during the add/drop period.

A. Online Learning Courses (eCourse)

Online Learning Courses are presented in weekly module units.  The weekly attendance period begins Mondays at 12:00 am and ends on Sundays at 11:59 am Mountain Standard Time (MST).  Absences must be reported and submitted at the end of every module to the Registrar. 

Beginning with the first course module, faculty are required to keep complete and accurate records of student attendance for all classes taught.  One module is equal to one week.  Students are allowed absences totaling no more than 20% of the total contact hours for each course over 10 weeks.

Online courses will, at minimum, have weekly requirements for student participation.  Online attendance activity within the online (virtual) classroom, which usually includes but is not limited to, posting in a graded discussion forum, or submitting a written assignment.  Faculty must include at least one weekly participation requirement per module per course in order to track and define attendance.  Students should refer to individual course syllabi for specific attendance requirements.

Students who do not officially withdraw after the add/drop period or who are not automatically dropped at the end of the first week of the course are responsible for full tuition of the course regardless of their participation in the course.  Students who stop attending the course without appropriate notification to the College about withdrawing will receive a final grade of "WA" for administrative withdraw for the course.  

B. Blended Learning Courses (eCombination)

Attendance is taken in every face-to-face class or weekly online module session.  Faculty are required to keep complete and accurate records of student attendance for all classes taught.  One blended learning (hybrid) experience or module is equal to one week.  Students are allowed absences totaling no more than 20% of the total contact hours for each course over 10 weeks.  Absences must be reported and submitted at the end of every face-to-face class or weekly online module session to the Registrar.  Blended courses will, at minimum, have weekly requirements for student participation.

Faculty must include at least one weekly participation requirement per module per course in order to track and define attendance within the different learning environments.  During online weeks, students will be counted as present or absent on the day of the week the face-to-face component of the class normally takes place.  Students should refer to individual course syllabi for specific attendance and tardiness requirements.

C. Web-Enhanced Courses (eCompanion)

Attendance, defined as the student being physically present in the classroom, is taken in every web-enhanced (face-to-face) class session. Faculty are required to keep complete and accurate records of student attendance for all classes taught. Students are allowed absences totaling no more than 20% of the total contact hours for each course over 10 weeks.  In the event of an absence or tardy, the ability to make up missed work will be in accordance with faculty syllabi requirements.  Minutes tardy and the amount of time missed for partial attendance will be recorded by faculty. Absences must be reported and submitted at the end of every class to the Registrar.

D. Attendance Discipline for eCourse, eCombination, and eCompanion Classes

If a student misses more than 20% of a single class in a quarter over 10 weeks, the following steps will be taken:

Step-by-Step Discipline (Warning/Probation/Temporary Suspension/Termination)

• Step One: The student is placed on attendance warning the subsequent quarter after a student fails to meet the attendance requirements; time period is one quarter.
• Step Two: The student is placed on attendance probation the subsequent quarter after a student fails to meet the attendance requirements and is already on attendance warning; time period is one quarter.
• Step Three: The student is placed on temporary suspension the subsequent quarter after a student fails to meet the attendance requirements and is already placed on attendance warning for one quarter and attendance probation for one quarter; time period is one quarter. After the student has been temporarily suspended for one quarter, he/she is eligible to return to Platt College. If a student continues to not meet the attendance requirements upon return, he/she will return to step one.
• Step Four: Termination is issued when a student is placed on temporary suspension and fails to return to the College for the student's first week of classes after the temporary suspension time period elapses. After a student is terminated from the College, the student must reapply for entry.

Example of Step-by-Step Discipline

If a student misses two consecutive weeks of all classes enrolled in at Platt during the quarter:

• The Registrar will notify the financial aid and the appropriate administrator.  The student will be contacted by the Registrar.  An absence of two weeks’ worth of all courses during a single quarter will cause the student to be terminated from his/her enrollment at Platt College.  After a student is terminated from the College, the student must reapply for entry.

Students placed on attendance warning, probation, temporary suspension, or termination will be notified by the Registrar via the approved method for official communications according to Policy 07:11:00 College Communication.

D. Definitions/Explanations of Clinical/Simulation Absence Policy

Attendance for all scheduled clinical/simulation rotations is mandatory.  In the event of illness or an unusual circumstance, students are required to notify the clinical/simulation faculty member of an absence or tardy at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the clinical/simulation day. Failure to notify the clinical/simulation instructor will result in a failing grade for the day and a charge of $50 per hour will be assessed to make up the missed clinical/simulation experience. The contact information for clinical faculty members/clinical scholars/clinical preceptors/simulation instructors will be provided to the student(s) when he/she is scheduled for a clinical/simulation learning experience by the Clinical Placement Coordinator via email. Dismissal from the clinical/simulation site may result if a student is more than 10 minutes late from the time designated by the clinical/simulation instructor.  The student will receive a failing grade for that clinical/simulation day and will be charged to make up the missed clinical/simulation experience.

Clinical/Simulation Absence

• When a student is not present at the assigned/scheduled clinical facility/simulation experience on the preset date and time, or is 10 minutes or greater late to the clinical facility/simulation experience without prior notification to the clinical/simulation instructor, the student will be marked absent
• All (excused and unexcused) clinical/simulation absences are required to be made up.

Excused Clinical/Simulation Absence

• A student may be excused from a clinical/simulation learning experience for the following two reasons:
• Acute illness (fever of 101°F or above, nausea and/or vomiting, diarrhea, or any other condition classified as contagious, such as conjunctivitis (pinkeye).
• Attendance at the funeral of an immediate family member

In the case of acute, unexpected illness, the student MUST notify the clinical/simulation faculty member and clinical agency on the day of the absence. Documentation from a medical provider stating the date and time you were seen must be provided to the clinical placement coordinator (CPC) by fax or in person within 72 hours of the missed clinical. In the case of a funeral, the funeral program must be provided to the CPC within 72 hours of the missed clinical. Clinical/simulation learning time that is missed due to illness or funeral attendance is required to be made-up, but the student is not charged.

If the student is absent for more than 10% of the assigned clinical/simulation, the student will be asked to drop the entire course and retake the entire course the following quarter.This is necessary because clinical/simulation evaluation and progress is dependent on the student attending the entire allotted clinical/simulation time.  

Unexcused Clinical/Simulation Absence

An absence in which the student does not attend a scheduled or assigned clinical/simulation day or is 10 minutes or greater late to the clinical/simulation experience and the student does not provide the CPC with written documentation is considered unexcused.The student will be charged fifty ($50.00) per hour for each required hour of the clinical/simulation make-up time. For example, if a student misses a 12-hour clinical/simulation learning experience, the student will be charged $600.00 to have the clinical/simulation rescheduled and made-up.

Clinical/Simulation Make-up  

Make-up hours are scheduled and assigned by the CPC. Make-up hours are assigned when the earliest appropriate placement slot is available.This may mean that these hours extend into successive quarters of the program.The student will receive an Incomplete on their transcript until the required clinical/simulation hours are successfully completed.

Please be advised that missing (excused or unexcused) clinicals/simulation experiences could mean that graduation dates will be delayed until the required make-up clinical/simulation learning experience is successfully completed.

Returning to Clinical/Simulation After Illness or Injury

• A physician or mid-level provider's medical clearance may be required before a student returns to the clinical/simulation area following illness or injury. Major illness, injury, surgery, communicable diseases, and pregnancy require a physician or mid-level provider's documented medical clearance.
• In order to attend clinical/simulation, the student must be able to perform all competencies and performance standards for nursing students that are essential for safe nursing practice.  In addition to the medical clearance, the provider must complete a Physical Form for The School of Nursing and attest with their signature that the student can perform ALL of the physical requirements of nursing WITHOUT limitation. ANY limitation will result in the student being placed on an LOA until the physical competencies can be performed. (See Physical Form School of Nursing)
• A pregnant student must present a physician or mid-level provider's statement to continue in clinical experiences.
• Students with a fever of 101°F or above, nausea and/or vomiting, diarrhea, or any other condition classified as contagious, such as conjunctivitis (pinkeye), may not attend clinical. The excused absence policy will apply.
• Illnesses occurring at the College or clinical site may require transport by emergency medical services (EMS). Students are financially responsible for their own medical care, including emergency transportation from the College or clinical site.
• Students with casts, splints, or a condition that inhibits movement also need a physician or mid-level provider's clearance.  Individual clinical agencies may not all the student to provide direct patient care in certain instances necessitating a course withdrawal. Students not meeting the physical and/or emotional requirements of agencies may request a leave of absence.

Clinical/simulation experiences are an important component of the nursing program. Every effort is made to provide clinical experiences that enhance the integration of theory content to nursing practice and prepare students for the professional nursing role.

Students receive safety education during new student orientation and again in NRS 232L, Basic Principles of Patient-Centered Care on how to minimize environmental risks to themselves and others.  Students are expected to follow these procedures throughout the nursing program.

Any behaviors that place a student, patient/client, or others at risk for injury because of failure to follow safety regulations, or that jeopardize the present and continued use of a clinical facility may result in dismissal from the program.

Students may not be enrolled in two courses with practicums at the same time except during quarter eleven. In some rare instances this may be required to ensure the concurrency of practicum learning with didactic learning experiences and will be determined by the Clinical Placement Coordinator, the Dean, School of Nursing, and the Registrar in conjunction with the clinical agencies/simulation experiences. Students will not be permitted to take more than one nursing core course with a practicum in order to attempt to progress through the nursing program faster than the established program length of 36 months.

Pre-Clinical/Simulation Assignments

When reporting to a clinical/simulation site for pre-clinical/simulation assignments/preparation, you must arrive appropriately attired. Unless directed otherwise, business casual professional dress with a white lab coat, the School of Nursing patch on the left upper sleeve, and a visible Platt College photo identification name tag clearly displayed is required. Denim clothing is not acceptable attire. Clinical/simulation preparation includes, but is not limited to, having a plan of care for the patient/client, being able to discuss the disease process and pharmacologic treatments, and review of potential nursing care skills to be performed.

Revised: January 17, 2011 to reflect revised organizational chart; January 13, 2012 to include more details in Clinical Learning Experiences; June 20, 2012 to reflect financial aid attendance requirements for Section IV; December 5, 2012 to include online, blended, and web-enhanced course attendance requirements; June 30, 2014 to eliminate eCourses, July 7, 2016 to include eCourses for Intersession courses, November 27, 2018 to include establishing attendance during week one