Health

Service learning is an expectation of the DCC nursing program. By participating in a service-learning project, you will be making a difference in your community. It is a hands-on experience that is conducted in, and meets the needs of the community and it helps foster civic and professional responsibility. Service-learning enhances your academic skills, communication, team-building, and critical thinking.

Students are required to participate in a minimum of one service learning project/activity per semester (NSG 100 and NSG 210) and (NSG 170 and NSG 252). The project must be approved by the faculty in advance. Failure to complete this activity will result in an incomplete (I) grade for the course. Student will not progress to the next level until this is completed.

Health

Pregnancy

Should a student enter the program pregnant, or become pregnant during the school year, the student must inform her advisor and faculty. There are areas of clinical practice, which if exposed to, could endanger the unborn child. A statement from the obstetrician regarding her ability to continue in the curriculum, specifically in regard to class and clinical assignments, is required. There are no light duty clinical assignments.

Mental Illnesses/Other Health Concerns

Patient safety is of paramount importance. If a student has a mental illness or other health concern that poses potential risk to a client, the student will not be allowed to continue in the clinical setting. Each occurrence will be handled on an individual basis. There are no light duty clinical assignments.

In-Patient Hospitalization

Following inpatient care, students may not return to clinical labs until the faculty member has received a full medical release in writing. There are no light duty clinical assignments.

Change in Health Status

In the event that a health status changes the student needs to contact her/his healthcare provider to determine if clinical practice could potentially endanger her/himself or others. The student is under no obligation to disclose the nature of the health status change. However, the student assumes all associated risks. In the event that a change in health condition also causes a change in functional abilities, the student will need to submit a health provider statement attesting that the

student can perform full clinical duties. There are no light duty clinical assignments.

Exposure to Hazards

1. Possible exposure to infectious body fluids. 2. Possible exposure to toxic drugs and solution, and radiation.

Latex Allergy

In order to successfully complete any DCC Nursing Program course of study, students must complete a clinical, which consists of spending a substantial number of hours in an environment containing latex. While the Nursing Program may be able to accommodate a dermatitis allergy, it is unable to accommodate a systemic latex allergy. Students must report latex allergies to program director and clinical coordinator.

Infectious Diseases

The management of issues related to infectious diseases in schools of nursing is a significant concern, since the rapid increase in blood-borne diseases has caused an awareness of the need for policies and guidance. The following policy is concerned with all infectious diseases, which may potentially be transmitted during the clinical education of students, including, but not limited to, coronavirus (Covid), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B virus (HBV).

It is the goal of the nursing faculty to promote a safe environment for students, faculty, and the clients with whom we come in contact. These risks are minimized by careful adherence to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Universal Precautions guidelines for all client contacts. However, the nature of the profession of nursing is such that students and faculty may potentially become infected by clients with infectious diseases and may in some cases have the potential to infect those clients with whom they come in contact. Although confidentiality of medical information and individual rights are recognized and supported, the importance of maintaining safety for clients, students and faculty may take precedence in some circumstances. DCC nursing students are required to adhere to all affiliating agency policies regarding infectious diseases and prevention. Students who refuse any vaccine will be required to follow agency policies regarding declination and this may prohibit clinical attendance at partnering facilities.

Students in the DCC Nursing Program are not permitted to care for any patient in the clinical setting who is on Airborne Precautions. This includes, but is not limited to patients, with a diagnosis of coronavirus, active tuberculosis, measles, anthrax, smallpox, etc.