Attendance Policy
For any absences, students must still meet all course requirements and learning objectives. The university policy may be found here: https://www.umass.edu/registrar/students/policies-and- practices/class-absence-policy. Further Elaine Marieb College of Nursing information includes:
Excused Absences and Attendance
Attendance in class, clinical, simulation, and lab is mandatory for all students. See attendance policy in Academic Regulations for further information about excused absences. https://www.umass.edu/registrar/sites/default/files/academicregs.pdf
Students who anticipate military and religious absences should notify the faculty at the beginning of the term so accommodation can be made to complete the learning objectives in a timely way.
Students with communicable illnesses should not attend regularly scheduled clinical sessions.
Students are required to communicate an unexpected absence no later than two hours before class or clinical in the method requested by the course or clinical faculty.
Clinical Attendance and Make-up Policy
Purpose
The University of Massachusetts (UMass), Amherst College of Nursing (CON) is committed to preparing student nurses who are caring, collaborative and innovative leaders. This policy informs faculty and students of the steps to follow in the event of an absence from clinical.
I. POLICY STATEMENT
The clinical experience (on campus lab and off campus clinical sites) is critical to
prepare students for professional responsibilities. Missed clinical experiences represent
a missed opportunity to meet the clinical objectives. All clinical objectives must be met for successful completion of the nursing program. The completion of all clinical hours is essential to meeting clinical objectives. Failure to complete these hours will require clinical makeup days to meet the course objectives. Clinical makeup days are determined by the clinical instructor and the course coordinator.
II. PROCEDURE:
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Faculty, in conjunction with the course coordinator, will inform students at the start of the
semester the process for reporting an absence.
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All clinical and lab hours are required as assigned. Any absence from clinical or lab must be
reported by the student to the faculty member and the clinical site, as appropriate, one
hour prior to the start of the clinical or lab experience.
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The clinical and lab faculty will notify the course coordinator of all absences and makeup
assignments within 48 hours.
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If the student’s absence exceeds one clinical day, the clinical instructor and course
coordinator will meet to determine the student’s standing in the course.
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Clinical or lab makeup days are assigned by the clinical instructor and course coordinator
to ensure that the course objectives are met. Due dates for the makeup days are determined by the clinical instructor and course coordinator. Clinical and lab makeup hours must be completed prior to the last day of class. Students with more than 2 clinical absences will be unable to meet course objectives.
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Acceptable clinical make up hours consists of ONLY the following activities:
a. Clinical make up day at assigned clinical site.
b. High fidelity simulation
c. Unsafe practice issues: If the student is sent home from clinical for unsafe practicerefer to the unsafe practice policy.
Unexcused Absences and Attendance (Pending vote of the Faculty Assembly September 2023)
Attendance is critical to successful progression. Students who have an unexcused absence in clinical courses will receive deductions on their Clinical Evaluation Tool and/or documentation as a violation and will receive a reduction in the final course grade.
FA 3/8/19; 9/21/22; 5/17/23