Policies and Regulations

a.Standards of Professional Conduct

The Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge, along with our collaborative partner, Lethbridge College, is committed to maintaining freedoms of thought, belief, opinion and expression for students. The programs also have an obligation to foster academic freedom within the context of relevant professional standards of conduct and with the goal of assisting students to becoming practicing health professionals. The standards outlined below give direction to behaviours which must be visible to all instructors within the program and related courses. These standards are in addition to the standards of Academic and Non-Academic Conduct for the University of Lethbridge outlined in Academic Regulations of this Calendar. Serious violations of the standards of professional conduct may result in a student being disciplined, including being suspended or expelled from the program. A student disciplined in this way may appeal under Academic Regulations, Student Policies of this Calendar.

1.Bachelor of Nursing Programs

Students and faculty are bound by the Standards of Practice of the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta and the Code of Ethics of the Canadian Nurses Association.

2.Bachelor of Health Sciences

a.Aboriginal Health

Ethical standards expected of students and faculty include the following fundamental principles:

1.Respect for the dignity of persons

2.Not willfully harming others

3.Integrity in relationships

4.Responsible caring

5.Respect for the health and well-being of others

b.Addictions Counselling

The ethical standards expected of students and faculty are those found in the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.

c.Public Health

The ethical standards expected of students and faculty are guided by the Public Health Code of Ethics of the Public Health Leadership Society and the American Public Health Association.

3.Bachelor of Therapeutic Recreation

The ethical standards expected of students and faculty are found in the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association’s Code of Ethics and the Alberta Therapeutic Recreation Association’s Code of Ethics.

b.Academic Standing

To be in good standing, on academic probation or required to withdraw, a student must fall within the GPA ranges as indicated below:

1The number of completed courses is based on a standard 3.0 credit hour course. Post-diploma students and students coming from Lethbridge College in the collaborative nursing programs are considered to have a minimum of 20 completed courses.

c.Required Withdrawal

1.A student is required to withdraw from the Faculty of Health Sciences if any of the following occurs:

•The cumulative GPA falls below the required levels for two or more consecutive terms at the end of the winter term;

•The student fails any internship/practicum/clinical/field experience course; or

•The student fails to meet the Standards of Professional Conduct

A student dismissed for academic reasons may apply for readmission by the appropriate deadline after a lapse of one full year (see Admission, Required to Withdraw). Readmission is not guaranteed. Students dismissed for a second time will not be re-admitted to the program. Students are advised to contact an academic advisor as early as possible to discuss the possibility of readmission.

2.Faculty members who are supervising practice experiences may require a student to leave a practice setting at any time if, in the opinion of the faculty member, the student's practice threatens patient/client safety or is disruptive to patient/client care. The Dean will review the case in a timely fashion to determine whether, and under what conditions, the student may return to the practice setting.

d.Dean’s Honour List

Students with outstanding academic performance are recognized on the Dean’s Honour List. The list is compiled twice yearly at the end of each of the fall and winter terms. There are two ways to qualify for the Dean’s Honour List:

1.Students completing four or more graded courses in one term must achieve a GPA of 3.75 or higher on these courses; or,

2.Students completing three or fewer courses in one term must achieve a GPA of 3.75 or higher on these courses AND must have a cumulative University of Lethbridge GPA of 3.75 or higher AND must have completed a minimum of four graded courses at the University, including the current term.

e.Standards for Distinction and Great Distinction

Students who have displayed outstanding academic performance during their undergraduate degree programs are awarded their degrees ‘With Distinction’ or ‘With Great Distinction.

Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 to 3.74 at graduation are awarded their degree ‘With Distinction’. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher at graduation are awarded their degree ‘With Great Distinction’.

f.Internship and Practicum Placements

Practicum and internship placements provide a critical learning experience that is essential to the completion of the student’s academic program in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Students engaged in these experiences should be aware that they are not only subject to University policies and procedures but also that of the agency/health facility in which they are placed. Students may be required to complete training related to their practicum or internship placement prior to the start of the academic term. The policies of some external sites may include drug and alcohol testing. If a student is refused or released from an internship or practicum placement because they have tested positive, the Faculty of Health Sciences will undertake its best efforts to accommodate the student. The Faculty cannot, however, guarantee a subsequent placement.

Individuals with a history of addiction or dependency should note that placement agencies may require students to have a minimum two-year alcohol-free and other drug-free lifestyle prior to their acceptance in an internship or practicum placement.

While not an admission requirement for programs in the Faculty of Health Sciences, many agencies and organizations providing internship/practicum placements require criminal record checks (or equivalent) of students. Consequently, all students accepting an Offer of Admission from the Faculty of Health Sciences must immediately make application for a criminal record check and provide the completed criminal record check by the dates specified earlier in Admission.

Criminal record checks are not kept on file by the Faculty of Health Sciences (except when required by the placement agency), but must be in the student’s possession and available to present to agencies and organizations providing internship/practicum placements. The consequences of a prior criminal conviction on a student’s status in the program will be examined and discussed on an individual basis. Please note that students with certain criminal convictions may be refused by agencies and organizations providing internship/practicum placements. Should an internship/practicum placement be refused for any reason by an agency or organization, the Faculty of Health Sciences does not guarantee an alternate placement and the student may be required to withdraw from the program.

Students are required to inform the Faculty of Health Sciences if a change in their criminal record status has occurred while they are in the program and submit a new copy of their criminal record check.

g.Nursing Regulations and Information

1.Nursing course sequence requirements

Due to the structured nature of the Bachelor of Nursing and Bachelor of Nursing After an Approved Degree programs, students are required to complete Nursing courses during the terms in which they are assigned. Students who do not follow the sequence plan each term are at risk of not being able to complete the program. Contact an academic advisor in the Faculty of Health Sciences.

2.Out-of-region practice course placement guidelines

Students who have clearly identified specific clinical learning goals that require practice placements outside the southwestern part of Alberta Health Services South Zone may apply for an out-of-region placement for Nursing 4750. Out-of-region placements are located beyond this geographic region and may include provincial, national, or international placements. Students intending to seek an out-of-region placement must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 on all courses counted towards program requirements (including courses taken at the University of Lethbridge and courses transferred from Lethbridge College or other institutions that are used to meet program requirements) completed by the end of the first term of the third year for B.N. students or by the end of Summer Session III of the first year for B.N. After Degree students.

3.Travel requirements

The richness of the B.N. program is built upon our close connection with rural communities. As a result, travel outside Lethbridge will be expected for clinical practice, and students will incur costs related to this travel.

4.Graduation GPA calculation

A graduation GPA will be calculated using all courses taken for credit towards completion of the Bachelor of Nursing degree. This includes all required courses (Nursing and non-Nursing) completed at Lethbridge College, the University of Lethbridge, and other institutions from which transfer credit has been awarded.