Reviewed Aug 2001, Feb 2002, March 2003, Aug 2003, Jan 2004, Mar 2004, Mar 2005, Apr 2006, Aug 2007, Aug 2008
Patient rounds, case preparation, reading, meeting attendance and other types of inquiry often have to be performed on the student's own time. Students shall also conduct themselves in a professional and respectable manner during class time, clinical time and during professional meetings and seminars.
All students should be dressed neatly and appropriately when on hospital property (no shorts, sweat suits, etc.) See the various hospitals' dress code policy.
The Registered Nurse anesthesia student (RNAS) is a representative of the specialty, the profession, the University, and the clinical affiliates. The maintenance of a professional appearance and demeanor facilitates the acceptance of the profession and the individual by patients and other health professionals. It is expected that students will assume responsibility for observing the following guidelines on professional behavior.
As the program offers new clinical challenges, the developing professional bears the responsibility of representing the profession to patients, the public, and other members of the health care team. The following guidelines should be observed in representing the profession:
Nurse Anesthesia students are representatives of the School of Anesthesia, the University of Detroit Mercy, clinical affiliates, the specialty, and the profession. The maintenance of a professional appearance and demeanor facilitates the acceptance of the profession and the individual by patients and other health professionals. All students are expected to maintain a neat, professional appearance and a high standard of personal cleanliness at all times.
General Guidelines While participating in any program or University related activity students should present a professional appearance. Business casual attire as a minimum standard is expected whenever students are in non-classroom settings where contact with other professionals is possible. Examples of these activities include but are not limited to;
It should be noted that state or national meetings and other professional activities might require a higher decorum of business attire.
As a guideline, the following items are not considered appropriate business attire:
Additional guidelines
Clinical setting At varying times during the clinical year, students will be assigned clinical duties and responsibilities at affiliated and nonaffiliated hospitals, offices and clinics. These clinical training opportunities represent a privilege extended to the academic program. Students are reminded of their responsibility to dress and act in compliance with the guidelines of the institution where the rotation is conducted. Students will assume the dress codes of the clinical site and it is the student's responsibility to determine the specifics of the guidelines in each new situation. In addition to site policies;
UDM Classroom Setting It is understand that classroom lectures can be long and that comfort is important. However, graduate students and advanced practice nurses may be viewed as role models to undergraduate students and have a responsibility to project a positive image of their chosen field. As a result it is expected that the student maintain a professional appearance. Casual business attire guidelines as outlined above should be considered appropriate with additional allowances for jeans, shorts or tee shirts that are clean, not torn and of appropriate fit and casual footwear if allowed by course syllabus.
All data gathered about the patient and his/her illness, including all items within a patient's medical history, is privileged information.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 mandates Federal privacy protection for individually identifiable health information. Standards have been set for health care providers who transmit health care transactions electronically. While in Clinical Practice, most of the health care providers you will come in contact with will be under the HIPAA guidelines and requirements. In your studies, and during your clinical practice, you need to be aware of these requirements, and additionally, the health care provider will often train you on their HIPAA policies and practices. Some of the pertinent requirements of HIPAA are:
On each clinical rotation, it is the student's responsibility to insure that all patients seen by the student are also seen by the supervising clinician. The supervisor should also review all student notes written in medical records and countersign these documents. Countersignature by a licensed clinical instructor (CRNA or physician) is required. Under no circumstances should a student initiate care for any patient on any rotation without prior consultation and approval of the clinical supervisor. These guidelines must be strictly adhered to for the student's protection and the protection of the patients seen by students.
Role and title confusion are common problems encountered in dealing with patients, e.g., some patients identify all those wearing white coats as physicians. Students should be aware of this problem and avoid misrepresentation by politely explaining their role and position,.
The program expects students to adopt and observe the AANA Code of Ethics. Violations of this ethical conduct standard will be regarded as professional and academic misconduct and failure to meet clinical performance objectives, and be subject to review as such.
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