Practice Doctorate Program Performance Improvement Policy

Rather than discipline, the Program Administrator and the nurse anesthesia program faculty members may elect for student performance improvement for issues in such areas as academic performance, clinical performance, or professionalism issues. It is recognized that a number of issues may lead to remediation, most of which are related to clinical / academic / professional problematic behavior and are defined as (but not limited to):

1. An inability or unwillingness to acquire and integrate clinical/academic/professional standards into one’s repertoire of acceptable behavior;
2. An inability or unwillingness to acquire and integrate clinical/academic/professional skills in order to reach an expected level of competency;
3. An inability or unwillingness to adaptively manage personal stress, psychological dysfunction, and/or excessive emotional reactions that interfere with clinical/academic/professional functioning.

Professional judgement by the Program Administrator and the nurse anesthesia program faculty members is utilized to determine when a student’s behavior rises to the level of remediation or discipline.

Examples of problems which usually require performance improvement include one or more of the following traits:

• The student does not acknowledge, understand, or address the problem when it is identified;
• The problem is not a simple reflection of a skill deficit that can be remedied by academic or clinical training;
• The quality of services delivered by the student is deemed unsafe clinical practice or academically consistently below the level expected of a doctorate program;
• The problem is not restricted to one area of clinical/academic/professional functioning;
• A disproportionate amount of attention by faculty/training personnel is required to address the student’s problems;
• The student’s behavior does not change as a function of feedback, remedial efforts, and/or time;
• The problematic behavior has ethical or legal ramifications for the department;
• The student’s behavior when representing the department negatively affects the public view of the department.

Performance Improvement plans will be written and signed by both the Program Administrator and the student. The content of the contract is completely dependent on the type and scope of identified problematic behavior and is at the discretion of the Program Administrator and the nurse anesthesia program faculty.

Failure to successfully complete a performance improvement plan may result in disciplinary action, including a formal written warning, probation, suspension, or dismissal.