Unsafe or Unprofessional Clinical Practice | Seneca Nanji Foundation School of Nursing | Seneca Students

Unsafe or Unprofessional Clinical Practice

The Seneca Nanji Foundation School of Nursing is committed to maintaining safe clinical learning environments for students, clients and healthcare professionals. Students are expected to demonstrate professional conduct, accountability and clinical competence consistent with their program requirements, level of education and applicable professional standards.

Patient safety is the highest priority. Students who demonstrate unsafe or unprofessional behaviour may be removed from the clinical setting and subject to formal review under the School of Nursing's Unsafe/Unprofessional Clinical Practice procedures.

Unsafe or unprofessional practice may involve a single serious incident or a pattern of behaviours that compromises patient safety, professional standards or the clinical learning environment.

Examples of Unsafe or Unprofessional Clinical Practice

Behaviours that may be considered unsafe or unprofessional include, but are not limited to:

• Providing care beyond the student's knowledge, competency or permitted responsibilities.

• Demonstrating unsafe clinical judgment or failing to recognize and report changes in a patient's condition.

• Failing to follow clinical agency policies, established safety procedures or Clinical Supervisor directions.

• Inaccurate documentation, falsification of patient records or concealment of clinical errors.

• Breaching patient privacy, confidentiality or professional boundaries.

• Demonstrating inappropriate, disrespectful or abusive behaviour toward patients, families, staff or colleagues.

• Failing to respond appropriately to feedback or to correct identified unsafe practices.

Identifying and Addressing Clinical Performance Concerns

When concerns arise regarding a student's clinical performance, professional behaviour or ability to meet course learning outcomes, the Clinical Supervisor may issue a Memo of Concern.

A Memo of Concern identifies areas requiring improvement and supports the development of a Collaborative Success Plan with the student, Clinical Supervisor and Program Coordinator.

The plan outlines identified concerns and expectations for improvement to support the student's progress toward satisfactory clinical performance.

Immediate Removal from Clinical Practice

Students may be removed immediately from the clinical setting when unsafe or unprofessional behaviour presents an actual or potential threat to the physical or emotional well-being of a patient, colleague or member of the healthcare team.

When a student is identified as potentially unsafe or unprofessional, the Clinical Supervisor will remove the student from the clinical setting, notify the Clinical Coordinator and prepare documentation outlining the concerns.

The student will remain out of clinical practice until the School of Nursing's formal review process has been completed and a decision has been communicated.

Unsafe/Unprofessional Clinical Practice Review Process

The School of Nursing follows an established review procedure to assess reported incidents of unsafe or unprofessional practice.

1. Identification and Documentation: The Clinical Supervisor identifies the concern, documents the incident and submits the relevant information to the Clinical Coordinator.

2. Student Meeting: The Clinical Coordinator meets with the student, provides a copy of the report and discusses the concerns and review process.

3. Referral to the Chair: The Clinical Coordinator forwards the report to the Chair of the School of Nursing.

4. Hearing Committee: The Chair appoints an ad hoc committee to review the reported concerns. The committee includes designated School of Nursing representatives and voting members who have not been directly involved in the student's clinical performance.

5. Student Participation: The student is informed of the hearing date and time and is entitled to attend the hearing.

6. Decision: The student is notified of the committee's decision within 48 hours of the hearing.

Potential Outcomes

Depending on the nature and severity of the incident and the findings of the review, possible outcomes include:

• Return to clinical practice under the conditions of a signed performance contract.

• Removal from the clinical placement for the remainder of the semester, resulting in an Unsatisfactory (UNSAT) grade and academic probation.

• Required counselling, remediation or demonstration of improved clinical competencies before repeating the course.

• Withdrawal from the program in accordance with the School of Nursing's academic and clinical progression requirements.

Students who have previously received an Unsatisfactory grade in a clinical course and are subsequently found to have demonstrated unsafe or unprofessional clinical practice in another clinical course will be withdrawn from the program, as outlined in the School of Nursing Student Handbook.

A determination of unsafe or unprofessional clinical practice may also affect eligibility for readmission to the program.

Clinical Placement Office and Student Support

The Clinical Placement Office coordinates clinical placement arrangements and works with healthcare partners to support the School of Nursing's clinical education requirements.

Clinical performance concerns are addressed through the student's Clinical Supervisor, Clinical Coordinator, Program Coordinator and School of Nursing leadership, as applicable.

Students are encouraged to communicate concerns regarding their clinical performance promptly and participate actively in any required improvement or review processes.

Related Policies and Resources

• Seneca Polytechnic – Student Progression and Promotion Policy

• Seneca Polytechnic – Student Code of Conduct

• Seneca Polytechnic – Academic Integrity Policy

• College of Nurses of Ontario – Code of Conduct

• Seneca Nanji Foundation School of Nursing Student Handbook – Memo of Concern and Unsafe/Unprofessional Clinical Practice

Students are responsible for reviewing and complying with the School of Nursing's clinical performance and professional conduct expectations throughout their program.