Skip to Main Content

This manual contains only select policy information. All Walden students agree to abide by all university policies and procedures as a condition of acceptance and continued enrollment. Students should consult the Walden University Student Handbook for complete information about university policies and procedures.

Policy on Electronic Signatures

Walden manages the clinical application processes in a nearly paperless environment, which permits verifiable electronic signatures, as regulated by the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA). Legally, an electronic signature can be the person’s typed name, email address, or any other identifying marker. An electronic signature is just as valid as a written signature as long as both parties have agreed to conduct the transaction electronically.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

Students in Walden University’s nursing programs are required to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), as well as all field experience site-specific policies and procedures related to privacy and security of health-related information. Students enrolling in graduate field experience courses are required to complete annual HIPAA training and to have a certificate of completion on file in CastleBranch prior to being approved for practicum.

Important Note: Walden University is not a “Covered Entity” or a “Business Associate” (as those terms are defined under HIPAA). Therefore, students must refrain from disclosing protected health information (PHI) to Walden University, since any disclosure of PHI to Walden University would constitute a HIPAA violation. The College of Nursing Faculty develop teaching/learning materials (e.g., assignments and logs) carefully, so they do not inadvertently lead students to share HIPAA identifiers or PHI.

Title IX and Clery Act

Walden University is fully committed to creating and maintaining a safe environment and academic community for all students, Faculty, and staff. View “Walden University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination and Procedures for Students, Faculty, and Staff Reporting of Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Discrimination, or Other Related Reports” section on the Student Safety/Title IX page.

Student Conduct and Responsibilities

Walden University Student Handbook (under “Student Conduct and Responsibilities”), for detailed policy information including the Code of Conduct.

Professional Competence

Refer to Section 3, “Student Expectations and Responsibilities” of the Walden University Student Handbook (under “Student Conduct and Responsibilities”) for the Student Professional Competence Policy, reflecting academic standing, problem behaviors, inappropriate and/or unprofessional conduct, and critical behaviors.

Nondiscrimination and Non-Harassment Policies

Refer to the Code of Conduct in Section 3, “Student Expectations and Responsibilities,” of the Walden University Student Handbook, under the heading “Student Conduct and Responsibilities,” which includes Walden’s nondiscrimination and non-harassment policies. Additional policy information, regarding sexual misconduct, sexual discrimination, or other related reports, is available from Walden’s Student Safety/Title IX page.

Students will abide by the nondiscrimination and non-harassment policies of the site and Walden University. If no such written policy exists, then the Walden policies must be adopted by the site.

Walden University College of Nursing Technical Standards Policy

Technical Standards Necessary for the Successful Completion of College of Nursing Programs

Walden University’s College of Nursing programs are designed to educate nurses for today’s professional environment by developing the skills of reflection, independent learning, and enhanced critical thinking. These skills will enable students to graduate from Walden’s programs and better equip them to fulfill their roles, develop leadership skills, and stay current in their field throughout their career.

Students enrolled in Walden’s College of Nursing programs must establish professional relationships both within and outside of the university setting and may be required to work actively and physically both in the classroom and with other practitioners and patients in a professional setting during field experiences. Therefore, the following list of technical standards is provided to clearly establish the level of capability required to successfully complete College of Nursing programs of study and to encourage current and prospective students to self-assess their qualifications for the program.

The College of Nursing encourages any student who may not be able to meet these standards due to a disability to contact Student Wellness and Disability Services to discuss reasonable accommodations. A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to an instructional activity, equipment, facility, program, or service that enables a qualified student with a disability to have an equal opportunity to fulfill the requirements necessary for graduation from the nursing program.

A student in the College of Nursing must meet technical standard requirements in the following areas (examples are not all-inclusive):

  • Motor and Mobility Function
  • Behavioral/Emotional Function
  • Critical-Thinking and Cognition Skills
  • Interpersonal and Professional Skills
  • Communication Skills

Students are advised that their success in their chosen program may be dependent on an ability to meet these technical standards.

Motor and Mobility Function

Students must be able to perform the following functions:

  • Observe patient condition and responses to health and illness.
  • Coordinate both gross and fine motor muscular movements, maintain equilibrium, and functionally use the senses of touch and vision.
  • Maintain stamina and physical ability required to participate in classes and activities that are part of the curriculum.
  • Execute movements sufficient to communicate effectively in a written format.
  • Obtain and interpret data from assessment techniques, such as observation, palpation of anatomical structures, percussion, noting surface characteristics, assessment of tone, temperature, depth, and other diagnostic procedures.
  • Travel to clinical education sites.

Behavioral/Emotional Function

Students must be able to perform the following functions:

  • Maintain mental acuity and professional demeanor in stressful environments or during impending deadlines.
  • Maintain mental acuity and professional demeanor sufficient to complete timed written and/or oral examinations and laboratory practical assessments within established time limits, especially when speed of performance or speed of decision making is a critical component.

Critical-Thinking and Cognition Skills

Students must be able to perform the following functions:

  • Analyze and synthesize data from a variety of sources.
  • Put research findings into practice.
  • Exhibit a positive, interactive response to feedback.
  • Use sound judgment and apply safety precautions, as appropriate.
  • Demonstrate higher-level cognitive abilities, including:
    • Rational thought
    • Measurement
    • Calculation
    • Conceptualization
    • Analysis
    • Synthesis
    • Organization
    • Memory
    • Application
    • Clinical reasoning
    • Ethical reasoning
    • Sound judgment

Interpersonal and Professional Skills

Students must be able to perform the following functions:

  • Interact appropriately with individuals and groups from a variety of social, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.
  • Participate actively and contribute to group projects.
  • Display integrity, honesty, empathy, caring, fairness, respect for self and others, diligence, and dedication consistently.
  • Complete all assignments and responsibilities promptly.
  • Develop mature, sensitive, and effective relationships, not only with patients but with all members of the university community and other healthcare teams.
  • Tolerate emotionally and mentally demanding workloads.
  • Identify potentially violent or abusive situations with patients in order to safely withdraw from the interaction.
  • Function effectively under stress, and proactively make use of available resources to help maintain both physical and mental health.
  • Adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and be able to learn in the face of uncertainty.
  • Take responsibility for themselves and their behaviors.

Communication Skills

Students must be able to perform the following functions:

  • Communicate effectively in verbal and written form in any applicable setting, including communications with university Faculty and staff, other students, and other healthcare professionals.
  • Elicit, convey, and clarify information in a timely manner.
  • Complete written work at a professional level in a timely manner.
  • Document patient/client assessment/evaluation, intervention plans, and progress notations succinctly and in a timeframe similar to clinical constraints.
  • Achieve basic technical competency required to function in the classroom and professional setting, including functionality in word processing, email, and use of the internet.
  • Describe effectively perceived changes and nonverbal communication.

Walden University is committed to providing equal access to qualified students with disabilities. A qualified student is a student with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodations, meets the technical standards requirements for participation in College of Nursing programs and activities. College of Nursing applicants and students who need reasonable accommodations* to meet these requirements due to functional limitations caused by a disability should contact disability@mail.waldenu.edu at the earliest opportunity to discuss available options. Students requesting disability accommodations must register with Student Wellness and Disability Services prior to the start of their program, or as soon as possible if their personal situation changes and they are in need of disability accommodations.

*If students require an accommodation to complete any of the technical standards, it is their responsibility to contact Student Wellness and Disability Services (disability@mail.waldenu.edu, 1 (612) 312-1205, or 1 (800) 925-3368 ext. 3121205) to determine if reasonable accommodations can be made. There may be certain essential physical requirements and standards of performance that the College of Nursing programs cannot accommodate.

Problem Resolution Process

During their practicum, students may be vulnerable to any number of difficulties that can pose barriers to a successful learning experience. By the time students reach the end of the program, they are entering the work setting and should demonstrate effective problem-solving skills in many difficult situations. However, students are not expected to resolve practicum problems alone.

With Practicum Site Personnel

If a problem develops between students and their practicum preceptor (or other site personnel), they should consult the practicum course Faculty Member, and then, if needed, they may consult the specialization coordinator.

Significant problems that arise in the practicum setting should be addressed using the process available to employees at the site and as officially documented in the site Affiliation Agreement signed for the practicum experience. The appropriate Walden Faculty or staff member will assist students in preparing any necessary documentation and will closely monitor the progress of the problem resolution, including any grievance process.

The specialization coordinator and/or program director should inform the College of Nursing’s dean about any unresolved issues and must formally document the efforts to resolve the issues presented. The dean will review the efforts to resolve the problem and inform students of other possible recourse options.

With Walden Faculty or Staff Members

Consistent with ethical guidelines, in nearly all situations, students should initially address any concerns directly with the Faculty or staff member involved (e.g., practicum course Faculty Member, specialization coordinator) and attempt to resolve the issue at an informal level, before proceeding to a request for intervention (e.g., from the program director or dean). Failure to address the problem at the program level may delay resolution, as the problem will likely be referred back to the program level.

Note: There shall be no retaliation against any student who identifies a problem or seeks assistance in resolving a conflict involving practicum site personnel, including those students who choose to file a formal grievance. We encourage students to notify Walden as soon as possible to allow for intervention and resolution, if possible.

  1. Consult the Appropriate Specialization Coordinator

If a problem develops between students and their practicum course Faculty Member (or other Faculty or staff member), the specialization coordinator will help students determine the appropriate strategy to resolve the problem in an informal manner. The Faculty or staff member and/or the coordinator should fully inform the program director associate dean about any unresolved issues and document all attempts to resolve the issues students have presented. All parties should receive copies of documents memorializing resolution of and attempts to resolve the issues, after such documentation is submitted to and approved by the appropriate dean.

  1. Consult the Program Director

If students are not able to resolve the problem with the support and intervention of the coordinator, they should approach the program director to seek guidance and/or intervention. The program director should already have copies of all the documentation of the problem and resolution efforts. The program director will initiate further investigation of the concern. Students may be offered counseling or other support at the program director’s discretion.

  1. Consult the Dean

If students are not able to resolve the problem with the support and intervention of the program director, they should approach the dean to seek guidance and/or intervention. The dean should already have copies of all the documentation of the problem and resolution efforts. The dean will initiate further investigation of the concern. Students may be offered counseling or other support at the dean’s discretion.

  1. Consider Filing a Grievance

If the dean is unable to facilitate resolution of the problem, students may consider filing an appeal or grievance following Walden University’s grievance procedure. Students should consult the Walden University Student Handbook: Process for Petitions, Appeals, Grievances, and Complaints for guidance on the process of submitting an appeal or grievance.

Note: Filing a grievance may initiate reassignment of one or more of the involved parties for a reasonable period to allow for an appropriate investigation of the situation. The right to confidentiality—both of the complainant and of the accused—will be respected to the extent possible, insofar as it does not interfere with the institution’s legal obligation or ability to investigate allegations of misconduct brought to the university’s attention or to take corrective action when it is found that misconduct has occurred.