Attendance and Participation
Being absent from the clinical training is detrimental to the student's preparation in becoming a medical laboratory technician. A substantial number of patients may happen to come in on the day that the student missed. The student can never make up those patients or situations that were missed.
Attendance records are kept during clinical training by the clinical training supervisor and by NWHSU. Whenever the student must miss time during training, the student will:
- Inform the clinical supervisor according to laboratory protocol
- Inform NWHSU Clinical Coordinator or Program Chair
- Complete and fax Missed Clinical Training Time Report Form to Clinical Coordinator
- Keep the original copy of the Missed Clinical Training Time Report Form and present to Clinical Coordinator at Exit Interview to be stored in student file
The student may be allowed up to 3 days for personal use such as for illness, interviewing, or death in the family. The student will not be allowed to miss more than 3 days during Clinical Training. Failure to comply with this standard may result in a grade reduction or dismissal from the program, based on the discretion of the Departmental Committee and Behavior Standards Committee. The Departmental Committee or Behavior Standards Committee may waive the grade reduction or dismissal based on the appropriate documentation and reasons provided by the student. All absences must be documented via the Missed Time forms and submitted to the appropriate NWHSU staff immediately upon return to the clinical training site.
Late Arrivals (Tardiness)
The student is required to be at the clinical site by his/her assigned time and be ready to proceed with the shift work. This does not mean walking into the department at the starting time or late. Being late may be just as detrimental to the student’s education and to the clinical training sites workflow as being absent.
It is understood that the unexpected does occur (example-traffic jam because of an auto accident). The determination on the acceptability of tardiness is made by the clinical site supervisor and the clinical coordinator. Procedures related to tardiness are as follows:
First tardy occurrence
Written warning from clinical training site is documented on the Missed Time form. Both the student and Clinical Instructor (supervisor) must sign this document. A copy is sent to the appropriate NWHSU staff to be placed in the student's file. The original must be submitted to the NWHSU Clinical Coordinator at the time of the student’s Exit Interview.
Second tardy occurrence
Clinical Instructor (supervisor) will notify the appropriate NWHSU staff and determine a site visit meeting. During this meeting the student will be given the opportunity to explain the occurrences. This meeting will be documented on a Missed Time form and will be signed by the appropriate NWHSU staff, the student, and the Clinical Instructor (supervisor) and placed in the student's file.
Third tardy occurrence
Student will be referred to the Departmental Committee and/or the Behavioral Standards Committee with the possibility of grade reduction or termination from the program.
Failure to comply with this standard may result in a grade reduction or dismissal from the program, based on the discretion of the Departmental Committee and/or the Behavioral Standards Committee. The Departmental Committee and/or the Behavioral Standards Committee may waive the grade reduction or dismissal based on the appropriate documentation and reasons provided by the student.
Breaks
Meal and break times are an important aspect of clinical training. A student cannot give their fullest attention when the body does not have any energy. Breaks also give a person time to relax and get away from the stress encountered in a laboratory. A student will follow the regulations of the clinical site as to when breaks and meals are taken.
All established break times are determined by the clinical training site. The student must adhere strictly to these requirements, regardless of the activities of others. A student who returns late from break or lunch is considered tardy.
Unused lunch and break time may not be applied to allow students to leave early. Students are expected to take regular breaks during the day and leave at the scheduled time. Students may occasionally choose to skip their lunch or break time in order to participate in or observe some procedure or interest, but this does not change their assigned hours.
Holidays and Vacations
Students shall be entitled to all holidays as specified at the discretion of the Program Director and Clinical Affiliate. At the discretion of the Clinical Affiliate, NWHSU recommends the following:
- January 1st
- Memorial Day
- July 4th
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving (Thursday and Friday)
- December 25th
- December 31st
Each student's individual learning plan identifies the beginning and ending dates for clinical education. These dates are established in accordance with the current official college calendar. Students should plan vacation trips or other events (weddings, etc.) to coincide with the completion of clinical training.