Rotations and Confidentiality

Service Work:

Students do not perform service work. After a competency is attained, students will continue to perform exams to gain added proficiency and experience in all areas of their clinical education.

Students shall not be used by clinical affiliates to substitute for paid staff or take the responsibility or place of qualified radiation therapists.

Student activities at clinical affiliates are limited to the approved rotations specified in their current learning plan. Students may NOT be assigned to work in place of absent personnel such patient transporters or clerical workers. Qualified radiation therapists must supervise all procedural activities of students, either directly or indirectly. The utilization of students as substitutes for missing radiation therapists is, therefore, clearly inappropriate and prohibited.

Confidentiality:

All student records shall be maintained in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FFERPA).

All student records accumulated during the program are considered confidential and kept in a locked file. The contents of a student’s file are not revealed to any unauthorized person without the student’s knowledge and written consent. Students may review any records, which pertain to them in the Program Director’s office during regular office hours. Any records maintained by the clinical affiliates concerning individual students are subject to the same considerations regarding confidentiality, security and availability.

Clinical Education Rotations:

The length of time a student spends in each area of the radiation oncology department (treatment machine(s), simulation, treatment planning) depends on the working schedule of the clinical facility, the volume and variety of work, and the ability of the student.

The student should expect periodic reviews of her/his/their performance. These reviews will help the student accomplish goals.

Patient contact is unique in Clinical Training. Close attention to professionals in the radiation oncology department will help in becoming comfortable with this experience.

As your abilities improve, volunteer to help. When the student is not occupied with a specific learning task, practice and review of learned tasks is recommended.

Observation Rotations:

If a student does not have an advanced radiation therapy modality at his/her/their clinical education site, he/she/their can request placement at one other site for no more than 2 weeks to observe or work with an advanced modality. The student may perform competencies at the observation site if allowable by that site. The student will be evaluated by the observation site and will be expected to write a 1-page minimum paper reflecting on the experience. The Clinical Coordinator will determine the observation site and duration of the student’s rotation at this site. Placement will be based on whichever site agrees to take an observation student. Students are not to set this up on their own; nor will students be guaranteed placement at the location of their choosing. The costs acquired for re-location during this observation period are the responsibility of the student requesting placement.

Personal Maintenance:

The student is responsible for his/her own lodging and board during clinical education. When relocation is necessary, the clinical education affiliate may offer valuable assistance in locating suitable housing but has no obligation in this matter.

The expenses for which the student is responsible may include but are not limited to:

Room and board
Meals and transportation
Telephone and utilities
Uniforms
Health insurance
Medical bills (be aware that, as a student, you may not be covered the same as a clinic employee if an incident occurs that requires medical treatment/intervention)

Personal Appearance:

Professional behavior and appearance are an expectation of the NWHSU and the Radiation Therapy Program. Students who do not meet this expectation will be referred to the program chair & CC and may risk dismissal. Please refer to the Radiologic Sciences Programs Student Handbook for the purpose, scope and actions.

Clinical Supervisors may ask you leave the department because of violation of dress code policies. It is important you know the site’s policies and adhere to them.

Please be aware of your cleanliness and personal appearance.

Other specific requirements of the student’s particular clinical site should be addressed during the student’s orientation at that site.

NWHSU Clinical Education Dress Code Policy

Scrubs are to be worn anytime a student is on campus for a core RAD or RTH lecture or lab. This also applies to clinical education:

Neat, clean, and pressed scrub tops and bottoms. Scrubs must be solid in color and appropriate undergarments must be worn.
Clean tennis shoes or white clinic shoes. No open toed shoes.
Name tag needs to be visible (if applicable).
Film badge worn at collar level (if applicable).

Hair:

For safety and sanitation, hair must not fall around the face or in front of the shoulders.
Hair accessories can be used.
Beards and mustaches must be short and well-trimmed.

Fingernails:

Fingernails must be trimmed and kept. Artificial nails are considered an infection control hazard and are not allowed in the labs or clinics.
Clear, light, or neutral nail polish is acceptable.

Jewelry:

Must be limited to wedding rings, wrist watch, and or small earrings.
Piercing will be limited to 2 earrings per ear. No visible body piercing or tattooing will be permitted in campus clinics or in clinical education-this includes nose, eyebrow, and lip.

Personal Hygiene:

Exemplary body cleanliness such as daily bathing, use of deodorant, regular hair shampooing is a necessity for all radiologic sciences students. Cigarette smoke odor is not tolerated – on clothing and oral hygiene is necessary
Chewing of gum is discouraged and some clinical sites will not allow this.
Make up is allowed.
The use of cologne/perfume is discouraged in the classroom and during clinical education.

Dress Code Violation(s):

It is the duty of the faculty to call to the student’s attention violation(s) of the dress code and to assess proper reduction in grade for violations.
Clinical supervisor(s) may ask you to leave the site until violation is rectified (hygiene, cigarette/smoke odor, tattoos covered, piercing removed, uniformed pressed…)
Notifications of violation(s) will be conducted in a polite, courteous, and professional manner.