Nursing Student Handbook - John Tyler Community College

discrepancies prior to beginning the JTCC nursing program. The background check and urine
drug screening is performed by an independent company not associated with JTCC and is part of
the expense students are responsible for while in the program. Please note that students may be
required at any time while in JTCC nursing program to complete another background check or
urine drug screen if faculty deems necessary based on circumstances. Student must submit and
continuation in the Nursing Program is contingent on successfully passing the background check
and urine screen. Students who refuse may be dismissed from the JTCC and ineligible to return
to the program. Students are also responsible for notifying faculty of any change in their
background check while attending the JTCC nursing program. Students who do not report
changes are subject to dismissal from the JTCC nursing program and may not be eligible to
return to the program at any time.
b. Students that opt out of the program for any duration must complete a criminal background check
and drug screening before being allowed to re-enroll in the nursing program. This is a clinical
agency requirement and must be successfully completed before the student may continue
regardless of the academic semester the student entered the nursing program.
B. Classroom Policies and Procedures
1. Attendance
a. Admission to the College requires that registration and the payment of tuition are
accomplished within published timeframes. Failure to accomplish these activities may
result in the student forfeiting their space in a class.
b. Regular attendance of classes and laboratory sessions is required for all students
registered in nursing courses. The Nursing Program adheres to the College’s policy
concerning class attendance. This states, “When absence from a class becomes necessary,
it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor prior to the absence
whenever possible. The student is responsible for the subsequent completion of all study
missed during an absence.” JTCC attendance policy states the student may not miss more
than 20 % of a course; each faculty member has the option of having a more rigorous
attendance policy which is stated in the course syllabus. Frequent absences may result in
administrative withdrawal from a class and the termination or reduction of veterans’
benefits and other programs of financial assistance,” (John Tyler Community College
Catalog, page 15). It is the responsibility of the student to obtain missed content.
Classroom and clinical absences are treated as separate occurrences; the percentage a
student can miss is no more than 20 % of each component. For example, the student
cannot miss 30 % of clinical and attend all classes to meet the attendance requirement.
Course faculty may apply a more stringent attendance policy. Consult your syllabus at
the beginning of each class for the attendance policy for that course. Participation and
attendance for students in the hybrid distance education track and for all virtual/hybrid
courses is defined in each course syllabus.
Punctual attendance is required to class and clinical. Tardiness to class, lab and clinical is
monitored, and the student will be counseled for consistent and/or repetitive tardiness.
Students will accrue absences with excessive tardiness. See course syllabi for the
absence and tardy policy specific to each nursing course. Hospitalization and subsequent
discharge limitations may force the student to be unable
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