Westchester Community College, State University of New York

The policy basic to any complaint made by a student is one of confidentiality and procedural fairness to all parties involved.

When a student has a complaint of any type, the preliminary measures to be taken are:

1. Discuss the situation with the immediate person/s involved and attempt a resolution.
2. If still unresolved, talk with the Department Chairperson.
3. If still unresolved, talk with the Associate Dean of Health Careers, Technologies & Applied Learning at (914) 606-6910.
4. If the issue is still unresolved, the student may request a grievance hearing.  The steps are detailed accordingly:

A grievance is defined by the JRCERT as a claim by a student that there has been a violation, misinterpretation, or inequitable application of any existing policy, procedure, or regulation. The procedure for requesting a grievance hearing are:

Step 1
The student shall request an informal, direct meeting with the faculty member within two weeks, excluding vacation, of the alleged problem. The faculty member and student shall earnestly strive to resolve the problem themselves.

Step 2
If the problem is not settled to the satisfaction of the student at Step 1 or of the faculty member fails to meet with the student, the student shall request a meeting with the Department Chairperson within ten (10) business days of the student’s request. The Department Chairperson, instructor and student shall meet and act in a determined manner to resolve all differences.

Step 3
If the problem is not settled to the satisfaction of the student at Step 2, the student shall request a meeting with the Academic Dean of Health Career, Technologies & Applied Learning within ten (10) business of the conclusion of Step Two in accordance the college’s Procedure for Appealing a Final Grade in the Student’s Rights and Responsibilities section of the Westchester Community College Student Handbook.

All complaints and their resolutions will be recorded and kept on file.

“DECLARED” Pregnancy defined:
A declared pregnant radiography student is covered under the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC’s) regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations in 10CFR Part 19. “Notices, Instructions and Reports to Workers: Inspections and Investigations in Section 19.12, Instructions to Workers,” requires instruction to those associated with exposure to radiation.

The NCR’s regulations on radiation protection are specified in 10 CFR Part 20, “Standards for Protection against Radiation;” and Section 20.1208, Doses to an Embryo/Fetus, requires licensees to “ensure that the dose to an embryo/fetus during the entire pregnancy, due to occupational exposure of a declared pregnant woman, does not exceed 0.5 rem (5mSv).”

A declared pregnant woman is defined in 10 CFR 20.1003 as a woman who has voluntarily informed her employer, in writing, of her pregnancy and the estimated date of conception.

Program Pregnancy Policy

In the event that a radiography student becomes pregnant, the student may choose the following options:

1. Written notice of voluntary declaration
2. Option for continuance in the program without declaration
3. Option for written withdrawal of declaration

Option 1:
A student may choose to voluntarily declare their pregnancy. The following applies:

1. The declaration of pregnancy must be in writing and dated.
2. The estimated date of conception (only month and year be given).
3. The student will be counseled by the Radiation Safety Officer. Though no modification of responsibilities may be necessary, a second radiation monitoring device will be issued for fetal monitoring.

Option 2:
If the student chooses not to disclose their pregnancy, additional counseling and monitoring cannot be implemented. The student and their embryo/fetus will continue to be subject to the same radiation dose limits that apply to other students. There will be no modification in their duties or responsibilities.

Option 3:
The student can submit a written withdrawal of their declaration of pregnancy at any time. The student would then be subject to Option 2.

Options for a “Declared” Pregnant Student:

The pregnant student may:

1. 1. • Continue participating in clinical assignments without modification of responsibilities. If a clinical facility should refuse a pregnant student from continuing their clinical assignment, every effort will be made to place that student in another facility where participation is allowed.

OR

1. 1. • Take a leave of absence not to exceed one year and return to complete the program. This changes the graduation date if a leave of absence is granted. The student will not be given credit for incomplete course work and may re-enter the program the next time those courses are offered in accordance with the “withdrawal” section of Policy 30.

Protective Measures for the Pregnant Student Radiographer:

1. NRC regulations state that the dose limit for the embryo/fetus is 0.5 rem (5 mSv) for the period of the Pregnancy.
2. NCRP recommends that fetal exposure should be restricted to an equivalent dose limit of 0.05 rem (0.5mSv) per month.
3. Two personnel radiation monitoring devices are issued: one to be worn at the collar above the lead apron, and the second one should be worn at waist level (under a lead apron) to monitor fetal exposure. A wraparound apron is preferred during pregnancy.
4. The Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) will review acceptable practices of radiation protection with the student.
5. Be sure to bring your radiation monitoring devices on time to the office of the RSO.
6. The RSO will review your monthly readings with the student.

The clinical education program allows the student to demonstrate proper integration of didactic knowledge with special emphasis on positioning, patient care, and application of correct exposure techniques in performance of radiographic procedures. The clinical instructor observes and discusses with the student his/her professional demeanor, performance skills, anatomic structures, radiographic terminology, patient care, radiation protection and processing technique when viewing the finished radiograph.

Students enrolled in the program will be responsible for observing the rules and regulations of the clinical sites to which they are assigned. In an effort towards ensuring equitable learning opportunities, students can be assigned to any of the clinical facilities. The student is responsible for their transportation and associated costs.

Students are required to pay a $17 fee when registering for each Clinical Education course for malpractice insurance to cover professional liability.

Clinical Education Schedule

• Clinical Education is conducted between the hours of 08:00 AM until 04:00 PM. Clinical Education 1 and 2 are on Tuesdays and Fridays during the Fall and Spring semesters, respectively.
• Clinical Education 3 and 6 are Monday through Friday during the 10-week Summer semesters year 1 and year 2, respectively.
• Clinical Education 4 and 5 are on Mondays and Thursdays during the Fall and Spring semesters, respectively.

Clinical Competency Requirements

Students must complete the clinical requirements of the program to establish graduation eligibility. The requirements are necessary to comply with eligibility standards set by the ARRT. The ARRT requires a minimum of 36 mandatory & 15 elective radiologic procedures. One elective imaging procedure from the head section, 2 elective procedures from fluoroscopy studies section, one of which must be an upper G.I. or a Barium Enema. The program requires the student to meet and exceed the clinical competency requirements as set by the ARRT. Exceeding the requirements occur during continuous “continuing” competencies. This ensures the student will meet entry level skills required for graduation.

Clinical Education Affiliate Sites

Criminal Background Check/Drug Screening

All students enrolled in the Program effective September 2010, are required to undergo a criminal background and drug screening prior to the beginning of their clinical education experience. Screening is done after a student has been accepted into the Program and the results forwarded to Professor Peter Grumm for verification. The individual student is then able to begin their clinical rotation. Students are responsible for all charges for their screenings. They may only use the services of Castle Branch at www.portal.castlebranch.com/su21

• Students must complete their background check and drug screening before the August 1^st

Please note that some clinical affiliates may require additional background checks and drug screening at no additional expense to the student.

Based on the results of these screenings, the clinical site can deny a student access to their clinical facility. Even after a student has begun the academic portion when the results are received, the site may still elect to dismiss the student, regardless of the student’s standing up to that point. Continuing students are also subject to dismissal based on the results.

Criminal background check:

($65.75 first time, $24.95 for re-check)

The criminal background check reviews a person’s criminal history seven years previous to the date of program application. The check will include all cities and states of the person’s residency during that time period. The following histories will disqualify an individual from consideration for a clinical rotation and result in dismissal from the program.

• Felony convictions;
• Misdemeanor convictions or felony deferred adjudications involving crimes against persons (physical or sexual abuse);
• Misdemeanor convictions related to moral turpitude (Prostitution, public lewdness/exposure, etc.);
• Felony deferred adjudications for the sale, possession. manufacture, distribution or transfer of narcotics or controlled substances;
• Registered sex offenders
  

Drug Screening Policy:

($40.00)

Any currently prescribed medications must be disclosed to Castle Branch. The drug screen follows National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) guidelines and screens for (10) substances as designated in the Substance Abuse Panel 10 (SAP 10).

The substances are:

SAP 10 test results which fall outside of any of the acceptable ranges are considered positive test results and are automatically sent for a separate confirmatory test by a Gas Chromatography MSS Spectrometry (GOMS) method.

• A clinical agency reserves the right to remove a student from their facility for suspicion of substance use or abuse including alcohol. The clinical facility reserves the right to request that a student submit to a repeat drug screening at the student’s expense on the same day that the student is removed from the clinical facility. Failure to comply will result in the student’s immediate expulsion from the clinical facility. Further, regardless of testing or testing results, a clinical facility reserves the right to expel a student from their facility.
• Should a student who has been accepted to the Radiologic Technology Program be prohibited from attending a clinical facility due to findings of a criminal background check and/or drug screening, the student may be dismissed from the program.

For more information regarding the criminal background check and drug screening requirements, please contact the Clinical Coordinator at 914 606-7881.

Academic Course Grading System

To maintain a satisfactory academic standing as a radiologic technology student, a grade of “C” (70%) or better in each course is required. The following alphanumeric grading system will be utilized:

A grade of “C” (70%) or better is required in all radiologic technology courses and course requirements including Anatomy & Physiology 1 & 2, Writing and Research, and College Algebra.

The following grades do not affect grade point averages:

Clinical Education Grading System

Each clinical rotation must be passed with a “C” (85%) or greater in order to receive credit for that rotation. The grade level of clinical competence is much higher than that of the lecture courses to assure

a high standard of care to patients when performing radiographic procedures.

Should a student fail clinical rotation with a grade of “D” or “F”, he or she will be given an opportunity to make up the rotation the next time it is offered. A student who fails a repeated clinical rotation will be dismissed from the program.

If a student fails a didactic course a WP will be assigned to the clinical course. This allows the student to review and maintain clinical competence. The clinical course must be repeated for credit.

A student must complete all components to receive a passing grade for each clinical rotation. There is no make up for a portion of the work completed. An incomplete (I) clinical grade must be made up within the first four weeks of the following semester, unless a medical leave is approved. Failure to do so will result in an “F.”

Any evaluation of a student by faculty or clinical instructor that documents poor student-patient and/or student-staff relationships may be grounds for dismissal, regardless of previous or current clinical grade received. A student who, without reason, refuses to perform a radiographic procedure given to him/her by clinical faculty may be dismissed for insubordination. Observed attitudinal and behavioral criteria are important in the development and evaluation of radiologic technology students.

If the student fails any competency evaluation procedure three (3) times, the student is counseled and reassigned to practice the radiographic examination that he/she failed. The student may then request a re-evaluation. If he/she fails once again, it will necessitate probation/dismissal from the program.

All repeat radiographic procedures MUST be performed under the direct supervision of a radiographer.

The signature of the clinical instructor is required on each evaluation to indicate completion. All evaluations will be kept on file in the student’s folder as part of his/her clinical record.