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Professional Dress and Behavior

Students must obtain and wear a lab coat or other attire as appropriate to the clinical setting. Students will always wear their USU official identification badge whenever on-site in the student role. Students must also bring their USU official identification badge during their practice immersions. Students should order this badge as early as possible, but no later than eight weeks prior to MSN572 to ensure receipt before the course start date. To order your student ID/badge review the catalog under student services section.  Nurse practitioner students have a specific dress code listed below. All students are expected to present themselves as representatives of United States University’s program. All students are expected to be respectful to faculty, student colleagues, staff, patients, and their families. Reports of unprofessional behavior will result in your being counseled by the clinical faculty or recipient of the complaint and will be reported to the Program Director. The Program Director or Clinical Faculty may initiate a Code of Conduct review. You are expected to follow Unites States University’s official Code of Conduct policy identified in the University Catalog.

Nurse practitioner students are expected to be clear of any felony convictions at the time of admission into the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and to remain free of felony convictions for the duration of the program. If the prospective student or enrolled student is charged with a felony, or another undesignated offense either before formal admission or during the program, he/she must notify either their Academic Advisor or the Clinical Coordinator and Program Director immediately.

FNP Student Professional Clinical Attire

The student should have professional attire for all clinical experiences and immersions. Any deviations in dress at clinical including immersions will result in clinical warning or the student being sent home and placed on clinical pause. Proper identification MUST be worn at all times in all clinical and immersion settings. The uniform and identification requirements of the clinical agency are to be followed.

The uniform consists of:

  1. Wrinkle-free white lab jacket
  2. Name badge will be provided to you at your first immersion in MSN 572 or mailed to you at your home of record. The name badge will show your picture, legal first and last name, and “FNP Student.” The name badge must be worn while attending any clinical or immersion activity. Name badge will not be worn outside of the clinical agency or campus.

Professional Appearance

  1. In most clinical settings, business casual is acceptable and can be interpreted as: Women: wrinkle-free slacks (dress pants), skirts (mid-calf to about two inches above the knee), blouses, shells, cardigans, blazers or dresses, clean low-heeled shoes that cover the entire foot. Men: wrinkle-free dress pants, button down shirts, polo shirts (short-sleeved shirts with a collar), blazers, clean shoes that cover the entire foot.
    1. Do not wear:
      1. Denim/jean material
      2. Anything that is see-through, short, tight, or shows too much skin.
      3. Low necklines or visible midriffs
      4. Flip-flops or tennis shoes/sneakers.
  2. Hair should be short or pulled back and styled neatly. Beards or mustaches, if worn, should be neatly trimmed.
  3. Fingernails should be neatly trimmed and free of cracked nail polish. Only clear or neutral nail polish may be used if desired. Acrylic nails or any other nail enhancements are not permitted.
  4. Students are expected to adhere to university policy and code of conduct at all times. Tattoos, piercings, and other body modifications may be unique and the student is expected to ensure that their modifications do not interfere with the care environment in either messaging or mechanically disruptive capacities as may be the case with some procedures.
  5. Perfume, scented lotions, after-shave lotion, and heavy makeup are not acceptable in the clinical area.
  6. Gum chewing is not acceptable.
  7. Clothing worn in non-clinical setting activities not requiring student uniform should adhere to professional standards as stated in this handbook and in USU’s Catalog under Dress Code.
  8. Cell phone use is not permitted in the classroom or in the patient clinical setting. Students are expected to follow agency guidelines and clinical faculty directions regarding the appropriateness of cell phone usage in the clinical setting.
  9. Please remember that students represent United States University. Your appearance must be clean, neat, and professional.
  10. In addition to United States University expectations, students are expected to follow the appearance/dress code guidelines of their clinical site.