Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
Published on: February 16, 2011
Legal issues related to dismissing students for clinical deficiencies
M H Smith1, Y D McKoy, J Richardson
1College of Health Sciences/School of Nursing, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA. msmith@odu.edu
Abstract:
Clinical faculty have a legal, ethical, and professional obligation to evaluate students' clinical performance to ensure safe practitioners. However, many clinical faculty members fear litigation and hesitate to give an unsatisfactory grade to students who do not meet established standards. If the decision to assign a failing clinical grade was "careful and deliberate" and the student was afforded due process, the principle of judicial deference emerges to protect the clinical instructor and the educational institution.
Related Concept Videos
Legal Guidelines for Documentation
Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
Ethical Dilemmas I
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...
Nurses' Legal Responsibilities II
Communication between nurses and patients...
Nurses' Legal Responsibilities III
Cultivating a culture of collaboration and mutual respect among nurses transcends mere enhancement...
Torts I
Intentional...

