Ohio Administrative Code
Title 3358:14 - Northwest State Community College
Chapter 3358:14-5 - Academics
Section 3358:14-5-17 - Substance abuse policy for nursing, allied health and public service

(A) The faculty of the division of allied health & public service and division of nursing are charged with the responsibility of maintaining an environment that ensures the provision of high quality education that is supportive to the well-being of students. In settings where application of learning is applied, the faculty requires that students provide safe, effective and supportive care to those populations to whom they are assigned. Such requirements mandate that students be free of chemical impairment during participation in classroom, laboratory and/or clinical settings. Since it is critical that the client and clinical sites are protected from unsafe, impaired practitioners, the faculty must be diligent in observing and documenting impaired student behavior. The department recognizes chemical dependency (alcoholism and/or drug addiction) as a treatable condition and takes a supportive stance in dealing with students so impaired. In order to fulfill these responsibilities, the faculty has developed guidelines to deal with chemically impaired students.

(B) A student shall not possess, use, transmit, sell, conceal or be under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or intoxicant, any of the drugs of abuse defined by Ohio experiences and observations.

(C) The use, sale, or possession on the premises of Northwest state community college or affiliating agencies by a student of an unauthorized substance (including alcohol, controlled substances, prescription drugs which may impair task performance, and any other substance which can alter the motor or sensory functions of a human being) is strictly prohibited and may result in dismissal from the program.

(D) The faculty defines the chemically impaired student as a person who, while in the academic or clinical setting, is under the influence of, or is abusing, either separately or in combination, substances such as/but not limited to: alcohol, over-the-counter, illegal drugs, prescribed medications that may impair task performance, inhalants, etc. Abuse of the substances includes episodic misuse or chronic use that has produced psychological and/or physical symptomatology.

(E) If suspected, students may be asked to be drug tested or assessed for chemical dependency following established procedures. Costs encountered in the process of initial, immediate, screening and assessment will be billed to the college. Any treatment and follow-up for confirmed substance use will be at the expense of the student. The program will seek to maintain the confidentiality of all records and information related to chemical dependency issues as provided by state and federal law.

(F) A multi-disciplinary team from the divisions of nursing and allied health & public service consisting of three individuals representing at least one person from nursing and one person from allied health & public service may be convened to serve as an advisory group. One individual from each program in the division may be designated as the program's advisor who monitors student treatment and communicates with the program coordinator. The multi-disciplinary team, the program coordinator, and the designated program advisor will review assessment and treatment information prior to a recommendation for dismissal.