Professional Code of Conduct
PROFESSIONAL CODES OF CONDUCT
Students are held to the codes of conduct set by professional nursing organizations, including the American Nurses’ Association, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, and the Georgia Board of Nursing and/or the State Board of Nursing in which the student is licensed or practicing. The School of Nursing/s Code of Conduct is aligned with these organizations.
Additional information and links to guides are included below.
ANA CODE OF ETHICS
The ANA Code of Ethics is a foundational document to guide nurses in their nursing responsibilities with consideration to quality nursing care and ethical obligations to the profession.
American Nurses Association. (2025). Code of Ethics for Nurses. Washington, D.C.: American Nurses Association.
TO ACCESS THE ANA CODE OF ETHICS
https://codeofethics.ana.org/home#
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR STATE BOARDS OF NURSING
https://www.ncsbn.org/index.htm
GEORGIA BOARD OF NURSING
https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/410-10
Professional behavior is required at all times while at Emory University and at clinical agencies. Students enrolled in the School of Nursing are expected to maintain a level of professionalism in their personal appearance, dress, conduct, and speech. Students are also expected to arrive on time for classroom, clinical, or simulation experiences. Behavior or language, which is offensive, inappropriate, or crude, and continual tardiness is considered unprofessional and therefore is considered unbefitting to the status of an Emory student.
Students who engage in disruptive behavior of any type may be asked to leave the classroom/simulation/laboratory/clinical setting and be subject to the School’s Code of Professional Conduct.
Dissemination of Recorded Course Materials
Course presentations and class activities, including clinical debriefings and discussions, whether conducted online or in-person, are intended solely for educational purposes within the enrolled course. These learning strategies are designed to stimulate meaningful discussion, process experiences, and promote critical thinking and clinical reasoning.
Students are reminded that the sharing of sensitive or personal information during class sessions or clinical debriefings must be treated with the highest degree of confidentiality. Respect for the privacy and dignity of peers, patients, faculty, and clinical experiences is essential and expected.
If sessions are recorded and/or transcripts are generated through captioning services, students are strictly prohibited from sharing, copying, or otherwise distributing any portion of the content to individuals not enrolled in the course. This includes but is not limited to uploading materials to external platforms, sharing screenshots or excerpts, or using recordings for purposes beyond the course.
Disclosure of such materials or breach of confidentiality in any form is not permitted without explicit authorization from the course faculty member or instructor. Any violation of this policy constitutes a serious breach of academic integrity and professional standards and will be addressed in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct and applicable program policies.
Computer and Cell Phone Policy
Technology in the learning environment should be used for learning and not social or work-related purposes.
Computers may be used for note-taking purposes in the classroom.
Cell phones may be used for recording purposes in the classroom.
Cell phones, pagers, and other devices must remain silent or on vibrate when in the classroom, simulation/laboratory or clinical setting.
Cell phone use is strictly prohibited in the clinical environment for any activities other than to look up information related to patient care management; or for nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, or nurse anesthesia students, to have direct communication with the faculty, preceptor, and/or supervisor.
Healthcare agencies may impose additional restrictions of cell phone usage within the clinical setting.
If you anticipate being contacted via your cell phone during a specific class, please speak with the course faculty before class starts.
Checking Email
Communication will be through Emory email. Students are responsible for checking email at least once a day for updates or changes. Numerous messages will be routed to the entire student body using the son-students@listserv.cc.emory.edu mailing list. This might include messages related to health and safety, community wide SON events, employment opportunities and job fairs, safety and emergency resources, and so forth. Please follow the instructions outlined below to add the son-students@listserv.cc.emory.edu email account to your safe senders list.
How to Whitelist an Email in Outlook
Click "Add" under "Safe senders and domains."
Enter the email address that you want whitelisted - son-students@listserv.cc.emory.edu
Choose "Save."
Contacting Faculty for Appointments
Faculty email addresses can be found on the School of Nursing website under the Faculty and Staff Directory: http://www.nursing.emory.edu/directory/index.html. The syllabi will also provide information on contacting faculty and scheduling faculty appointments.
Lines of Communication
The School of Nursing is committed to creating an environment that promotes students’ learning experiences. Open, respectful dialogue between students and faculty is critical to the enrichment of the learning experience. Please refer to the Respect Statement in this handbook.
To facilitate open communication between students and faculty, the School of Nursing has outlined a line of communication process. To resolve academic and professional issues that may arise in the classroom or online class, simulation, laboratory, or clinical practicum, the student should address issues or concerns promptly and according to the established lines of communication outlined below. Dialog with the next person in the line of communication is necessary only after the prior contact does not lead to resolution. The lines of communication provide additional guidance for a student who may be having academic or other issues during the semester.
EXAMPLE OF USE OF THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION
If a student is experiencing academic difficulty, they should first speak with the course/clinical faculty regarding their performance. Disputes about course grades or course performance are to be addressed with the faculty in that course. If you believe you are receiving insufficient or unclear feedback you are responsible for discussing the situation with your course faculty.
LINES OF COMMUNICATION
Communicate with the:
Course or Clinical faculty
Course Coordinator
Program Director (pre-licensure) or Specialty Director (post-licensure)
MSN/DNP Director (if applicable)
Associate Dean for Education