Cigarette Smoking and/or use of Drugs

Northeastern Junior College has resources to help students’ quit smoking. Please see the Student Success Center for assistance. In addition, Tobacco Free Nurses Tobacco and Nicotine Use Cessation | ANA Enterprise (nursingworld.org) is the first national initiative to help nursing students and nurses stop smoking and to empower students and nurses to engage in tobacco use prevention and cessation. NJC is a smoke free campus. Smoking is not permitted on any NJC property. No smoking will be allowed while the student is in uniform.  If a student smells of smoke they may lose points on their clinical evaluation or be sent home.   

Use of controlled substances, alcohol, and marijuana in the provision of nursing care (i.e., depressants, stimulants) is a violation of the Nurse Practice Act and of the NJC Student Handbook.  This policy also pertains to classroom, laboratory, and any clinical related activity. Disciplinary action pursuant to the NJC Student Policy of Conduct will follow any infraction according to the NJC Student Due Process System. 

Students taking medication under doctor’s written permission that may compromise judgment must notify the director immediately.  Use of medical marijuana is excluded from this condition as its use is not permitted at any time during the nursing program. 

If a student demonstrates physical or mental impairment as a result of drug use, they will be removed from the classroom or clinical area and subject to clinical failure and/or dismissal from the nursing program. Any student suspected of such use will be removed from any classroom/clinical area and will be required to undergo urine and/or blood tests. 

Because alcohol and drugs, including marijuana, can adversely affect quality patient care, safety and productivity, Northeastern Junior College requires all nursing students be drug and alcohol free while in school including the clinical area. Drug screens are done at time of admission and for suspicion of drug or alcohol use. This policy does not prohibit students from possessing, using or being under the influence of prescribed medications, so long as they are used in prescribed dosage and do not compromise judgment. Whenever an instructor reasonably suspects that a student has violated this policy, the student will be directed to cooperate in testing. Reasonable suspicion may be based on, but is not limited to, the following: 

1. Apparent drug or alcohol use, possession or impairment while at school. 
2. Evidence of diversion or conversion of client’s medications. 
3. A clinical accident or incident which leads to an injury or property damage. 
4. Complaints of drug use or alcohol abuse from clients, client’s family, visitors, staff at the clinical facilities, or other students. 
5. Any other reasonable basis for suspecting drug or alcohol use in violation of this policy. 

Students who have positive drug test results may attempt to promptly establish a legitimate medical explanation for the results. The nursing program shall give due consideration to any timely evidence that such results were caused by lawful medication or other substances. Students who test positive or refuse to test will be dismissed from the program and referred to appropriate counseling. If proof of rehabilitation can be established, readmission to the program may be considered at a later time.