Student Guidelines for Safe and Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

1. Purpose

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more prevalent in education, healthcare, and society, students must understand how to use these tools responsibly and ethically. The college supports the principle of the use of AI for hands-off care, so nurses can give more hands on care. This guideline document provides clear expectations for the acceptable and prohibited uses of AI by students, ensuring alignment with our institutional values.

2. Core Principles of AI Use at Galen College of Nursing

Academic Integrity: AI is a tool to support learning, not to replace original thought, professional judgment, or academic effort. Students must follow the College’s Academic Integrity Policy when using AI tools.
Transparency and Disclosure: Students must clearly disclose when AI tools are used to assist with any academic assignment, presentation, or project. Faculty may set specific rules or restrictions.
Data Privacy and Confidentiality: Students must never enter names, grades, clinical assignments, or any personally identifiable information (PII) into AI tools. This includes their own information, peer information, or any patient data.
Clinical Safety and Professional Practice: Students should understand and abide by institutional policies related to acceptable use of AI technologies including, but not limited to, patient assessment, clinical decision-making, documentation, and communication.
Compliance with Institutional and Legal Policies: All AI use must comply with institutional policies, including the Academic Integrity Policy, FERPA, and HIPAA.

3. Acceptable Uses of AI by Students

When permitted by course faculty, students may use AI tools for:

Brainstorming ideas for non-clinical assignments or projects.
Summarizing or rephrasing general (non-clinical) content.
Proofreading written work for grammar or clarity.
APA formatting support.
Outlining or organizing academic writing (must be revised in the student’s own words).

Always confirm acceptable uses with your faculty before using AI tools.

4. Examples of Proper AI Acknowledgement (if allowed):

“Portions of this outline were generated using Gemini and edited by the author.”
“CoPilot was used to assist with grammar and punctuation review.”

5. Prohibited Use of AI by Students

Students are strictly prohibited from using AI to:

Submit AI-generated work as their own without disclosure and proper citation.
Complete exams, essays, or clinical assignments using AI tools.
Create clinical notes, personal reflections by entering any patient information, unless explicitly given permission by the facility and faculty.
Generate care plans, SOAP notes, documentation, or analysis related to clinical experience, unless explicitly given permission by the facility and faculty.
Enter student names, grades, or private educational data into AI.
Automate communication with faculty, advisors, or college staff.
Fabricate references, sources, or data using AI tools.

6. Consequences of Misuse

Misuse of AI, including academic dishonesty, privacy violations, or inappropriate clinical application, will be treated as a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, the Student Code of Conduct, and may result in disciplinary action, including course failure, suspension, or dismissal from the program.

7. Student Responsibilities

Use AI only with permission and according to course-specific guidelines.
Protect personal and clinical information; never share sensitive data.
Disclose your use of AI tools.
Engage critically with AI content; do not rely on it without reviewing for accuracy.
Validate and verify all AI output.
Ask questions prior to assignment submission if you are unsure about whether your use of AI is acceptable.

8. Conclusion

AI can be a valuable educational tool when used responsibly. Students are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethics, privacy, and professionalism. The future of nursing demands not just technical skills, but strong judgment and integrity. This includes how we utilize emerging technologies, like AI.

Questions?

Please contact your faculty or program director.

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