Advanced Clinical Massage Therapy Program

Advanced Clinical Massage Therapy Program Guidelines

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Community

You, the student, agree that as a classroom community, you will attempt to help fellow classmates enjoy the learning experience. You, the student, will respect the comments made by instructors and classmates during a discussion or discourse and provide commentary to further the conversation in a positive and constructive manner within your comfort to do so. If you, the student, have a disagreement with an individual, it is expected that it is brought to their attention by yourself, as a student, personally at an appropriate time outside of community class involvement.

Student Mission

To learn how to facilitate client wellness through touch, in a safe and nurturing environment, while helping classmates do the same.

Mission of Massage Therapy

To facilitate client wellness through safe and nurturing, therapeutic touch.

Prepare to Learn

You, the student, agree to be prepared to bring all classroom materials, charged iPad, homework, and practical materials such as linens, uniforms, and lotions to class. You, the student, also agree to prepare to contribute to the learning environment in a positive manner.

Classroom Etiquette

The expectation is that you, the student, will respect the instructor as the classroom learning facilitator. You, the student, will not speak out or hold a personal conversation while the instructor (or a fellow student) is speaking. You, the student, understand the importance of structure in the classroom setting and will help the instructor to reduce classroom interruptions by reminding others of disruptive behavior.

Learning Disturbance

Assist in reducing learning disturbances by:

• arriving early to class
• turning off and not using cell phones in class
• being prepared with materials before class starts
• adhering to modifications given by SAS (Student Advisory Services) and SALT (Strategic Academic Learning Team)

Safety & Classroom Maintenance

Safety is very important to MaKami College. Please notify staff if a safety concern arises. Adhere to the evacuation plan in case of emergency. Classrooms can be used for practical, theory, clinic, tutoring, lunchrooms etc. You, the student, are expected to clean up after each time a space is used. For example, after eating lunch in a classroom ensure your garbage is disposed of appropriately, space is wiped up and food is not left behind. Do not intentionally damage property. Do not stand on desks or chairs. If something needs repair, notify staff immediately.

Hygiene

You, the students, and the faculty are expected to keep fingernails appropriately trimmed and clean. Avoid gel or acrylic nails as bacteria will collect between the artificial and real nails. Feet should be washed, and toenails should be trimmed. Oral hygiene will be practiced.

Due to sensitivities and allergies that fellow students and clients may have, please do not wear perfume/cologne and other fragrances during class and clinic times.

Smoking and Vaping

Smoking is prohibited anywhere on campus. Students who wish to smoke or vape will abide by municipal bylaw to not smoke within 10 meters of any window, ventilation system or doorway.

Drug-Free Environment

Staff, faculty, and students will not attend classes or curriculum-related functions while under the influence of mind-altering drugs, alcohol, etc. Such actions may result in instant termination and student expulsion. This applies to both prescription and non-prescription drugs.

Attire

Class

Casual, comfortable, and conservative street clothes and closed-toed shoes.

Clinic and Practical Exams

MaKami College scrubs and closed-toed shoes.

Community Outreach Events

MaKami College scrubs and closed-toed shoes.

MaKami College scrubs, when worn, will be clean and free of spills, stains, odors, and dirt. Proper comfortable and safe close-toed footwear is mandatory. Do not smoke or vape while wearing your MaKami Scrubs or the attire you are wearing to any class.

Cell Phones/Devices & Internet Policy

Cellphones are not permitted to be used in class. Internet use must be authorized by an instructor/ teacher. Should a student be caught using a cellphone or abusing internet privileges, the student will be asked to put the device away. If a student is asked multiple times, the instructor may ask the student to leave the class. During exams, electronic devices are not permitted.

Students will not use MaKami College internet privileges, or devices, to search or look at inappropriate websites or content. Any content that is sexual or violent in nature, promotes any type of hate crime or discrimination, or is deemed inappropriate by MaKami College staff or representatives (including cyberbullying) may result in serious consequences and loss of privileges.

iPad

Students are responsible for the care of their iPad. Students are issued ONE (1) iPad. If the iPad is damaged or stolen, it is the student’s responsibility to replace it at their cost.

Classroom Recording

The use of any technologies for audio recording of lectures or other classroom activities is only permitted with the express authorization of the SALT department and agreed upon by the instructor. Video recording of any other kind is not permitted.

Respect

Campus conduct/culture is reflective of an open and accepting environment which allows individuality as well as community. MaKami College recognizes the dignity and worth of every person without discrimination. As a student of MaKami College, you are considered a representative of MaKami who acknowledges the seriousness of respect and personal worth. An accusation contrary to MaKami College’s view of respect may be deemed necessary to investigate based on the internal guidelines of the College. Just as the college is committed to the dignity and respect of individuals, the college expects that students will in turn respect each other.

Bullying

Bullying, slandering, or false statements of any kind including, but not limited to verbal, emotional, physical, and cyberbullying will NOT be tolerated. Students participating in such actions, either in person, on social media or in the digital world, will be spoken to. The situation will determine the degree of action taken including, but not limited to being without further warning. Legal action may be taken in serious cases.

Discrimination

Discrimination against any classmate on the grounds of race, gender, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs does not foster a positive learning environment.

Stealing

You, the student, are responsible for the care of your own personal belongings. MaKami College Inc. and all staff members will not be held responsible for any missing or damaged items. Anyone caught stealing or damaging property may be dismissed from the program and face criminal charges.

“Masseuse” vs. Massage Therapist

Within the scope of this program, “masseuse” refers to an individual who provides non-professional touch for pleasure and is not likely for therapeutic purposes. You, the student, understand that, in this program, you are acting under the scope of “massage therapy”, which implies a professional environment. Massage therapy, for the scope of this program, is NOT sexual in nature. Any massage therapy that is performed in association with this class, will be conducted in a professional and non-sexual manner. You will not attempt to dualize a client-therapist relationship. This also applies to the Student Massage Clinic and Community Outreach events. You, the student, agree to conduct yourself in a professional manner, in accordance with our Code of Ethics while you are providing massage therapy in association with this class.

Client Vulnerability & Dual Relationships

Clear and appropriate boundaries are required and must be communicated and continually reaffirmed throughout the course of treatment – whether it be in a classroom setting or clinical environment to limit the potential of committing serious acts of professional misconduct. Whether or not a dual relationship is appropriate requires careful scrutiny to assess the risks in an honest way. Students are strongly encouraged to seek supervision or consultation when confronted with dual relationships. Understanding the vulnerable position that a person places themselves in during the course of a massage should heighten your level of caution and awareness in exercising sound judgement regarding your choice of tone, language, and topic of conversation so as not to be viewed as an individual taking advantage of a vulnerable situation.

Compensation

You, the student, understand that this program focuses on the fundamentals of massage therapy. You, the student, understand that it is illegal to accept compensation for massage therapy in the province of Alberta unless you are licensed and registered to do so, both with the city in which you practice and with the governing association that provides you insurance coverage. You must also be in good standing on both accounts.

Boundaries

Students will continually examine their own boundaries and make someone aware if they have crossed a boundary intentionally or unintentionally in hopes to foster growth for both parties. Students should feel empowered to set their boundaries and communicate them clearly to their clients.

Touch

Not everyone has experienced touch in a respectful or wanted manner, therefore good practice of informed consent must be followed to ensure those being touched are comfortable.

• The student/client is informed as to the nature of the touch where, how, etc.
• The student/client wants to receive the proposed touch and agrees.
• The student/client has identified any health concerns or previous injuries

Sexual Comments, Jokes and Comments about the Body

Sexual comments and compliments about the body can be misinterpreted by others. Refrain from making such comments to avoid misunderstood conflict. The class will be presented in an open manner, and each member of the class will make every attempt to be accepting for all classmates, even if a boundary is unintentionally crossed. Students similar mistakes in the future with proper feedback.

Current Injuries & Contraindications

You, the student, should currently have no injuries or medical conditions that would prohibit you from giving or receiving massage therapy (as described in this orientation). You should comfortably be able to lift, lean, push, pull, knead, bend and stretch without pain. Should you sustain any injuries during the length of the program you will provide medical notes and notify the staff immediately. If a student has been diagnosed with a condition or disease, please notify staff to ensure student safety is ensured during the program. It is important to notify staff if you come pregnant as there are contraindications to receive massage therapy when pregnant.

Student Clinic Policy

Clinic is considered an integral part of the learning environment. Attendance in Student Clinic is tracked and monitored in adherence to the Attendance Policy. Each student will be responsible for completing 24 Clinic shifts in the Student Clinic. The Student Clinic is a practical way for students to obtain work experience with real clients and is designed to assist them in improving their practical skills while attending regular classes. As professionals in this industry, we want to ensure we are meeting our clients’ needs in a real clinical situation. This includes being professional, courteous and on time for appointments. Clinic expectations will be discussed during Mock Clinic before students begin the Student Clinic experience.

Community Outreach

MaKami College aims to provide opportunities for our students to build their business outside of the college. Community Outreach allows students to potentially obtain clientele, market their skills and learn to network before they graduate. Primary Community Outreach opportunities occur over the summer months, but opportunities are available and communicated throughout the year.
Community Outreach provides opportunities to showcase the college, increase awareness and educate the public on the benefits of massage therapy.

Hours required in 1st Year: 20 Community Outreach Hours

Hours required in 2nd Year: 100 Community Outreach Hours

It is expected you give 24 hours’ notice to cancel your community outreach involvement.

Attendance & Absenteeism Policy

MaKami College is committed to the success of our students, and we recognize the direct correlation between consistent attendance and success within the program. The expectations are that students will attend all team lectures, mandatory classes, clinic, and labs if applicable.
Should you not be able to attend due to illness or unforeseen circumstances, please call the reception desk and notify them of your absence. It is the responsibility of each student to catch up on any missed lectures, assignments, and exams. The SALT (Strategic
Academic Learning Team) will support you in making a learning plan, should you require assistance with staying on track academically.

Exam & Assignment Policy

Practical based exams hold the expectation that you are representative of an appropriate clinical environment and are properly attired and prepared as such – otherwise you are subject to a 25% penalty or denial to attempt the exam.
The Absent/Late Policy applies to examination dates. Further to this, you will receive a 25% penalty to your grade or denial to attempt the exam on that date. Documented medical, legal, or obituary incidences can waive the 25% penalty.

Re-Writes:

Students may take the opportunity to re-write failed exams (64% or lower) up to 3 times – with no less than 1 week between attempts. Once an exam re-write is passed (65% or greater), the marks are averaged between the original grade and the re-write grade to a minimum of 65%.

You may not re-write an exam once you have obtained a passing mark of 65% or higher.

You cannot write an exam less than 24 hours after a tutoring session through the SSC.

If a student fails all 3 re-write attempts – no further tutoring services will be provided for that exam and a charge of $25 for each additional attempt will be applied.

Cheating

The opportunity to gain knowledge and proficiency in the program is offered equally to everyone for long-term success in your career. While cheating may offer short-term gain in the form of a higher documented grade – it does not make you more proficient in your career after you have completed the program. If you are caught cheating, you will be subject to a meeting with SALT Manager to determine the outcome and consequences of the action.

Baby Policy (Excluding Clinic)

Infants under the age of 1 are permitted to be in the classroom with a parent. However, the following guidelines must be met:

• Student is required to meet with SALT prior to the baby being allowed in class. A student may leave class to attend to an upset infant for no longer than 20 minutes at a time to minimize missing as much class as possible.
• During class time, it is expected that the infant is monitored by the parent or caregiver, and it is also requested that the infant not be passed around to other students during class time. Staff members are not permitted to care for the infant.
• Noisy toys and activities are not permitted in class and volume must be kept to a minimum.

The infant must be either held at all times or in a car seat/stroller, not on the ground. Playpens and activity pods are not permitted in the classroom.
On exam days, we will require the student to make alternative arrangements so the child is not in class. If necessary, a pre-arranged modification/alternative exam location can be made based on availability.

Withdrawal & Termination Policy

Students who wish to withdraw from a MaKami College program you the student, are required to make an appointment with the SAS (Student Advisory Services) department and SALT (Strategic Academic Learning Team) department, follow instructions on the enrollment contract and provide the college with an intent to withdraw in writing.

Any tuition refunds will be calculated as per the Alberta Enrolment Contract. Should you choose not to notify the college but fall into one or more of the situations below, you will be withdrawn accordingly by MaKami College following the outline listed here:

• When a student has missed five consecutive class days without contacting the institution, before or during the absence, to provide a reasonable excuse. In this case, the effective date of the student’s withdrawal is the first day of the five days that the student was absent.
• When a student with a reasonable excuse for more than 30 consecutive days. In this case, the effective date of the withdrawal is the first day during this period that the student was absent.
• When a student has excessive absences that will prevent them from successfully completing their program within the scheduled study period. In this case, the effective date of the student’s withdrawal is the last day that the student was in attendance.

The institution must use the effective dates described when following guidelines for reporting withdrawals and for refunding tuition.

Additional Reasons for Termination

• Should a student be attending regularly but not be progressing academically in a manner that would allow them to successfully graduate. In this case, there will be a meeting with college faculty to decide the best course of action which may result in a withdrawal/termination.
• MaKami College will not tolerate harassment, physical, mental, or sexual abuse. Our campuses must remain a safe place for students, employees, and the public. Should you break college policies regarding the above, your enrolment may be terminated by the College Dean upon an investigation.

MaKami College must remain a safe campus for all. MaKami College must monitor and record student attendance. When students are absent, institutions must keep track of those absences. A reasonable excuse for an absence must describe circumstances requiring the student’s absence (e.g., Covid isolation, medical reason, family emergency, etc.). Should you have any questions regarding any of our policies please contact the SAS team to meet with a student advisor.

Student Complaint and Dispute Resolution Process

Understand that in a long-term learning environment, disagreements, and conflicts are possible. You the student, agree to follow the MaKami College conflict solutions steps and resort to incidents where required. In the event of a conflict. Attempt to resolve all problems at the level closest to the source, with the least possible amount of rumor or hearsay. Any action, which was NOT directly experienced/observed by the complainant, is considered rumor or hearsay, and should a complaint NOT be accompanied by written documentation (specifically who said or did what) it may not be acted upon. We ask you to take the following steps:

1. Approach the individual who the conflict occurred with and have a discussion with them to establish a resolution.
2. If you tried to speak to the individual and received no resolution, or did not feel comfortable doing so, invite a third party (impartial mediator) to assist you in having the conversation.
3. You have tried with seeing a resolution or didn’t feel comfortable in doing the first two steps, fill out a Campus Concerns Form on the MaKami Toolkit on Moodle.

The incident is reported to the appropriate MaKami authority to find a resolution.
Below is the chain of communication students should follow:

The school “chain of communication” as follows:

• Fellow classmates
• Faculty
• Management
• Directors

Review

Procedure
MEETING IN CONFIDENCE! Staff and Students can meet and receive verbal information provided and kept in confidence.

1. Information Resolution

There may be a meeting to discuss the possibility of an informal resolution. An Informal resolution is an opportunity to meet and come to a conclusion that is acceptable to both parties, and then the matter will be considered resolved.

2. Formal Investigation

A formal investigation may be required if an informal resolution cannot be achieved or may be ordered by the Owner as the nature of the complaint may require a formal investigation. Formal complaints must be in writing and signed by the complainant. The complaint must include the who, what, when, where, and how and the names of any witnesses. The complaint should be specific to the actions in question.

3. Notification & Updates

Within five days of the complaint, staff will respond either verbally or in writing. THERE IS A DAY TO INFORM THE STUDENT/COMPLAINANT OF POSSIBLE DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR RECORDS OR INVESTIGATION. Therefore, in cases where a student supplies information in confidence to staff, the official shall inform the student that the records submitted in confidence and confidential notes kept by the official or by other staff members may be released to third parties if the matter proceeds.