Clinical Requirements
- Graduate nursing students complete required clinical learning hours with qualified clinical preceptors. Graduate nursing clinical practice requirements may be completed in the student's own community. All agency, preceptor, and site surveys should be finalized one month prior to beginning clinicals. It is the student鈥檚 responsibility to inform the course coordinator and/or university graduate clinical liaison at least 4 weeks prior to the start of the semester if they are unable to obtain clinical rotation/s. Students must be licensed in the state where they are performing clinical. The student is responsible for identifying preceptors and clinical sites in their own community with the exception of states requiring university responsibility for securing preceptors. Preceptors may not be relatives or in a relationship with a student. Approval of selected preceptors and clinical sites must be obtained from the Graduate Clinical Liaison prior to beginning clinical hours.
- Some students encounter difficulty obtaining a clinical placement for completing advanced practice clinical hours. Please communicate this difficulty with the Graduate Clinical Liaison and Director of Graduate Nursing Students, mjwakefiel@usi.edu. We ask that you:
- Clarify that you have no opportunity to work with a preceptor at your place of employment.
- Send to us a list of organizations you have contacted. We will then not duplicate your efforts.
- Continue to communicate with us. Should you find a clinical placement, please be sure to let us know of your success.
- Graduate faculty and staff will collaborate with the student to secure a clinical placement, but it may require travel to access these opportunities. Please be aware that there might be need to utilize third party clinical placement organizations which may incorporate organizational fees associated with securing a placement, including fees for placement services or administrative expenses from external agencies. These fees for third party placement or travel are the sole responsibility of the student.
- Formal clinical application process including completed written affiliation agreement by agency, referenced as an Educational Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding/Clinical Affiliation, is required prior to initiating clinical experiences. NP and PA preceptors must be board-certified in their specialty areas corresponding to the student鈥檚 specialty track. All preceptors must have a minimum of one year鈥檚 practice experience as an advanced practice provider. No clinical hours are allowed during university holidays or when courses are not in session.
- Students may be required to visit campus to demonstrate clinical competency. Faculty will also validate clinical competency through multiple venues including conference calls with preceptors and students. Video recordings may be used as a method to evaluate clinical competency.
- Clinical must begin by Week 3 of a clinical course and continue weekly while registered for a clinical course. With faculty approval, clinical hours may be re-scheduled during the clinical semester due to unforeseen circumstances. Rescheduled clinical must be approved by course faculty. Clinical schedules must be provided to clinical faculty prior to attending clinical.
- Clinical hours using telehealth clinical experiences must be discussed with the course coordinator. It is the individual course coordinator鈥檚 decision to accept telehealth clinical hours.
All preceptors must have and retain an unencumbered license in the U.S. state or territory they practice, be certified in their specialty area, and have a signed and approved agreement with the 91社区 College of Nursing and Health Professions to function in the teaching role with Graduate Nursing Students. Preceptors may not be relatives or in a relationship with a student. Preceptors must have at least one year鈥檚 experience as an advanced provider in their specialty.
Alternate or Additional Preceptors
If other licensed practitioners have an opportunity to precept the student in the office or facility of the primary preceptor an additional Preceptor Agreement form must be completed and approved by 91社区 prior to the experience. Students may participate as observers without a preceptor agreement. An observer may not assess a patient or implement a plan of care. Observation hours do not count toward required direct patient clinical hours.
Students need to know the policy for recording on patient records in the clinical setting. If the students are not allowed to record or dictate on the patient record, they will be keeping their own notes for faculty review. Every patient managed by the student should have corresponding documentation within the third-party repository. HIPAA will be respected on all unofficial records.
The method of documentation of care will typically vary from setting to setting. Regardless of the documentation format used in the clinical setting, the student must thoroughly and accurately document each client encounter in the third-party clinical repository. The clinical preceptor will review all entries made by the student on the client鈥檚 record within the clinical setting and in the third party. The student鈥檚 entry will be co-signed by the preceptor as appropriate for the clinical site. It is recommended that the preceptor鈥檚 co-signature document agree with the history, physical, and plan of care.
Notation of only the preceptor鈥檚 signature after the student鈥檚 entry implies that the entire client visit was observed, and the associated documentation has been approved without amendments.
Any procedure (i.e. suturing, central line, intubation, chest tube placement, etc.) completed during clinical by the student must be done under the direct supervision of an assigned, privileged clinical preceptor. Students are required to follow institutional policies and their assigned states Scope of Practice regarding approved procedures to be performed.
Students are covered in the student role of advanced practice nurse by University malpractice insurance. The 91社区鈥檚 malpractice insurance does not cover the preceptor.
Any percutaneous or mucous membrane exposure must be reported to the institution per protocol, as well as to nursing faculty immediately following emergency procedures. The faculty will assume responsibility to complete the required 91社区 documentation as required by policy.
For more information, read the College Infection Control Policies and Forms.
Students are responsible to remove themselves from clinical environments where they perceive risk for harm. In this situation, clinical faculty should be notified the same day the incident occurred.
Clinical Evaluation
Clinical evaluation includes satisfactory achievement in the delivery of patient care according to established clinical evaluation criteria. Critical elements of clinical performance are indicated on the clinical evaluation form. Students must pass the clinical portion of a clinical course in order to pass the course. To pass clinical, students must meet or exceed all critical evaluation criteria as indicated on the Clinical Evaluation Form by the end of the semester. Failure to pass clinical will result in course failure.
Clinical evaluation includes satisfactory achievement in the delivery of patient care according to established clinical evaluation criteria. Critical elements of clinical performance are indicated on the clinical evaluation form. Students must pass the clinical portion of a clinical course in order to pass the course. To pass clinical, students must meet or exceed all critical evaluation criteria as indicated on the Clinical Evaluation Form by the end of the semester. Failure to pass clinical will result in course failure.
Clinical course faculty will complete formal clinical evaluations of students twice per semester, at midterm and at the end of the course. The clinical evaluations will consist of questions and criteria that are influenced by the AACN Essentials for Advanced-Level Nursing Education. These evaluations will assess students across various domains critical to advanced nursing practice. Students will be evaluated in each domain with one of the following ratings: 鈥楧oes not meet,鈥� 鈥楳eets,鈥� or 鈥楨xceeds.鈥� Any student receiving a 鈥淒oes Not Meet鈥� rating in any category on the midterm evaluation is required to schedule a one-on-one meeting with their clinical faculty. During this meeting, the student and faculty will discuss areas for improvement and develop a plan to address any deficiencies. To successfully pass the clinical course, students must achieve a minimum of 鈥淢eets鈥� on their final clinical evaluation in all domains. A 鈥淒oes Not Meet鈥� rating on the final evaluation in any category will result in failure of the course, and the student will be required to meet with faculty to discuss further actions. All clinical evaluations, including midterm and final evaluations, will be documented in the school鈥檚 third party repository system. This documentation provides a detailed record of the student鈥檚 clinical performance and progression throughout the course. It is the responsibility of clinical course faculty to ensure that evaluations are completed in a timely manner and that students are provided with constructive feedback based on their performance. Faculty must also ensure that students are aware of the implications of their evaluation ratings and the necessary steps to improve if needed.
Preceptor Feedback Forms must be completed twice per semester (once at midterm and once at the end of the semester) by each student鈥檚 assigned clinical preceptor(s). These forms are a crucial component of the clinical process, offering detailed insights into the student鈥檚 performance, clinical skills, and overall progress in clinical rotations. All Preceptor Feedback Forms are to be completed and stored in the Typhon system. This platform serves as the central repository for all clinical evaluations and feedback. It is the student鈥檚 responsibility to ensure that their assigned preceptor(s) complete the Preceptor Feedback Forms by the due dates specified on the course calendar. Students must proactively communicate with their preceptors to guarantee timely submission of these forms. The specific due dates for the Preceptor Feedback Forms will be clearly outlined on the course calendar. Students are expected to adhere strictly to these deadlines to avoid grade deductions. Failure to ensure the timely completion of Preceptor Feedback Forms may result in delayed or incomplete evaluations, which could negatively affect the student鈥檚 grade or progression in the program. It is imperative that students manage this aspect of their clinical responsibilities effectively. Course faculty are available to provide guidance and support to both students and preceptors regarding the completion of these forms. Any issues or concerns should be communicated to faculty as soon as possible to ensure all forms are completed as required.
Students are required to complete the Student Feedback Form twice per semester鈥攐nce at midterm and once at the end of the semester. These forms are vital for self-assessment and reflection on clinical experiences, helping to guide ongoing development and learning. The Student Feedback Forms are housed within the Typhon system. This platform serves as the central repository for student self-assessments and feedback on their clinical rotations. It is the student鈥檚 responsibility to ensure that they complete the Student Feedback Form by the due dates specified on the course calendar. Timely completion of these forms is essential for accurate tracking of progress and for faculty to provide appropriate feedback. Failure to complete the Student Feedback Form by the specified deadlines may result in a delay in receiving feedback from faculty, which could impact the student鈥檚 clinical evaluation and progression in the program. Students must take responsibility for completing these forms on time. Faculty are available to provide guidance on how to complete the Student Feedback Form effectively. Any questions or issues should be addressed with the course faculty as soon as they arise to ensure all forms are completed as required.
In each semester of the APRN specialty courses, there will be a minimum of five touchpoints between the clinical preceptor and the clinical course faculty. These touchpoints are critical for maintaining ongoing communication and ensuring the student鈥檚 clinical experience is well-supported. Two of the required touchpoints will be the completion of the Preceptor Feedback Form, as outlined in the Preceptor Feedback Form policy. These forms are completed twice per semester, providing structured feedback on the student鈥檚 performance. The remaining three touchpoints will be initiated by the clinical course faculty at the beginning of the course, near midterm, and at the end of the course. Each touchpoint, including the completion of Preceptor Feedback Forms and faculty-initiated communications, will be clearly documented by the course faculty in the Typhon system. This documentation ensures a comprehensive record of all communications and interactions related to the student鈥檚 clinical experience.
While a minimum of five touchpoints are required in each specialty course, clinical course faculty reserve the right to initiate additional discussions with clinical preceptors at any point in the semester. These additional communications may occur for any reason, including but not limited to addressing specific concerns, providing further guidance, or discussing the student鈥檚 progress in more detail. It is the responsibility of the clinical course faculty to ensure that all required touchpoints are completed and documented. Faculty are also encouraged to maintain open lines of communication with preceptors beyond the required touchpoints to support the success of the clinical experience.