A LEADING AMERICAN UNIVERSITY WITH INTERNATIONAL REACH ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE IN NURSING PROGRAM Dear Preceptor, The faculty members of the Associate of Science in Nursing Program of Western Kentucky University want to thank you for devoting your time and expertise to serve as preceptor to our student(s). Preceptors provide supervision so that students may obtain experience in practice settings. Preceptors foster professional development of students in the roles of a registered nurse. This handbook is prepared to provide you information about our program, including mission and philosophy, practicum requirements and course objectives. Please call the program any time should further information be needed or should you wish to speak with a faculty member. We value your input and commend you for your contribution to associate degree nursing education! Sincerely, ASN Program Faculty 1 P age
WKU School of Nursing Mission The mission of the School of Nursing (SON) of Western Kentucky University is to produce culturally sensitive nurses for an increasing global society at the associate, baccalaureate and graduate levels and to provide continuing education opportunities for lifelong learning to our constituents. Philosophy The SON faculty members believe that education for professional nurses is built upon knowledge from the liberal arts and sciences and occurs within institutions of higher learning. The School of Nursing provides two options for entry into practice, the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree builds upon the baccalaureate degree and is the foundation for advanced nursing practice and doctoral education. Nursing is a professional discipline, an art and science, which applies knowledge from the liberal arts and sciences to meet the health care needs of patients. The goal of professional nursing practice is to assist patients in achieving an optimal level of functioning across the lifespan. Professional nursing practice encompasses the application of the nursing process, critical thinking skills, communication and scientific inquiry in the delivery of nursing care in a variety of settings. Nurses assume multiple roles based on educational preparation. Generalist nurses prepared at the Associate and Baccalaureate levels assume the roles of provider of care, designer/manager/coordinator of care, and member of a profession. Masters prepared nurses assume specialty roles based on educational preparation and experience. Nurses at all levels use inter and intra-professional communication and collaborative skills to deliver evidenced based interventions aimed at health promotion, risk reduction, disease surveillance/prevention/management and patient centered care for patients of all ages and diverse cultures. All professional nurses are accountable for their practice within the guidelines of standards of care and ethical codes set forth by professional organizations. The patient, the recipient of nursing care and/or services, is conceptualized as an individual, family, group, community or population that is unique with intrinsic worth and dignity. The patient does not exist in isolation but as part of a complex interaction among other persons and the environment. Patients come from diverse backgrounds that require culturally sensitive nursing care. Patients have the right to self-determination. The unique interaction between the nurse and the patient is the essence of professional nursing practice. Health reflects the patient s optimal level of functioning. Health is a dynamic process influenced by the complex interaction of biological, economic and environmental factors, values and beliefs, societal interactions, and health behaviors. Professional nursing practice enhances the patient s optimal level of functioning. The environment consists of internal and external parameters that affect patients. The parameters include biological, cultural, economic, political, psychosocial, and spiritual factors. Any change in the environment has the potential to influence the patient s health. Nurses assist 2 P age
patients to modify the environment for improvement of health. Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) Program The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program prepares the graduate as a generalist to give nursing care in a variety of health care settings and provides the knowledge base for career mobility. ASN Program graduates are eligible to write the NCLEX exam to become a registered nurse. Organizing Framework The organizing framework reflects the philosophy of the SON Program and identifies the basic structural components of the curriculum. The organizational framework of the curriculum is based on the concepts of nursing, patient, health, and environment which is guided by theoretical principles including Maslow Hierarchy of Needs and Erikson s Developmental Stages. The core values central to nursing practice are caring, diversity, integrity, excellence, ethics, patient-centeredness, and holism (NLN, 2011). The role of the associate degree nursing graduate includes provider of care, manager of care, and member within the discipline of nursing. Integrated concepts inherent in these three roles focus on the nurse as caregiver, teacher, coordinator, communicator, collaborator, and advocate. Professional nurses are accountable for their practice within the ANA s Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, ANA s Code of Ethics for Nurses, licensing laws, professional standards, and established policies and procedures. Operational Definitions Advocacy - Giving patients the information they need to make decisions and then supporting those decisions. It implies that caregivers try to understand and clearly state a patient s point of view (Potter and Perry, 2011, p. 64-65). Caring- A fundamental part of the nursing profession, characterizes our concern and consideration for the whole person, our commitment to the common good, and our outreach to those who are vulnerable (NLN, 2010, p. 65, 2011). Diversity- Recognizing differences among persons, ideas, values and ethnicities, while affirming the uniqueness of each (NLN, 2010, p. 66). Evidence-Based Nursing - The practice of nursing in which the nurse makes clinical decisions on the basis of the best available current research evidence, his or her own clinical expertise, and the needs and preferences of the patient (Mosby, 2009). Nursing Judgment - Encompasses three processes: namely, critical thinking 1, clinical judgment 2, and integration of best evidence into practice. Nurses must employ these processes as they make decisions about clinical care, the development and application of research and the broader dissemination of insights and research findings to the community, and management and resource allocation (NLN, 2010, p. 67; Tanner, 2006). 1 Critical thinking-identifying, evaluating and using evidence to guide decision making by 3 P age
means of logic and reasoning. 2 Clinical judgment - a process of observing, interpreting, responding, and reflecting situations within and emerging from the nurse s knowledge and perspective. Nursing Process - A critical thinking model comprising the integration of singular, concurrent actions of these six components: assessment, diagnosis, identification of outcomes, planning, implementation, and evaluation (ANA, 2010). Patient Centeredness - An orientation to the care that incorporates and reflects the uniqueness of an individual and supports optimal health outcomes by involving patients in decisions about their care(nln, 2010, p. 14; Cronenwett et al, 2007). Teaching - An interactive process that promotes learning. It consists of a conscious, deliberate set of actions that help individuals gain new knowledge, change attitudes, adopt new behaviors, or perform new skills (Potter and Perry, 2011, p. 188; Bastable, 2008; Redman, 2007). Therapeutic communication - Interactive verbal and nonverbal strategies that focus on the needs of the patient and facilitate a goal-directed, patient-oriented communication process (Keltner, Bostrom, and McGuinness, 2011). It is nonjudgmental, discourages defensiveness, and promotes trust (Townsend, 2011). March 5, 2014 Educational Outcomes The graduate: 1. Applies knowledge from the behavioral, biological, physical and social sciences, and the liberal arts to provide a holistic approach to nursing care. 2. Functions within the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, licensing laws and established policies and procedures to provide patient-centered care. 3. Provides safe, high-quality care utilizing nursing process, critical thinking skills, therapeutic communication and cultural sensitivity within the patient s context. 4. Uses caring behaviors and therapeutic evidence-based nursing interventions to assist patients to achieve an optimal level of health or to die with dignity. 5. Uses organizational and priority-setting skills to effectively manage multiple nursing demands. 6. Seeks appropriate resources when encountering situations beyond knowledge and experience. 7. Demonstrates accountability for nursing care given by self and/or delegated to others. 8. Collaborates with other health care providers to coordinate care. 9. Provides the patient with information to make informed decisions regarding health. 10. Serves as patient advocate to support optimal health outcomes. 11. Demonstrates the importance of a spirit of inquiry, lifelong learning, and a commitment to evidence-based nursing practice. April 2013 4 P age
Preceptor Guidelines Definition of Clinical Preceptor: An experienced and competent registered nurse employed by a health agency who assists nursing students with clinical practice learning experiences in collaboration with nursing faculty of Western Kentucky University. Qualifications of Clinical Preceptors: MSN with at least 1 year experience or BSN with at least 2 years of experience or ADN/Diploma with at least 5 years of experience in area of practice or In individual cases exception may be made at the discretion of the nursing faculty. Expectations of Clinical Preceptor: Complete clinical preceptor resume and return to nursing program promptly. Read the materials provided to the preceptor in the preceptor packet. Accept assignment of student clinical preceptor for the entire length of the practicum (maximum 7 weeks). Orient the student to clinical agency policies and procedures. Supervise student performance of clinical skills, clinical judgment & decision- making. Provide guidance for student achievement of clinical learning objectives. Communicate with nursing faculty to provide documentation regarding student performance and progress. Evaluate the student s performance in collaboration with the nursing faculty and student. Expectations of Nursing Faculty: Make on-site visits for supervision, coordination, and evaluation of student learning experiences. Be available to clinical preceptors and students via telephone and/or e-mail to coordinate, supervise and evaluate student activities during clinical hours. Submit a practicum grade for each student based on achievement of evaluation criteria. Expectations of Nursing Student: Complete request of first, second, and third choice of clinical agency for the practicum experience during Nursing 208. Using the course objectives, develop own individualized learning objectives for the practicum experience. (Identify projected activities to meet each objective.) Faculty will determine due date and must approve student developed objectives. The student may not meet with preceptor or begin practicum until faculty or Clinical Education Coordinator gives student approval. Deliver program provided orientation materials to preceptor via the preceptor informational packet prior to or on first day of practicum. Dates and times of clinical hours are to be scheduled according to clinical preceptors usual work hours. Submit student and clinical preceptor agreed schedule to nursing faculty weekly through journal assignment. Practicum hours may not be completed during scheduled N255 class time. Report to clinical preceptor at scheduled dates & times. The student must notify the clinical preceptor and the nursing faculty if unable to attend the scheduled date & time. Notify faculty if preceptor unable to fulfill predetermined schedule. 5 P age
Maintain weekly communication with course faculty through assignments and journal entries. Adhere to ANA Standards of Clinical Practice and all policies as stated in the ASN Student Handbook and SON Student Handbook. Follow the policies and procedures of the selected clinical agency. Seek feedback regarding clinical progress and performance from preceptor and nursing faculty. Evaluate effectiveness of clinical practicum at the completion of the practicum. Evaluate effectiveness of clinical preceptor at the completion of the clinical practicum. Complete self-evaluation at the completion of the clinical practicum. Please note that failure to comply with any of the above student expectations will result in failure of the practicum component. Student Guidelines for Developing Learning Objectives Using the course objectives, identify the learning activities that will assist you to meet the objective. (see handout) At the end of the practicum experience, you must be able to document achievement of all course objectives. 6 P age
Western Kentucky University Associate of Science in Nursing Program NURSING 257 COURSE DESCRIPTION Capstone experience applying previous knowledge and skills to provide nursing care to multiple clients. COURSE OBJECTIVES The student will be able to: 1. Function within the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, licensing laws and established policies and procedures. 2. Apply the nursing process in providing nursing care to promote and maintain health for selected populations within their environment. 3. Use critical thinking skills in providing nursing care. 4. Use therapeutic communication with patients, families, and health care providers. 5. Adapt nursing care in consideration of patients values and culture. 6. Use caring behaviors and evidence-based nursing interventions to assist patients to achieve an optimal level of functioning. 7. Use organization and priority-setting skills to effectively manage multiple nursing demands. 8. Seek appropriate resources when encountering situations beyond knowledge and experience. 9. Demonstrate accountability for nursing care given by self and/or delegated to others. 10. Collaborate with other healthcare providers to coordinate care. 11. Provide the patient with information to make informed decisions to make informed decisions regarding health. 12. Serve as patient advocate to support optimal health outcomes. 7 P age
Grading/Evaluation Seminar/Practicum evaluation will be on a pass/fail basis. Each student will receive in advance the Practicum Evaluation Forms which identify the criteria used for evaluation of the practicum experience. Student performance in practicum will be evaluated by the clinical preceptor, nursing faculty and student self-evaluation. A total of 77 points is required for successful completion (Pass) of course. Point distribution is as follows: Preceptor Evaluation of Student Faculty Evaluation of Student Journal Entries Assignments Total Points 30 points (one point per category being evaluated) 10 points 30 points (5 points per entry) 30 points (5 points per assignment) 100 points Determination of the level of achievement will be based upon the following: nursing faculty professional judgment and observation; preceptor s professional judgment and observation; information shared by nursing personnel, patient and/or families; patient records and written assignments. In addition, any behavior that jeopardizes the patient s physical and/or psychological well-being will constitute an unsatisfactory clinical performance. If a student is unsuccessful in either NUR 255 or NUR 257, both courses must be successfully repeated before the student is allowed to progress in the program. 8 P age
Western Kentucky University ASN Program Preceptor Resume Preceptor Contact Information Name Telephone (work): Email Telephone (home or cell): Address Name of Student Whom You Are Precepting: Employment Information Number years experience as RN: RN License #: Clinical Agency Employed: Current clinical area: Number years experience in current clinical area: Educational Preparation Please indicate highest nursing degree achieved: ADN BSN MSN Educational Institution Degree Received: Date Nursing Degree Awarded: Signature: Date 9 P age
Western Kentucky University Associate of Science in Nursing Program Nursing 257 Preceptor Evaluation of Student Student Name: Preceptor Name: Date: Please indicate the response which you feel appropriately corresponds to the quality of performance exhibited by the student during the practicum experience. If the student is unable to perform the stated activity please include a brief written statement of explanation. S = Satisfactory U = Unsatisfactory NA = Not Applicable The student functions within the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, licensing laws and established policies and procedures to provide patient-centered care. Adheres to correct techniques as described in nursing manual when performing skills Maintains confidentiality Demonstrates initiative Dresses appropriately Attends practicum as scheduled The student will apply the nursing process in providing nursing care to promote and maintain health for selected populations within their environment. Completes patient assessments Identifies appropriate nursing diagnosis Develops & prioritizes appropriate nursing interventions Evaluates effectiveness of patient care Revises plan of care and actions based upon results of evaluation The student will use critical thinking skills in providing nursing care. Safely administers medications Aware of medication actions, dosing limits, side effects and pertinent clinical data Reports changes in patient's status and needs Recognizes potential exposure risks/injuries to self, patient & staff and responds appropriately Demonstrates appropriate level of clinical judgment that reflects expected knowledge level Performs assessment of environment: (Safety and comfort) The student will use therapeutic communication with patients, families, and healthcare providers. Utilizes effective communication skills with patients, families, and healthcare providers S U 10 P age
Documents pertinent patient assessments, nursing care provided, and patient response The student will adapt nursing care in consideration of patients' values and culture. Adapt nursing care in consideration of patient's values and culture The student will use caring behaviors and evidence-based nursing interventions to assist patients to achieve an optimal level of functioning. Demonstrate actions and an attitude that convey physical care and emotional care for others The student will use organization and priority-setting skills to effectively manage multiple nursing demands. Sets priorities/organizes work/manages time The student will seek appropriate resources when encountering situations beyond knowledge and experience. Seeks assistance from appropriate resources when beyond ones knowledge level and experience The student will demonstrate accountability for nursing care given by self and/or delegated to others. Demonstrates accountability for nursing care given by self and/or delegated to others Demonstrates use of the five rights of delegation: right task, right circumstance, right person, right communication, and right supervision The student will collaborate with other healthcare providers to coordinate care. Responds appropriately to supervision & guidance from preceptor/staff Collaborates with healthcare providers to coordinate care. The student will provide the patient with information to make informed decisions regarding health. Incorporates information from assessment, diagnosis, planned interventions to identify the individual teaching needs of each patient Performs teaching appropriate to developmental level, knowledge, and learning needs of the patient Documents patient teaching and evaluates teaching effectiveness The student will serve as an advocate to support optimal health outcomes. Demonstrates advocacy to support optimal health outcomes Preceptor Signature Date 11 P age