NURS 5609 - Regents Online

Course SyllabusFNP PracticumNURS 56094 Credit HoursCourse InformationCourse Description:This practicum experience focuses on the synthesis of previously gained knowledge and skills in theprovision of advanced nursing care to individuals, families and communities. Emphasis is placed onhealth promotion, disease prevention and clinical management of clients with common acute and chronicillness.Course Objectives:Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:1. Communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with individuals, families, groups, and communitiesto influence health and health care;2. Integrate data from assessments to develop diagnoses and health care strategies;3. Develop plans for individuals, families, groups, and communities to promote health, preventdisease, and manage acute/chronic illness;4. Manage the health care of clients incorporating ethical, legal, cultural, economic, political, andpsychosocial factors;5. Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and management strategies in improving the healthstatus of individuals and groups;6. Collaborate with other health professionals and the community to provide comprehensive healthservices to clients;7. Teach individuals, families, groups and communities skills and behaviors to promote maintain, orrestore health; and8. Use research to validate and refine knowledge relevant to advanced nursing practice.Prerequisites and Co-requisites:Prerequisites: NURS 5000 Theoretical Foundations; NURS 5601/5602 FNP I; NURS 5603/5604 FNP II;NURS 5605/5606 FNP IIICo-requisites: NURS 5990 Scholarly SynthesisCourse Topics:Application of content presented in the pre-requisite theory/clinical courses.Specific Course Requirements:Application of content presented in the pre-requisite theory/clinical courses.Preceptors:1 | P age 9/27/2011

Course SyllabusStudents will need to arrange for a nurse practitioner or physician to precept this primary care experience.Nurse practitioners must be minimally prepared at the Master's level.Clinical practice experience with an approved NP or MD preceptor in a community setting for 240 hoursduring the term. A family/primary care setting is the preferred clinical setting. Other settings must beapproved by the course coordinator/instructor. Specialty clinics may not be used for >40 hours of the 240total. These must be approved by the course instructor and home school advisor.Continuing education offerings are a wonderful way for NP students to begin to build a network ofprofessional contacts, but it is hard to do that while you are in graduate school. However, any continuingeducation offering must be approved, in advance of the student’s attendance,by the coursecoordinator. A maximum of 10 (ten) contact hours of NP-relevant continuing education offerings maycount toward the semester total of clinical hours. The student must provide a program brochure andevidence of awarded continuing education units (CEUs) in the clinical log as documentation of thisactivity.Preceptor licensure will be verified at http://www2.state.tn.us/health/licensure/index.htm Students areexpected to verify current licensure of a requested preceptor to make certain that information submitted tofaculty contains correct spelling, etc. in order to expedite the verification process.The student will submit the approved practice site to the course faculty via email within one week of thebeginning of the course and before attending clinical. The contract for this site must have been approvedthrough the system in the previous semester. In addition, the clinical information must have beenpreviously sent to the RODP and the Clinical Coordinator. In the subject of the email write "PreceptorInformation" In the body of the email include:· Name of preceptor (as officially listed on the verification site above)· Credentials of preceptor (FNP, MD, DO)· Name and address of practice site· Type of patients served at practice site (e.g., pediatric practice, family practice)THE STUDENT CANNOT BEGIN THE CLINICAL EXPERIENCE UNTIL APPROVAL IS RECEIVEDFROM FACULTY. STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTACT FACULTY IF DIFFICULTY ISEXPERIENCED LOCATING A PRECEPTOR.Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software RequirementsRequired Textbooks:Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course: http://rodp.bkstr.comRequired Textbooks and Resources:2 | P age 9/27/2011

Course Syllabus• Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Review Text (of your choice)• RODP Virtual Bookstore• Students will be required to purchase a "key" to take a standardized test. This will beapproximately $100.00 - Students will need to travel to a testing center for this test. Moreinformation will be provided once classes have started.All previous texts for the family nurse practitioner concentration.Supplementary Materials:Students are expected to purchase their own lab coat(s), stethoscope with both bell and diaphragm (orstethoscope with a floating diaphragm), goggles and a watch with a second hand. Students may need topurchase an otoscope/ophthalmoscope set or other equipment, if this is not provided at the clinic site.Students are expected to have the ability to scan documents and send via e-mail - convert scanneddocuments to PDF format prior to sending.Students may find a PDA with medical reference applications very helpful. This is not mandatory. Twoprograms that may be particularly useful are Epocrates DX for PDA (http://www2.epocrates.com) andMerck Medicus for PDA (http://www.merckmedicus.com)Hardware Requirements:The minimum requirements can be found athttp://www.tn.regentsdegrees.org/students/hardware_software.htm.Software Requirements:The minimum requirements can be found athttp://www.tn.regentsdegrees.org/students/hardware_software.htm.Instructor InformationPlease see the separate page inside the course to find instructor contact information as well as astatement of virtual office hours and other communication information.Assessment and GradingTesting / Grading Procedures:Testing Procedures:All written course requirements are submitted online.There may be online tests (example: Pre-Test) that students must complete as indicated on the calendar.In addition, for successful completion of the course, it is required that all students take a final,standardized test towards the end of the FNP Practicum. This exam will be offered at select testingcenters. It will be a comprehensive exam covering content relevant to FNP certification. Details regardingthis exam will be available within several weeks of the course start. There may be a final exam that3 | P age 9/27/2011

Course Syllabusstudents take at a testing center.Grading Procedure:Assessment and Grading:Note: If the clinical performance of any student is characterized by unethical, unprofessional or unsafebehavior that places a client in jeopardy, the student will receive a failing grade for the course. Anystudent who receives an unsatisfactory on their clinical evaluation from the faculty preceptor or from theclinical preceptor will receive a failing grade for the course.The course grade is based on the following:Comprehensive Pre-TestPass/Fail Comprehensive Exam/Post-Test (@ Prometric Testing Center)20%Post-Graduation& Certification Assignment:• Step-by-step process to certification 10%Reflection Assignments x2 (uploaded to drop-box and/or30% (15% each)posted to discussion board)Discussion Boards x 3 30% (10% each)Clinical Goals and Objectives: Development (Beginning of semester)5% (2.5% each)and Evaluation (End of semester)Clinical Logs x 55% (1% each)Clinical Skills Inventory (Pre-FNP Practicum and end-of-semester)Pass/FailCompletion of 240 hours of clinical practicum with an approved N.P.or M.D.Pass/FailClinical Evaluation by Preceptor (see evaluation tool)Must be submitted at mid-semester and end-of-semesterPass/FailClinical Site and Preceptor Evaluation by StudentPass/FailGrading Scale:A = 93 - 100B = 85 - 92C = 77 - 84D = 70 - 76F =

Course Syllabusassignment is late. Central standard time will be used as the standard in this course. The calendarcontains all due dates and should be consulted frequently for updates.The requirements for all assignments are detailed under "Evaluation Tools" in the Course Menu. Allassignments must be submitted to the Assignment drop-box unless otherwise indicated. SeeCalendar for due dates. This course will not utilize "due dates" for the drop-box. However, unless anextension is approved before the due date, you MUST follow the calendar deadlines...or you will receivea 10% grade reduction.All graded assignments are to be submitted to the assignment DROP-BOX ONLY. Documents sent byemail will not be accepted for credit or grading.In addition to graded assignments, there are pass/fail course requirements that must be completed.Failure to complete these requirements can result in failure of the course.Completion of all graded assignments and projects (as mentioned above) determines the course grade.Assignment guidelines and the rubrics used for grading these assignments are provided under EvaluationTools in the category "Assignment Forms and Instructions."As per policy,"It is expected that all work you complete for this course is your own. You are expected to includeappropriate citations (when applicable) in all of your work for this course. The University policy foracademic misconduct will be followed.Any student suspected of committing academic misconduct will be required to meet with me to discussthe situation. Your name will also be forwarded to the Assistant Dean for Judicial Affairs and MediationServices for possible disciplinary action. If you are found responsible for committing an act of academicmisconduct, you will (list the action you plan to take if someone violates the academic misconduct policyin your course, i.e., an “F” for the assignment, an “F” for the course, reduced grade, etc.).IMPORTANT NOTE!!Cheating is an act of deception by which a student misrepresents or misleadingly demonstrates that heor she has mastered information on an academic exercise that he or she has not mastered, including thegiving or receiving of unauthorized help in an academic exercise.An example:• Resubmitting substantially the same work that was produced for another assignmentwithout the knowledge and permission of the instructor.Clinical Log:Students are required to log all patient encounters. The patient encounter log should be typed anduploaded to WebCT as per the course calendar.5 | P age 9/27/2011

Course SyllabusYou must upload scanned copies of your clinical log, with preceptor signature, to the dropbox asindicated on the calendar. You must send the original forms to the Concentration Coordinator. Keep acopy for your files.Class Participation:Students are expected to participate in all interactive aspects of the course. As an instructor, I use thediscussion board as my primary method of communicating with students. Unless it is a personal issue,most questions should be asked, and answered, on the discussion board. Students should check thecourse bulletin board at least twice a week for any announcements and/or ongoing discussions.Students are expected to participate in all scheduled clinical conferences. These will take place on theDiscussion Board.It is especially important for students in an on-line course to maintain contact with their instructor. Theinstructor must hear from every student at least once a week; if during a given week, a student fails tomake contact in some way (by submitting an assignment or participating in a chat or discussion), he orshe must email the instructor, even if the student is sick or out of town. A student who fails to contact theinstructor on a regular basis may miss important updates or even fail the course.Clinical Skills Inventory:Students are required to use the clinical skills inventory to track procedures performed in the clinicalsetting. Students are expected to seek out opportunities to develop all skills listed.Students are required to use the clinical skills inventory to track procedures performed in the clinicalsetting. Students must fill out the clinical skills inventory prior to beginning FNP Practicum. Review thecompleted form with your preceptor, and then upload to the assignment drop-box. Throughout thesemester, continue to update this form as you perform new clinical skills or improve established skills.Seek opportunities to expand and develop the skills listed on the inventory. At the end of your clinicalrotation, review with your preceptor and upload the final completed inventory to WebCT. Keep a copy foryour records. You may want to use this inventory as evidence of your skills as you begin to explorepotential FNP positions.Clinical Performance EvaluationThe preceptor will use the Clinical Performance Evaluation Tool to evaluate clinical competence. Becausethis tool measures competency, criteria are evaluated as pass/fail. All items must be passed for thestudent to satisfactorily complete this course and advance in the program.General Clinical Guidelines:Conduct:Professional conduct in the clinical site is expected.Problem/disagreements are to be handled in a quiet, professional manner, away from the patient.If any problem arrives, you MUST contact the clinical faculty in a timely manner.6 | P age 9/27/2011

Course SyllabusDress:Professional dress (usually a lab coat) and visible identification badge is required. There may be certainsites/situations where lab coats may not be desired (i.e. pediatrics). No sandals, or open toe shoes, orjeans should be worn to clinical.Absences/Delays:Arrive on time at all clinical sites. If you are unexpectedly delayed, call the preceptor as soon as possible.Notify the preceptor of any anticipated absence prior to the start of the clinical day. Failure to notify thepreceptor of any delay or absence as stated above may result in an unsatisfactory grade for the clinicalexperience. Arrangements must be made with the clinical coordinator for any make-up time for absences.Equipment:Students are expected to bring any equipment not supplied by the clinical site (i.e. stethoscope,otoscope/opthalmascope, pen light, percussion hammers, etc.).Valuables:Avoid bringing valuables into the clinical site. Neither the home school nor the clinical site is responsiblefor valuables.Medications/Medical Procedures:Students may not administer medications or perform medical procedures without prior approval of thepreceptor.Course Ground RulesStudents are expected to:• Learn how to navigate and use tools in D2L• Keep abreast of course announcements• Use D2L for all communication UNLESS problems occur with online delivery of the D2L course• Contact technical support for any D2L problems• Notify faculty of any difficulties related to the preceptor, clinical issues, or other factors affectingparticipation or performance in this courseGuidelines for CommunicationsEmail:• Always include a subject line.• Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be carefulin wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.• Use standard fonts.• Do not send large attachments without permission.• Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided7 | P age 9/27/2011

Course Syllabusunless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.• Respect the privacy of other class membersDiscussion Groups:• Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then adiscussant.• Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.• Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Berespectful of others ideas.• Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering yourremarks.• Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.• Be positive and constructive in group discussions.• Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.• More information is available in this link to discussion guidelines.Chat:Chat is seldom used in RODP. If for some reason it is opened:• Introduce yourself to the other learners in the chat session.• Be polite. Choose your words carefully. Do not use derogatory statements.• Be concise in responding to others in the chat session.• Be prepared to open the chat session at the scheduled time.• Be constructive in your comments and suggestionWeb Resources:• Columbia Guide to Online Style by Janice R. Walker and Todd Taylor• Citation Styles Online http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite6.htmlLibraryThe Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in the Regents Degree Program. Linksto library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries,encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to completeonline assignments and as background reading must be included in all courses.PlagiarismWhat is Plagiarism?Plagiarism is representing someone else's intellectual property as your own. You put yourself at risk ofplagiarizing when you fail to adequately cite the original source material from which you took words andideas.Students With Disabilities8 | P age 9/27/2011

Course SyllabusQualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodationsif determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to grantingdisability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student'seligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is thestudent's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to followthe established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.Syllabus ChangesThe instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes arenecessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changesboth by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on thecourse bulletin board.Technical SupportTelephone Support:AskRODP Help Desk (toll free number 1-866-550-7637) or go to the AskRODP websiteat: http://help.rodp.org/If you are having problems:• logging into your course• timing out of your course• "technical" related issues for D2L (it takes a long time to click around my course)• using your course web site toolsIf you contact Technical Support by phone please be at your computer and be prepared to provide thefollowing information: (If you do not know the information below please call 1-866-550-7637)• Your username• Your password• The URL, (address, "http://...") you are unable to access• Your instructor's name (Ex.: Dr. Charles Cooper)• Your course number, section and name (EX: EDU 1120 Introduction to Teaching)• Are you using a PC or MAC• Your operating system (Windows 98, NT, 2000, Vista, etc.)• Browser type and version (EX: Internet Explorer 7)9 | P age 9/27/2011