MSN Program Practicum

Practicum Placement and Preceptors
Placement of graduate online learners with approved preceptors is monitored by the Director of the MSN Online Program. All placements with preceptors in area of practice or academia must be processed through the Practicum Course Coordinator. The Practicum Course Coordinator will clear all student placements with the clinic or academic directors. Students desiring out-of-state practicum placements must adhere to rules and regulations promulgated by the Board of Nursing in the respective state.

A Preceptor must hold a Masters of Science in Nursing and have professional experience of a one-year minimum. Preceptor roles may include advanced practice nurses, certified nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse managers and/or directors, nurse clinical educators or academic faculty members.

Choosing a Site and Preceptor
The graduate online learner is responsible for selecting the practicum site and choosing a preceptor. For “Nurse Educator” specialty, choosing a preceptor is based upon the graduate online learner area of nursing expertise and program specialty. Courses MSN 6510 Practicum 1 and MSN 6520 Practicum 2 make up the clinical experience encompassing 24 weeks, and require a minimum of 240-logged hours of work. The 240 practice hours are apportioned as 50% or 120 hours of direct clinical care experience aimed toward the graduate learner nursing expertise at the advanced practice registered nurse level. The remaining 50% or 120 hours focuses on the graduate learner’s specialty area. For example, this would include experiences within academia or healthcare organizations where emphasis is on clinical patient care outcomes. This also includes development, organization, documentation, and communication of the direct care experience of the Practicum Project. Methods of evaluation include weekly communication course assignments, discussion boards, scheduled appointments, and weekly log assignments delineating time.

For “Nurse Executive Leadership and Administration” specialty, choosing a preceptor is based upon the graduate online learner area of nursing expertise and program specialty. Practicum I and II courses make up the practicum experience encompassing 24 weeks, and require a minimum of 240-logged hours of work. The 240 practice hours are apportioned as 240 hours of direct practicum experience aimed toward the graduate learner nursing expertise at the advanced practice registered nurse level in Leadership. For example, this would include experiences within healthcare organizations where emphasis is on leadership related to enhancing patient care outcomes. This also includes development, organization, documentation, and communication of the direct experience of the Practicum Project. Methods of evaluation include weekly communication course assignments, discussion boards, scheduled appointments, and weekly log assignments delineating time.

Graduate learners are required to take Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Physical Health Assessment & Advanced Pharmacology prior to Practicum 1 and Practicum 2. These courses provide a strong foundation in advanced assessment skills across the lifespan, including a thorough history and cultural assessment. MSN5200 Advanced Physical Health Assessment contributes one CE (32 clinical hours) toward the graduate learner’s clinical practicum (120 hours). Graduate learners examine physiologic changes and clinical manifestations that occur because of disease, as well as drug therapy used to treat or affect health status. These courses are designed to facilitate critical analysis of collected assessment data and support clinical decision-making.

A student should have no more than two preceptors within a single practicum area. If a student is having difficulty securing a site and/or preceptor, the graduate online learner will need to contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible to receive additional help.
The MSN Program Director and Practicum Course Coordinator is responsible for establishing that all preceptors meet the preceptor criteria and have a signed agreement/contract, current CV, and current license on file. Students cannot begin a practicum placement until a contract is completed. Practicum Course Coordinators are responsible for seeing that preceptors are fully oriented to their role in the course and for maintaining communication with the preceptor regarding the student's performance.

In general, preceptors are responsible for:

Orienting the student to the facility/office or campus, staff, policies, and protocols
Assisting the student with the selection of appropriate learning experiences
Supervising, collaborating with, and counseling the student regarding assignments
Collaborating with Course Coordinator regarding the student's performance
Providing the student with informal and formal evaluations of performance

Students are responsible for maintaining communication with the preceptor and/or the Practicum Course Coordinator. Students are responsible for all expenses incurred during clinical/academic placements, including travel expenses to and from sites.

Neither the Cumberland University nor the clinical or academic practice settings are liable for injuries a student may sustain, or the diagnosis or treatment of any illness a student may contract while in a practicum setting experience. Neither Cumberland University nor the practicum facility/university are liable for the loss of personal property. Please notify the Practicum Course Coordinator if your selected clinical site requires a practicum contract. Arrangements and contract may be set-up between the preceptor, clinical site, graduate learner, and Cumberland University.

Practicum Experience Proposal

Student will develop a proposal for a practicum experience that includes:
- Purpose
- Setting/Preceptor
- Goals (minimum 5 goals)
- Objectives
- Activities
The proposal is to be detailed including goals that are specifically stated and that are related to the course objectives and practicum experience. Keep in mind that the purpose and objectives should be measurable and achievable within the timeframe for the practicum. All activities documented should indicate step-by-step actions necessary to meet the objectives.
The proposal is due on the first week of the Semester Term; Week 1, Day 7 (W1d7).
The proposal should not be written by the organization but rather from the perspective of the student.

Practicum Experience Time Log

The purpose of this journal is to identify the activities, issues, or problems that occurred during each week of the practicum. An interpretation of these occurrences is to be related to nursing theory and practice and the course/student practicum objectives. One scholarly journal article is to be included each week that is relevant to the activity, issue, or problem.
Self-evaluation and personal responses to the practicum experiences are to be included.

The practicum experience journal is to be submitted to the practicum course faculty member every 2 weeks on day 7 of the semester.

The completed journal is due on the last week of the semester on day 6.

Each student is to schedule two individual telephone/electronic conferences with the practicum Course Coordinator to discuss his/her practicum experience. The scheduling of the conference (by student initiated e-mail) should correspond with submission of the practicum experience journal.

Have a copy of your e-journal available at the conference call time.

Preceptor Evaluation of Graduate Online Learner
At the end of each Practicum experience, the graduate learner’s preceptor is asked to complete an evaluation of the learner’s practicum performance. The purpose of this assessment is to provide formative feedback to the practicum course instructor. This evaluation is not a part of your course grade.