Roles and Responsibilities
Student Responsibilities
• Upon enrollment the student must have preceptors and clinical practicum location site confirmed, or three potential preceptor and clinical practicum sites using the Preceptor and Clinical Practicum Placement Interest Form (Appendix G) that can be contacted by the OFE. Incomplete contact information for site and preceptors may result in delays.
• A Preceptor Information and Acknowledgement Form (Appendix H) must be on file with OFE for each preceptor prior to the student starting the clinical practicum rotation. The student is responsible for providing the Preceptor Information and Acknowledgement Form to be completed and signed by the preceptor. A copy of this form is to be given to the Preceptor, and a copy is sent to the OFE. This form should be accompanied by the preceptors CV/Resume and the preceptor’s professional license.
• A change of address (especially a move to another state) may cause the inability to progress in your program of study. The inability to progress in the program of study may delay the student’s graduation or require program withdrawal. The United States University College of Nursing and Health Sciences program is not responsible for guaranteeing a clinical placement when a student moves after the start of a term, or after a move two terms before clinical starts in the case of out-of-state placements. Traveling nurses should proactively identify where clinicals will take place and update their address on file accordingly.
• The student must thoroughly complete all OFE Requirements, including Complio (American Data Bank) prior to completing any clinical practicum course. Note: Students cannot start clinical practicum until all Complio and site affiliation requirements are completed. Complio and site requirements must be current throughout each clinical practicum course.
• If needed, meet with the appropriate person at the clinical practicum site (preceptor, office manager, etc.) to negotiate the dates and times to be in clinical practicum.
• Provide all clinical practicum sites with required information requested by the site (i.e. Immunizations, fingerprints, criminal background checks, Health information, OSHA training, copy of nursing license, American Heart Association Healthcare CPR lesson, drug screening, patient confidentiality statement, or any other agency requirements).
• The student’s personal and work schedules are expected to accommodate the required number of hours required in each course.
• Students must meet all orientation, health and safety, and administration expectations of the facility before scheduling field experiences.
• Complete the Student Evaluation of Preceptor for each Preceptor (example in Appendix).
• If students preceptor is precepting more than one nursing student per shift, the student should notify their faculty.
Course Faculty Responsibilities
a) Reviewing and approving initial clinical practicum learning plan proposals signed by student and preceptor;
b) reviewing preceptor and student comments at mid-term and end of term, adding comments and signing clinical practicum forms as required for the course;
c) conferring with preceptor regarding any questions or concerns during or at the end of the clinical practicum course (contact may be initiated by preceptor or course faculty);
d) Reviewing and approving weekly clinical practicum hours online in Project Concert submitted by students which includes weekly student comments regarding clinical activities and actual hours in clinical practicum; e) Approve final summary of clinical practicum hours submitted by student to the course assignment drop box. (Students download summary of clinical practicum hours from Project Concert and upload to the course assignment area). Course faculty ensures that the minimum number of clinical practicum hours for the course have been met and are approved;
f) Course faculty assigns the final course grade with consideration of preceptor comments on clinical practicum evaluation forms and consultation with the preceptor as needed during the course and at the end of the course.
g) Responsible to ensure students are aware of and complete requirements for placement in the clinical practicum setting and maintain their approved status.
h) Will work with students to ensure all necessary health and safety documentation is uploaded and cleared in required systems in advance of start of the clinical practicum experience. Works with student to determine and identify best placement options.
i) Works collaboratively with other OFE staff and management as well as CONHS leadership.
j) Will manage the Affiliation Agreement legal review as necessary with USU legal department and the legal departments of the site.
k) Will monitor and ensure all preceptors have been approved by CONHS based on submitted document and will provide access to required systems.
OFE Clinical Placement Coordinator Responsibilities
• Ensure that students understand the nature of the clinical practicum experience and the expectations involved.
• Assist students in ensuring all required health and safety documents and site requirements have been met.
• Be available to counsel with students as situations dictate.
• Act as the centralized point of contact for any student course faculty issues or concerns brought forth.
• Works with all students as assigned following enrollment into the RN-BSN or MSN program.
• Responsible to ensure students are aware of and complete requirements for placement in the clinical practicum setting and maintain their approved status.
• Will work with students to insure all necessary health and safety documentation is uploaded and cleared in required systems in advance of start of the clinical practicum experience. Works with student to determine and identify best placement options.
• Works collaboratively with other OFE staff and management as well as CONHS leadership.
• Will manage the Affiliation Agreement legal review as necessary with USU legal department and the legal departments of the site.
• Will monitor and ensure all preceptors have been approved by CONHS based on submitted document and will provide access to required systems.
**Preceptor Responsibilities
A preceptor is a licensed professional who, while employed by a clinical practicum facility school or college of nursing or other healthcare organization in a community setting, is assigned to directly supervise a student’s clinical practicum education for the duration of a formal course designed to prepare registered nurses to transition to advanced practice nursing. As a preceptor, you allow the student to observe and experience what you, the expert, do on a daily basis, to ask questions, and to critically analyze what is observed. You challenge, guide, direct, and support the student. Fundamental to the process is your willingness to share professional values, beliefs, and skills, while incorporating professional standards of practice within legal and ethical parameters.
• Possess clinical expertise appropriate to accomplish the goals of the preceptorship and has at least one year of work experience at or above the level of licensure of the student’s program.
• Authorized to practice in the state or currently licensed as a Registered Nurse as required by state regulations.
• Current unencumbered RN license
• Professional certification is desirable.
• Provide the student with ongoing constructive feedback that relates performance standards to student performance
• Participate in faculty/preceptor conferences and communicate with faculty to clarify roles and the nature of the learning experience verbally and/or in written format.
• Provide an orientation for the student to the practice area and expectations of nursing care standards
• Participate in orientation to the preceptorship.
• Participate with the faculty and student in the evaluation of the student’s goals and/or clinical competence.
• Complete the Preceptor Evaluation of Student as provided by the student from individual course syllabi.
**Note licensure and qualification exceptions for RN-BSN agency/organization leaders in “Selection Criteria for Clinical Practicum Preceptors.
United States University College of Nursing & Health Sciences is responsible to orient the Preceptor on the following items:
• Mission, goals, and curricular outline of the program
• Student objectives, course objectives and course outline.
• Role of the preceptor and faculty.
• Performance expectations of the student.
• Evaluation responsibilities and standards for the student, course, and preceptor.
• Avenues of communication between the program, faculty, preceptor, facility, and student.
• Student assignments related to the experience.
• Expected initial level of knowledge, skills, and abilities of the student.