VNSG 1360 – CLINICAL I

_______________________________________________________________________________________

INSTRUCTORS:

Graham: Krystian Brock, RN; Laverne Jennings, LVN; Kayla Ellis, RN, MSN

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  

  This course provides clinical experience in fundamental nursing skills.  The nursing process is applied to provide individualized care designed to meet a patient’s particular needs. This is a health-related, work-based learning experience that enables the student to apply specialized occupational theory, skills and concepts.  Clinical experiences include care of the adult patient with focus on cultural nursing aspects, therapeutic communication, nutrition, geriatrics, diabetes, mental health and illness, and muscular-skeletal pathophysiologies. 

  The clinical setting may include acute care facilities, clinics, long-term care facilities, and any other institutions that gainfully employ licensed nurses and/or physicians.  The clinical experience will also include patient scenario simulations in the nursing lab, in order to strengthen the student’s clinical skills and provide exposure to patient care situations that may not be readily available to the student.  Supervision and evaluation of the student’s performance is provided by a licensed clinical professional in all clinical and nursing lab settings. 

GRADING: 

CLINICAL EVALUATION-

Student evaluations of clinical competency will be based on meeting the clinical outcomes derived from the Differentiated Essential Competencies (DEC), the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS), and the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) matrices as stated in the course syllabus, and the Vocational Nursing Student Handbook, and shall include all actual, as well as laboratory simulated, patient care situations.  Grades will be determined by utilizing the Clinical I point sheet and the following grading criteria:

90. 100. A         Students begin the semester with 100 points. Points may be deducted daily
    101. B          according to unacceptable behaviors described in the VN Student Handbook,  

77. 79.               C          and as listed on the grade point sheet. Student must maintain a minimum score

Below 77         F          of 77 to continue in the Vocational Nursing Program and proceed to the

                                    next semester.

Documentation of student clinical performance will follow the guidelines outlined in the Vocational Nursing Student Handbook, and may include:  Counseling Statements, Clinical Warnings, and/or Clinical Contracts.  NOTE:  Clinical Warnings are cumulative throughout the program.  If a student receives two Clinical Warnings, a clinical failure will be given, resulting in dismissal from the program and a grade of “F” will be recorded.

All rules and regulations will be upheld as stated in your Vocational Nursing Student Handbook, including but not limited to academic honesty, online testing policies, make-up exams, grade rounding, and late work policies. Please refer to you student handbook for these outlines.

TEXTBOOKS:

Nettina, S. Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice  9^th ed. (2010) Philadelphia: LWW. ISBN # 13: 978-0-7817-9833-4

Venes, Donald.  Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary 21^st ed. (2011), Philadelphia, F.A. Davis 

ISBN # 13: 978-0-8036-1559-5

Hopkins, Tracey B.  Lab Notes – Guide to Lab and Diagnostic Tests 2^nd ed. (2010)  Philadelphia: F.A. Davis     ISBN # 130803621381

Deglin, Vallerand, and Sanoski. Mosby’s Drug Guide for Nurses, 28^h ed. (2011)  Elsevier

ISBN # 13: 978-0-8036-2310-1

Ladwig, GB. and Ackley, BJ. Guide to Nursing Diagnosis 3^rd ed. (2011) St.Louis: Mosby.ISBN # 978-0-323-07172-7

Other requirements:

Vocational Nursing Student Handbook, North Central Texas College

Evolve SimChart access codes

VNSG 1360 – CLINICAL I

OUTCOMES:  Upon completion of Clinical I, the student will be able to perform the following duties.

1.  Member of the Profession:   (DEC 1-4) (SCANS 1-7) (QSEN 2,3,4) (Cognitive (C), Affective (A), Psychomotor (P) Skills/Behaviors)

1. Function within the nurse’s legal scope of practice and in accordance with the policies and procedures of the employing health care institution or practice setting. (C, A, P)
2. Assume responsibility and accountability for the quality of nursing care provided to patients and their families. (C, A)
3. Contribute to activities that promote the development and practice of vocational nursing. (C, A, P)
4. Demonstrate responsibility for continued competence in nursing practice, and develop insight through reflection, self-analysis, self-care, and lifelong learning. (C, A, P)

2. Provider of Patient-Centered Care:  (DEC 5-12) (SCANS 1-7) (QSEN 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) (Cognitive (C), Affective (A), Psychomotor (P) Skills/Behaviors)

1.  Use clinical reasoning and established evidence-based policies as the basis for decision making in nursing practice. (C, A)
2. Assist in determining the physical and mental health status and health needs and preferences of culturally, ethnically, and socially diverse patients and their families based on interpretation of health-related data. (C, A)
3. Report data to assist in the identification of problems and formulation of goals/ outcomes and patient-centered plans of care in collaboration with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team. (C)
4. Provide safe, compassionate, basic nursing care to assigned patients with predictable health care needs through a supervised directed scope of practice. (C, A, P)
5. Implement aspects of the plan of care within legal, ethical and regulatory parameters and in consideration of patient factors.  (C, A, P)
6. Identify and report alterations in patient responses to therapeutic interventions in comparison to expected outcomes. (C)
7. Implement teaching plans for patients and their families with common health problems and well-defined health learning needs. (C, A)
8. Assist in the coordination of human and materiel resources for the provision of care for assigned patients and their families.  (C, A)

3.  Patient Safety Advocate: (DEC 13-18) (SCANS 1-7) (QSEN 3,4,5) (Cognitive (C), Affective (A), Psychomotor (P) Skills/Behaviors)

1.  Demonstrate knowledge of the Texas Nursing Practice Act and Texas Board of Nursing rules that emphasize safety as well as all federal, state, and local government and accreditation organization safety requirements and standards.  (C)
2. Implement measures to promote quality and a safe environment for patients and others. (C, P)
3. Assist in the formulation of goals and outcomes to reduce patient risk. (C, A)
4. Obtain instruction, supervision, or training as needed when implementing nursing procedures or practices.  (C, A)
5. Comply with mandatory reporting requirements of the Texas Nursing Practice Act.  (C, A)
6. Accept and make assignments that take into consideration patient safety and organizational policy. 

(C, A)

4.  Member of the Health Care Team:  (DEC 19-25) (SCANS 1-7) (QSEN 2,3,4,5,6) (Cognitive (C), Affective (A), Psychomotor (P) Skills/Behaviors)

1.  Communicate and collaborate with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team to assist in the planning, delivery, and coordination of patient-centered care to assigned patients.  (C, A)
2. Participate as an advocate in activities that focus on improving the health care of patients and their families. (C, A, P)
3. Participate in the identification of patient needs for referral to resources that facilitate continuity of care and ensure confidentiality. (C)
4. Communicate and collaborate in a timely manner with members of the interdisciplinary health care team to promote and maintain optimal health status of patients and their families. (C, A)
5. Communicate patient data using technology to support decision making to improve patient care. 

(C, A, P)

6. Assign nursing care to LVNs or unlicensed personnel based upon an analysis of patient or unit need.  (C, A)
7. Supervise nursing care provided by others for whom the nurse is responsible.  (C, A)