NURS 5513 280: Adv Practice Nurs Practicum I

Upon completion of the MSN post-master's PMHNP program, graduates will:

1. Critically analyze, interpret and utilize appropriate knowledge, research and theories to meet the health care needs of diverse populations across the life span.
2. Collaboratively plan the delivery of culturally sensitive health care with organizations and the community.
3. Contribute to the advancement of nursing profession through evidenced-based research and practice.
4. Synthesize the leadership management, negotiating, teaching/coaching and consulting roles to foster continual improvement in order to meet changing societal and environmental needs.
5. Operationalize ethical, legal, political, and economic principles in application to management of healthcare delivery across the lifespan.
6. Advocate for advanced nursing practice through a commitment to lifelong learning and community service.

1.  Apply health promotion and disease prevention interventions for individuals and families across the lifespan with psychiatric disorders and mental health problems. 
2. Apply theoretical concepts to individuals and family with psychiatric disorders and mental health problems incorporating cultural, spiritual, ethnic, age, gender, and sexual orientation considerations. 
3. Incorporate psychopharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions into the treatment and management of acute and chronic psychiatric disorders and mental health problems for individuals and families across the lifespan.
   
4. Demonstrate the integration of course concepts and clinical experience by applying knowledge of acute and chronic psychiatric disorders and mental health problems to the diagnosis and management of individuals and families across the lifespan.
   
5. Apply elements of a comprehensive mental health assessment, to include history of a mental status examination, diagnostic testing, imaging techniques and neuropsychological testing to individuals and family across the lifespan with psychiatric disorders and mental health problems.
6. Integrate elements of holistic care that recognizes ethno-cultural, spiritual, and demographic characteristics in individuals and families across the lifespan with psychiatric disorders and mental health problems.
   
   
   
7. Demonstrate professional development in the role of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
   
8. Demonstrate an inter-professional collaborative environment that integrates the biomedical, and psychosocial model of patient-centered care.

To go to the bookstore, click here.       (https://www.bkstr.com/texasaminternationalstore/home/).

Books are included in the concurrent course NURS 5412

Symptom Media's DSM-5-TR Guided Film Library (in books included -pending assignment).

Apea.com precertification bundle (in books included - pending assignments.

Other resources: Additional readings or website exploration on guidelines to reference evidence-based practice, i.e.. Up to Date through TAMIU library.

Optional online subscription:

• Neuroscience Education Institute – Membership   Student rate   https://www.neiglobal.com/Members/Become/MBRRates/tabid/192/Default.aspx  Full Time Students Discount membership. The purpose of this course material is to give the student comprehensive tools for neuroscience, psychopharmacology & principles of medication management.  Besides assignments, there is optional supplemental learning with case studies, self- assessments & other learning activities. The student can earn CEUs approved by ANCC if desired.

Required Supplies: TAMIU graduate RN student name badge must be worn at all times (contact TAMIU card services office 956-326-2875 or office Zaffirini Student Center (ZSC 131), approved preceptor agreement, cleared verified credentials, current RN license, time log sheets, notebook, pen. The student may take DSM5Tr, Differential diagnosis by First, Stahl's prescriber's guide book. Ask preceptor if you may use your laptop to make notes or look up information from the books.

• Professional attire & appearance according to agency policy & MSN student handbook (lab coat, blazer, business casual…)

In determining the final course grade, the following scale is used in percentage value.

• Graduate students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above to progress and graduate from the MSN program in the CNHS.

Grading Policies

Grade	Value
GRADE	PERCENTAGE
Final Grade = Pass or Fail

Grading Policies

Grade	Value
ASSIGNMENT	VALUE
Class & Online Participation (preceptor agreements, student schedules, evaluations MT/F	P/F
Clinical Hours log MT/F	P/F
Case Encounter Graphical reports MT/F	P/F
Case presentation ( voice thread with power point presentation)	P/F
Patient Encounter summaries SOAP -Typhon	P/F
Total Percentage of Course	100%

Online Courses and On-Campus Meetings

Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 2, Subchapter J, Section 2.202, defines distance education as the formal educational process that occurs when students and instructors are not in the same physical setting for the majority (more than 50%) of instruction. Distance education includes hybrid and 100% online courses and programs as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB):

• Hybrid Course - A distance education course in which more than 50 percent but less than 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the student(s) and instructor(s) are in separate physical locations.
• 100-Percent Online Course - A distance education course in which 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the student(s) and instructor(s) are in separate physical locations. Requirements for on-campus or in-person orientation, testing, academic support services, internships/fieldwork, or other non-instructional activities do not exclude a course from this category.

In this online course, there will be two synchronous meetings required: one at beginning of semester & one at end of the midterm of semester. Dates to be announced.

Course Structure

There are 225 hours of clinical practice hours in selected clinical sites serving populations across the life span with emphasis on psychiatric mental health. The clinical experience allows the student to apply knowledge in greater depth and scope, to incorporate new knowledge, and to develop clinical expertise in the advanced practice role. The student works closely with a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, physician assistant specializing in psychiatry and/or psychiatrist preceptor in the development and enhancement of the collaborative role of the PMH nurse practitioner. A student should document at least 8 Typhon log/ cases for an 8 hours day clinical; 4 cases should be submitted in Typhon for a half day clinical. Students have 10 days, from completing a clinical day, to enter cases in Typhon to document or justify clinical or practicum hours. A minimum fo 200 notes should be submitted by the end of the semester.

Use evidenced based guidelines or articles from the TAMIU online library or google scholar to support & cite your responses.

Course Expectations:

Clincal Practicum Course Policies:

1. The student is to initiate contact, develop preceptorship plans, and make initial arrangements with the potential preceptor and agency. Independent action is stressed with University and preceptor/agency constraints. Final approval of preceptor and/or agency rests with the clinical professor(s).
2. A signed preceptor agreement/contract with the preceptor/agency and the student/university must be in place by second week of the semester and prior to the student rotation.
3. Students must develop a calendar schedule for clinical hours with their preceptors and submit the schedule of clinical practicum hours to their assigned clinical professor prior to start of clinical rotation otherwise these hours will not be counted in the course. If the clinical professor makes a site visit during the dates/times the student has scheduled clinical hours, and the student is absent without notifying the clinical professor ahead of time, such will result in clinical failure. Student should plan for events, such as study time, class time, etc., at the beginning of the semester and not schedule clinical hours for those days. Thus, there should be no changes of scheduled clinical hours to study for tests. Students are expected to honor their precepted contracted hours.
4. The clinical preceptor must sign the preceptor documentation log verifying that the student was present during the clinical experience. Signature must be collected each day of the clinical experience. No corrections (no white-out or alterations) to the form after the preceptor has signed and verified the hours spent for any day.
5. The clinical professor will make two or more site visits per student in order to further the learning process and to determine student progress. Additional site visits may be made at the professor’s discretion. The clinical performance grade will be determined by the faculty member with input from the preceptor and student. The clinical component of the grade will not be assigned until the end of the semester. Safe clinical practice is mandatory for the successful completion of the course.
6. All students must obtain a “satisfactory = P” for all course work to pass this course. This course is graded Pass/Fail. Not passing this course will negatively impact your GPA.
7. Students may NOT have a clinical preceptorship where they work, nor may they be paid for clinical as part of their working hours.
8. There are no incompletes for the clinical portion of the course during the semester except for a major health problem. All clinical hours must be completed by the week before reading day. NO extensions for unmet clinical hours will be granted. Failure to complete all clinical hours or falsification of clinical hours will result in failure of the course.
9. Every MSN student is expected to demonstrate professional integrity, including but not limited to the standards below. Failure to maintain professional standards of integrity may result in failure of the clinical portion of the course (list not exhaustive):                            a. Adhere to the ANA Code for Nurses. b. Adhere to Texas Board of Nursing Board Rules
   1. 213.27b Good professional character – defined “good professional character as the integrated pattern of personal, academic, and occupational behaviors that indicate an individual is able to consistently conform his/her conduct to the requirements of the Nursing Practice Act.”
      • RNs enrolled in a nursing program, the TBON considers the student’s practice setting the academic setting; therefore, accountable for good professional character while in school and academic dishonesty is considered a reportable offense.
   2. 217.12(6)(A) Unprofessional Conduct – Misconduct actions that include but not limited to:
      • Falsifying reports, client documentation, agency records or other documents.
      • Examples: RNs falsifying clinical log entries, patient progress notes. etc.
   3. 217.12(6)(I) Unprofessional Conduct– Misconduct actions that include “failing to answer specific questions or providing false or misleading answers in a licensure or employment matter that could reasonably affect the decision to license, employ, certify or otherwise utilize a nurse.”
      • The TBON and certifying body is reliant information provided to them by the RN student indicating that they have completed the required number of clinical hours when issuing a license or certification. False information provided to either organization is considered unprofessional conduct.
10. Protect the confidentiality of patient health information.
11. Recognize that within the community and surrounding areas, you are an ambassador of Texas A&M International University School of Nursing and you must conduct yourself in a manner consistent with University mission and values.
12. Do not engage in any behavior that will compromise patient care or the University’s relationships with community partners.
13. Always introduce oneself as a student and avoid misrepresentation of licensure and certification status.
14. Do not practice outside of your scope or practice.
15. Wear your TAMIU ID while in any clinical setting.

Nametag/Dress/Appearance:  All students must follow the dress code policies.

Students are representatives of TAMIU College of Nursing and Health Sciences and must present themselves as ambassadors of this program. They are expected to be respectful to preceptor, faculty, staff, patients, and their families. Reports of unprofessional behavior will result in the student being counseled and possibly subject to review by the CSON Admission & Progression Committee and/or the University Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. Students should be professionally dressed and wear an ID badge that identifies them as a Registered Nurse and TAMIU College of Nursing and Health Sciences graduate student. The student should only wear these badges when the student is in the clinical setting. The appropriate use of uniforms, blazer, business casual or lab coats should be determined through the preceptor/student interview. Students are expected to conform to the dress of the clinical site where the coursework is completed.

Student Health Requirements:

Memorandums of understanding have been established between the Texas A&M International University, CSON and clinical practice facilities. As part of our agreement the CSON will abide by the practicum facilities policies and procedures. These policies and procedures may include immunization or health guidelines, which may be more stringent than what is defined in the Graduate Student Handbook.

Students must meet the clinical health and CPR requirements prior to going to the clinical setting for their major. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the inability to attend clinical. Verified Credentials is the software format used by the CONHS to monitor and track student health requirements and licensure.

Criminal background checks or drug screens:

As part of this clinical rotation, the CSON adheres to the policies of all clinical facilities with which the CNHS affiliated with for student clinical learning experiences. As part of this clinical rotation, clinical facility policies may require criminal background checks and/or random drug screen to be conducted on persons interacting with their clients. This documentation will be submitted to the requesting agencies as per their policy. See CONHS MSN Handbook.

LAB/Clinical Absences:

The CNHS MSN program, PMHNP tracks, specifies the number of practicum hours a student must obtain in order to graduate. In keeping with this requirement, the CSON has defined a practicum absence as a failure to complete an assigned clinical rotation due to a failure to attend practicum as assigned due to an unexpected emergent situation OR an illness. Additional information on this definition can be found in the Graduate Student Handbook

Clinical hours are required to provide students with the opportunities to obtain knowledge and skills to function safely as a professional nurse. Punctuality is expected in the professional workplace. Important information affecting client care is communicated to the students at the start of the clinical experience. Therefore, tardiness for clinical/lab/simulation experience jeopardizes the student’s ability to give safe nursing care. Lab and simulation experiences are considered clinical experiences.

Confidentiality:

Nurses and other health providers are entrusted with a great deal of personal information about their community, populations and individuals to plan comprehensive care. The student role requires that some of this information be shared with faculty and other students in a clinical conference setting. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) regulations provides federal protections for personal health information held by covered entities and gives patients an array of rights with respect to that information. Students and faculty share the burden of carefully protecting the privacy of all persons concerned.

Instructions for the Written Assignments: Documentation of 225 clinical hours log signed by  preceptor, documentation of cases seen in SOAP note format in Typhon, documentation of evaluations of self, preceptor, agency & faculty at midterm and final. Completion of 25 questions of APEA practice questions every 2 weeks. Case studies & formal Soap Note presentation in person or voicethread recording.

All assignments must be submitted by the designated time on the due date online.

Student-Instructor Communication Policy and Response Time

Announcements/Course Messages/Emails

Regularly scheduled virtual office hours via Blackboard virtual space will be on Tuesday from 4 pm-7 pm or Wednesday 3 -6 pm. central time. If another time is needed, send an email with your request & 2 available date & times. You can contact me by phone (956-326-2458) during these hours. You can expect to receive a return phone call within 24- 48 hours.

Assignments and AssessmentsAssignment and assessment turnaround time for feedback will be within 7 days but may vary depending on the type of assignment. Some assignments may receive summary feedback. Depending on the assignment, grades will be posted once the quiz, exam or paper has been graded

Course Communication Guidelines (Netiquette)

There are course expectations concerning etiquette or how we should treat each other online. We must consider these values as we communicate with one another. Visit Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ web page on Netiquette for further instruction.

Accommodations/Accessibility Policy

Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodation for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Director of Student Counseling and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodation. For more information, contact the online at Office of Disability Services for Students (DSS), via phone at 956.326.3086 or by visiting the staff at the Student Center, room 118. A link to the Disabilities Services for Students site has also been included under the "Resources" tab inside the course.

Student Support Resources

The University wishes to have all students succeed in their courses. To provide support to our students, an array of services in the areas of technology support, academic support, student support, and accessibility support may be found at the University. For more information, visit the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services page on University Resources and Support Services.

Computer/Technology Requirements

When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Online students will need regular access to a personal computer that runs on a broadband Internet connection.

It is recommended that you meet the technical requirements listed on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage when using the learning management system (LMS) of the University.

Additional Hardware. For this class, you will need the following additional hardware:a webcam and microphone for VoiceThread discussions. Recently purchased laptops may have these built-in web cameras.  If you do not have this equipment, it is recommended to purchase a stand-alone webcam, microphone, or a webcam with a built-in microphone from your local electronic store or any online store.

NOTE: Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services may check out available webcams to students on a first-come, first-served basis. To check out a webcam, please stop by Killam Library, Room 259, and request an available webcam.

Additional Software. You will need the following additional software: [list any additional software required here. Additionally, and if applicable, you may use the following statement:] TAMIU Students may access online versions of this software through their Dusty Office 365 account at https://dusty.tamiu.edu/. This site also provides students access to download the Microsoft suite for educational use. See instructions for downloading the Microsoft Office suite.

Note: Students, if you do not own the required hardware or software or do not have access to the Internet, it will be highly challenging for you to make any progress in this class. However, my goal is to assist you in finding solutions and guide you appropriately most of the required materials can either be found free of charge at TAMIU’s library, classrooms, and available computer labs. Visit Media Services’ web page on the availability of on-campus computer labs. In addition, you may also purchase any of these items at any electronic store.

Learning Management System (Blackboard)

Students are provided with an orientation (*eLearning (Blackboard) Student Orientation*) and access to guides on how to use the Blackboard LMS. Guides may be available at Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services' Student eLearning Tutorial Videos page or by contacting the eLearning team at elearning@tamiu.edu.

Minimum Technical Skills Expected

When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Students in distance education should have knowledge of basic computer and Internet skills, as mentioned on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage.

Technical Support Services

Because of the nature of distance education courses, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) computing and information services are vital to the success of online students. This webpage covers contact information for Distance Education Services (Blackboard Support), the OIT Help Desk, and E-mail support: Technical Support Services.

Web Conferences/Synchronous sessions

There will be a synchronous session for orientation, mid-semester session & demonstration of clinical skills in OSCE simulation interview in person at end of the course.

Rubrics 

Each assignment will have a rubric to be used for grading criteria. The rubric will provide an understanding of how you will be assessed on the assignments. The rubrics will be located along with the assignment instructions in the assignment folder in Blackboard.

Late Work Policy

Papers that are not submitted by the designated time on the due date in the designated manner will receive the following deductions: 5% the first day late, l0% for the second day late. All subsequent submissions will be graded "0" for the assignment.

In the event of an emergency situation, in which a written assignment cannot be submitted by the due date in the designated manner, the student may petition the professor for consideration of an extension. All petitions must be in writing (e-mail is acceptable). The student must petition the professor prior to the assignment due date. All petitions must be received no later than 5:00pm the day prior to the due date of the assignment.

Student challenges: Any student having questions regarding assignments, exams, papers or course grade, must schedule an appointment to see the lead faculty to review the matter no later than TWO DAYS after grade is received. Open communication between students and course faculty is highly encouraged. Students are highly encouraged to seek assistance from the faculty.

Course Evaluation

At the end of this course, students are encouraged to complete a course evaluation that will be distributed to them via email and through a course link.

Proctoring

Accessibility and Privacy Statements on Course Technologies

At Texas A&M International University, we believe that all students should have equal technology opportunities in the classroom. These technologies/sites may also require user data, such as the creation of a username and password. You may find the accessibility and privacy policies of the technologies used in this class on the following pages: Accessibility Statements and Privacy Statements.

In this class, we will utilize: voice thread recordings or current media on black board LMS.

Syllabus Subject to Change

While information and assurances are provided in this course syllabus, it should be understood that content may change in keeping with new research and literature and that events beyond the control of the instructor could occur. Students will be informed of any substantive occurrences that will produce syllabus changes.