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Module 4

Module 4 — Overview of EMSON Clinical Courses

Overview and Objectives

Video Survey of Clinical Courses

An important component of being an effective preceptor is being familiar with where your student is in the course curriculum and reviewing individual course objectives. This module provides an overview of the Family Nurse Practitioner curriculum. Course syllabi will be made available to you by your student/faculty to review so that you can familiarize yourself with the course your student is taking.

You’ll want to be clear about course expectations and the methods by which the student will be evaluated. During the course, you will be asked to participate in at least two in-person or virtual conferences with your student and their supervising faculty member. The purpose of the meetings is to provide you an opportunity to ask questions, clarify expectations, and report student progress. The dates and times for the conferences will be determined by you and the student, and scheduled to fit into your busy routine. You may also contact the clinical faculty at any time.

Module 4 Objectives

When you’ve finished this module, you will be able to:

  1. Identify the clinical courses required in the EMSON FNP curriculum, and
  2. Review the curriculum plan to identify the placement of the course your student is taking

Module 4 Learning Activities

  1. Review FNP Curriculum Plan

FNP Clinical Courses

The EMSON DNP-FNP curriculum consists of 78 credit hours, 21 of which are specific to the FNP clinical specialty. In addition, Advanced Health Assessment taken by students in both concentration, accounts for an additional 3 credit hours.

Following is a list of all clinical courses with their associated clinical hour, or contact hour, requirements:

For students entering the program Summer 2024 and earlier:

  • NURS 5112 Advanced Health Assessment Practicum (90 clinical hours)
  • NURS 5495 Common Problems in Primary Care Clinical Practicum (225 contact hours)
  • NURS 5683 Primary Care of Children Clinical Practicum (135 contact hours)
  • NURS 5884 Complex Problems in Primary Care Clinical Practicum (180 contact hours)
  • NURS 628v (1 cr hr) DNP Clinical Practicum III (45 contact hours)
  • NURS 6224 DNP Clinical Practicum I (180 contact hours)
  • NURS 6244 DNP Clinical Practicum II (180 contact hours)
  • NURS 628v (up to 8 cr hrs) DNP Clinical Practicum III (45 contact hours/ credit hour)

For students entering the program Summer, 2025 and after:

  • NURS 52331 Advanced Health Assessment Practicum (60 clinical hours)
  • NURS 56433 Primary Care Clinical Practicum I (180 clinical hours)
  • NURS 57433 Primary Care Clinical Practicum 2 (180 clinical hours)
  • NURS 58433 Primary Care Clinical Practicum 3 (180 clinical hours)
  • NURS 73443 Full- scope DNP/Specialty Clinical Practicum 1 (180 clinical hours)
  • NURS 72431 DNP Project Implementation Clinical Practicum (60 clinical hours)
  • NURS 74433 Full-scope DNP/Specialty Clinical Practicum 2 (180 clinical hours)

FNP Curriculum Plan

Below is the overall FNP curriculum plan. In general, students complete courses over a 4-year period. It may be helpful for you to see where your student is in the curriculum, according to the specific course. As indicated in the plan, students begin the clinical component of the program in the fall semester of year 2 when they complete Advanced Health Assessment. Then, in the spring of year 2, they begin the FNP specialty courses. The program culminates in year 4 with completion of the DNP project. Note that the curriculum has been revised; those students entering clinical courses in summer 2025 and after will follow the “new” plan, as specified below.

Different Types of Clinical Experiences in the DNP Program

The EMSON BSN to-DNP program (referring to Bachelor of Science in Nursing) includes two types of clinical experiences. Specialty clinical experiences prepare students to develop advanced practice skills in primary care. Students in these courses work with preceptors to provide direct care to patients in primary care settings.

However, NURS 6244 DNP Clinical Practicum I, NURS 6244 DNP Clinical Practicum II and NURS 628v DNP Clinical Practicum III prepare students for roles beyond direct patient care; in these courses, students provide leadership in applying evidence-based practice and quality improvement processes for the improvement of client care outcomes. In these courses, students do not see patients; rather they develop a quality improvement project designed to meet a need at the clinical site.

Students work closely with site personnel to determine the need, and develop a sustainable process to meet the need. In these clinical experiences, students might not work directly with a preceptor, since they are not providing direct care; rather, they may work with a site champion — someone in the setting who can facilitate project planning and data collection.

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