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 and course objectives. 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. You will be asked to periodically participate in video conferences with your student and supervising faculty. These typically last only a few minutes, and they are scheduled to fit into your busy routine. The purpose of the clinical conference is to provide you an opportunity to ask question, clarify expectation, and report student progress. You may also contact the clinical faculty at any time.
When you’ve finished this module, you will be able to:
- Identify the clinical courses required in the EMSON FNP curriculum
- Review the curriculum plan to identify the placement of the course your student is taking
- Identify course objectives for the course your student is taking
- Examine the differences in types of clinical experiences in the EMSON Doctor of Nursing Practice program.
Module 4 Learning Activities
- Review FNP Curriculum Plan
- Review Clinical Course Outcomes
- Watch video: “The Different Types of Clinical Experiences in the DNP Program” and read EMSON DNP Clinical Practicum Guidelines (PDF).
FNP Curriculum Plan
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:
- NURS 5112: Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning Clinical Practicum (90 contact hours)
- NURS 5495: Common Problems in Primary Care Clinical Practicum (225 contact hours)
- NURS 5884: Complex Problems in Primary Care Clinical Practicum (180 contact hours)
- NURS 5683: Primary Care of Children Clinical Practicum (135 contact hours)
- NURS 6224: DNP Clinical Practicum I (180 contact hours)
- NURS 6244: DNP Clinical Practicum II (180 contact hours)
- NURS 628V (4 credit hours): DNP Clinical Practicum III (180 contact hours)
Below is the 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.
Please note that the courses marked with “**” are required only for students participating in the ANEW grant program but are open to any student.
Following the curriculum plan, you will find a listing of the specific outcomes for each course. Your student is responsible for providing the course syllabus so that you can familiarize yourself with the course requirements and expectations. It will be particularly important for you to be familiar with the course outcomes and methods of student evaluation.
Also, the EMSON Graduate Student Clinical Handbook (PDF) provides additional information about the clinical experiences associated with each course.
Clinical Course Outcomes
The attached document lists each clinical course with its specific course outcomes. You might find it helpful to review the outcomes for the course your student is taking. This should help you understand what the course faculty expects the student to get out of the course, and the experiences the student will be seeking during the semester. In addition to the general outcomes listed here, the student will develop their own individual learning objectives to help them get the most out of their experience. They will also provide you with more information, including the course syllabus, which will explain the work the student will be completing in addition to the required clinical hours.
DNP Clinical Course Outcomes (PDF)
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.
Please take a few moments to view the video below for more explanation of the different clinical experiences in the DNP program.
Reminder to review: EMSON DNP Clinical Practicum Guidelines (PDF)