Immersion Preceptor Orientation
NURS 4650 | Professional Leadership Capstone | 3-week Immersion
- Students will be working 36 hours per week according to their preceptor's schedule unless prior arrangements have been made. Working more than three 12-hour shifts is not preferred and requires prior approval from SNHP clinical faculty.
- Students have the option to work shifts over holidays and finals week if necessary and requires prior approval from SNHP clinical faculty.
- Preceptors are responsible for supervising, monitoring and cosigning daily practices, such as document, administering medication, and practicing clinical skills.
- Provide high quality, safe, patient centered nursing care for a group of patients using critical thinking, clinical judgment, and nursing management principles.
- Evaluate own learning needs and plan appropriate educational interventions to maintain professional practice and licensure.
- Integrate personal values and beliefs about compassion, justice, and professionalism by critically reflecting on how these influence professional nursing behaviors when caring for a group of patients.
- Collaborate with other healthcare professionals and patients to provide spiritually and culturally appropriate health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and disease management interventions.
- Communicate clearly in a professional manner using verbal, written, and technological skills.
- Value the relationships between development, culture, spirituality, family dynamics, socioeconomics, health, and health promotion of patients and families in selected healthcare settings.
- Demonstrate the professional, legal, and ethical principles embodied in the Texas Nursing Practice Act (2021), the Texas Board of Nursing Differentiated Essential Competencies (2021), the AACN Essentials of Baccalaureate Education (2021), the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice (2021), the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses (2015), and the Mission of UIW as foundations for nursing practice.
Immersion Frequently Asked Questions
The process of student placement for their Immersion clinical is made by matching student interests and site preference with available opportunities. Final placements are approved through the hospital’s Education Department.
Generally, it is best to have the student go with the preceptor. This decision is a judgment decision based primarily on where the student has the best learning opportunities and if the reassigned unit is in agreement with having a student working with the nurse.
Students are expected to be on the unit ready to start when the preceptor would normally start their responsibilities. Students need to complete the shift and should not leave until the patients they are caring for have another care provider who indicates they are ready to assume care responsibilities. Students who are ill or unable to attend clinical must contact their clinical faculty, preceptor, and the clinical unit. The preceptor should notify clinical faculty if a student is not meeting these expectations within the timeframe of the clinical shift.
The student does not always have to be with their assigned preceptor when they are doing clinical work on the unit. For instance, when a preceptor is out on PTO or is ill, the student should be reassigned by the preceptor, charge nurse, or another nurse depending upon the unit census and nurse availability. Students should not arrange to work with other staff members without the approval or knowledge of the preceptor and faculty.
Students should be making entries in the medical record as if they were an RN in that department. Refer to institution policy for specifics. UIW SNHP recommends that the preceptor sign these entries immediately after the student.
Preceptors should expect students to be able to administer PO, IM, IV, topical, eye and ear drops and suppositories competently. Preceptors should expect that the student has a working knowledge of all the medications they are administering. Knowledge of actions, interactions and administration of medications is an ongoing process, and students should feel comfortable interacting with the preceptor to increase their ability but also demonstrate personal initiative. Preceptors should not expect students to be familiar with medications that are unique to the clinical unit or experimental (e.g., chemotherapy). Preceptors do need to verify a student's competency with medications. The preceptor needs to be with the student during preparation, validation, and administration of all medications.
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Clinical Activities Immersion Students MAY DO |
Clinical Activities Immersion Students MAY NOT DO |
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Initiate and maintain IVs Insert urinary catheters and nasogastric tubes Change surgical, wound, and central line dressings Non-tunneled central line removal and port access/de-access (with supervision) Administer PO, PR, Topical, Otic, Optic, and IVPB medications. Administer narcotics, electrolyte boluses, heparin, insulin, IVP medications, and cardiac drip infusions (with direct supervision) Suction and provide trach care Setting up and administering oxygen therapy Hygiene and ambulation Enteral feedings and medications Physical Assessments Documentation |
Administering chemotherapy and blood products (but students can help set them up and monitor them) Take or transcribe verbal or telephone orders Sign as a witness to consents Verify and/or co-sign for the administration of blood, TPN, chemotherapy, and insulin |
The ability of all students to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with appropriate professional nurse expectations is expected. Preceptors who are working with a student that is not safely or professionally delivering care should contact the SNHP clinical faculty member as soon as deficits are seen to discuss their concerns and to develop a plan. The SNHP clinical faculty is ultimately the one who must decide if the student is performing at a satisfactory level.
Thank you for completing the Immersion Preceptor Orientation. Please complete the documentation below.