| Clinical Experience |
| Schedule/Groups |
LABORATORY EXPERIENCES – CLINICAL EXPERIENCES
The faculty believes that the experience of the nursing student in the clinical laboratory is as essential to the learning process as classroom participation.The nursing student will be given an opportunity to apply classroom theory to as many client/patient situations as possible.
Del Mar College has written contracts with clinical agencies used in nursing education.The contract provides for a description of the role of the clinical agency as well as that of the Del Mar College nursing faculty and students.This specifies that the agency will make its client/patient load available for selection of appropriate clinical experiences for students. Selection of clients/patients and supervision of safe student practice is the obligation of the Del Mar College faculty. Therefore, it follows that the hospital, which has as its primary function service to the client/patient, expects that the student is adequately prepared and supervised to care for assigned clients/patients.
From the beginning of the program, the student will practice certain nursing skills at the campus learning laboratory, and practice in the clinical setting (hospital) will soon follow. Competence and confidence improves as the student plans and provides nursing care in a variety of settings.
All students regardless of clinical setting will practice safe nursing care, to prevent real or potential harm to patients and their families, students will practice nursing according to legal, ethical and professional standards. These objectives are critical elements in the student’s clinical evaluation. If the clinical instructor observes student behavior that fails to safeguard the patient or family’s physical safety, biological safety, or emotional safety and/or fails to uphold the legal, ethical, and professional standards for the practice of Registered Nursing, the student will receive an unsatisfactory evaluation for the course (regardless of the behavior assessed elsewhere on the evaluation tool, and/or the academic grade). Prior to each clinical course, each student will sign the required form acknowledging the critical elements for clinical evaluation. (Appendix J)
Revised Fall 2007
COURSE SCHEDULES AND CLINICAL GROUPS
Students frequently request the "schedule" for planning purposes. However, the Nursing Department cannot provide assurance of any particular schedule prior to registration. The Department's "official list" as formulated during advising determines the student's schedule.
Random selection processes are used to determine student placement. Consideration, within reason, may be given to students from outside the city limits who carpool.
1. Hours
Although the laboratory hours will usually be maintained as posted on the registration schedule, it may be necessary to occasionally vary these. This may occur when it appears that the only times desirable experiences can be obtained will be at other than the posted hours. The number of clock hours will remain the same.
2. Assignments
Clinical assignments are selected by the faculty and/or student and usually will be made in writing the day preceding the clinical experience. When prepared by the instructor, assignments will be ready at a time previously announced by the instructor. Assignments must be picked up so that client/patient care can be planned, otherwise the student should NOT expect to go to the clinical area on the following day.
This pre-assignment for the clinical laboratory experience provides the student with an opportunity to search for and gain knowledge concerning medication, treatment, diet and diagnosis of that particular assigned client. It will also provide the opportunity to anticipate needs; to study the basic principles involved; to formulate a nursing care plan; and to review and, if necessary, to practice in the campus learning lab any skills needed.
Failure to prepare adequately for the clinical laboratory assignment may necessitate dismissal from that laboratory period and this will be considered an unexcused absence and require a make-up day.
If the student is responsible for selection of client/patient for an assignment, it is advisable not to go to the clinical area during the change of shift.
3. Supervision
The nursing faculty are responsible for supervision of nursing students during laboratory periods. The student should seek the instructor for guidance, but there are times when hospital staff may be helpful. Do not impose upon the hospital staff when they are busy. The instructor will discuss this with the student and will advise where and when the staff may wish to be helpful in teaching.
4. Reporting Absences
Punctuality and regular attendance is expected. If it is necessary to be absent from the clinical laboratory, the instructor should be notified the preceding day before the assignments are made, when possible. Otherwise, the instructor and the charge nurse are to be notified before pre-conference so that arrangements for the care of a given client/patient, saved for a particular student's educational experience, can be made. It is expected that the student will appreciate the RESPONSIBILITY both the student and Del Mar College has assumed in having a client assigned for educational purposes.
If absences are anticipated for more than one period, due to an unexpected emergency, the instructor should be specifically notified so that assignments are planned. Likewise, the instructor must be notified when the student plans to return so that an assignment can be prepared. Failure to notify will be grounds for dismissal from the program.
5. Tardiness
Pre-conference for the laboratory period begins promptly at the designated time. It is expected that everyone will be in complete uniform and seated by this time. If, for any reason, a student will be late in reporting for the laboratory period, the instructor must be notified. As with absences, adjustments will need to be made in client/patient care. Tardiness will be taken into consideration and reflected in the student’s clinical evaluation.
6. Make-up of Missed Clinical Laboratory Periods
Considering the rapid pace that must be maintained in the education program, coupled with the frequent, sometimes daily change in laboratory focus, the faculty believe that absences from the clinical laboratory handicap the student in reaching the objectives of the nursing curriculum.
Because the student indicated a desire to become a nurse by entering this program, it is assumed that there also is interest in achieving optimal learning in the clinical setting. Therefore, arrangements to accomplish the designated objective for missed nursing laboratories, whether on the campus or in the clinical area, should be student initiated and student planned but carried out only with the instructor's approval.
7. Make-up Plans for Clinical Absence
The student will be expected to initiate action for make-up immediately upon return to school within a five school day period. An appointment should be made with the instructor to review the proposed plan for make-up. The date and place for make-up, the student's plan for accomplishing the focus (if possible) for the missed clinical lab, and the hours needed for the make-up must be approved by the instructor.
Failure of the student to initiate action for make-up will be interpreted by the faculty as lack of interest. Failure to make up missed labs will be considered along with the clinical performance to determine whether the clinical experience of the student has been satisfactory.
There may be situations when the instructor feels that a make-up is not necessary, desirable, or practical. This will depend upon the instructor's judgment of the circumstances. Unless this is specifically communicated to the student, the student will proceed with the steps for make-up as discussed above.
The cost of a qualified teacher to do make-up clinical will be determined by the individual instructor’s rate. Such arrangements are at the individual discretion of the instructor. Students are responsible for understanding the departmental policy on make-ups and/or incomplete clinicals.
8. Signature
Due to the legal aspects of client/patient records, the person writing clinical requirement must sign entries. A student will sign her/his first initial and last name followed by the initials ADNS when charting. (e.g. M. Doe, ADNS) These initials will identify the Associate Degree Nursing Student throughout the length of the program.
9. Lockers
If available, and pre/post conference meeting rooms will be shown during orientation to the agency. For safety's sake, it is better not to bring valuables or money to the agency laboratory period.
10. Transportation
Transportation to and from the hospital or to other assigned agencies is the responsibility of the individual student. Parking space is available, but limited and not reserved. Students may park in the general parking areas provided by the hospital or other community agencies, but not in spaces reserved for doctors and/or other personnel.
11. Illness/Accident
Illness/accident involving a nursing student during a classroom or clinical laboratory period must be reported at once to the faculty instructor. Medical care resulting from injuries or an accident while in the classroom or clinical laboratory is the responsibility of each nursing student.
12. Conduct
No personal communications are to be received in the clinical unit. If an emergency call is necessary, the family and/or other persons needing to contact the student, should be provided information or how to contact the clinical instructor. The clinical instructor will notify the student of the emergency situation. Cellular telephones and/or pagers are not permitted in the clinical area.
If a visit to a hospitalized friend or family member is desired, it must be made at another time than during the clinical laboratory period.
13. Smoking and Other Behaviors
Smoking is not permitted while in the clinical area. In light of public information regarding the health aspects of smoking and the health model, which the patient may expect of the nurse (even as a student), the student may wish to consider these aspects seriously. Also, during illness, the odor of tobacco smoke may be highly distasteful, even to a reformed smoker.
Neither gum chewing nor eating is permitted in the clinical area.
Pencils or pens are not to be carried in hair or on ears.
14. Meals and Breaks
Students must plan to take all meals and breaks on the premises of the clinical site, during their assigned clinical hours. The cafeteria of each hospital is open to nursing students. Students may choose to bring their meal to be eaten on the premises, in the appropriate location. Students may not leave the premises during the clinical assignment to acquire food. Students should not bring food or beverages to be consumed during report, or at any time while in the patient care area.
15. Liability Insurance
Each student is legally responsible for her/his own actions. Students are required to carry liability (malpractice) insurance throughout the entire nursing program. At present, a blanket policy is provided for students. Specific information about the policy is available in the department office. Payment is included in tuition and fees each semester. Following graduation, the policy expires and a separate policy must be purchased.
Revised Fall 2007
The campus learning laboratory is the center for much of the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes in each of the nursing courses. All students are expected to prepare themselves for actual client care by utilizing applicable aids in the campus learning lab.
The student assumes responsibility upon admission for a high standard of attendance. Absences or tardiness from campus laboratory place an extra burden on the student to keep up with assigned activities/skills and to gain campus laboratory experience. There may be no opportunity to make up campus laboratory sessions, since activities/skills are focused on particular topic(s) being studied at a given time. The initiative for attendance and make up is entirely the responsibility of the student. Failure to attend or tardiness at laboratory sessions, may result in a clinical failure in some levels, such as Foundations.
The campus learning laboratory provides an avenue for demonstration of skills, supervised practice and individual practice of nursing skills. The multimedia lab provides a wide variety of materials which deal with almost every aspect of course work. Complex concepts such as those dealing with nurse-patient relationships, communication, grief and mourning and aging are presented through these media resources and may be viewed as often as necessary to gain understanding of various nursing concepts. A master list of these aids is available in the multimedia Lab.
In the campus learning laboratory, materials used should be cleaned, neatly stacked, replaced, or whatever by the individual student using them. (i.e. "Clean up your own mess.") Please report promptly any missing item or disrepair. DO NOT HANDLE ANY OF THE PROJECTORS OR OTHER SUCH EQUIPMENT WITHOUT AN INSTRUCTOR'S APPROVAL.
The laboratory assistant will provide clinical equipment for procedures, set up A-V equipment and learning materials as well as offer technical advice and assistance when needed.
Students are free to schedule the specific times and amount of time necessary to meet their individual learning needs for each course. Learning Lab hours are posted for each semester.
The number of hours required for study and preparation will be considerably more than for a general education course. Much of this study and preparation must be done in the campus Learning Lab and students must allow time for this. Noise must be kept to a minimum; each student is responsible for ensuring this.
Students will have the opportunity to practice clinical skills in the learning lab, prior to implementing these skills in the clinical setting. Students must be well prepared before utilizing the skills with a client. However students MUST NOT practice any invasive techniques on other students. Skills such as injections, starting IVs, etc., must be practiced only on mannequins or other learning lab aids provided, while in the learning lab.