Graduate nursing clinical practice requirements may be completed in the student's own community. Students must be licensed in the state where they are performing clinical. The student is responsible for identifying preceptors and clinical sites in their own community except for states requiring university responsibility for securing preceptors. Approval of selected preceptors and clinical sites must be obtained from faculty prior to beginning clinical hours. Students may be required to come to USI campus in addition to required on-campus sessions to demonstrate clinical competency. Faculty will also validate clinical competency through multiple venues including conference calls with preceptors and students. Video recordings may be used as a method to evaluate clinical competency.
Formal application process including completed written affiliation agreement by agency is required prior to initiating clinical experiences. Preceptors must be board-certified in their specialty. No weapons are allowed on campus or in clinical areas.
Clinical must begin by Week 3 of a clinical course at the latest, and continue weekly while registered for a clinical course. With faculty approval, up to 10% of clinical hours may be re-scheduled during the clinical semester due to unforeseen circumstances. Rescheduled clinical must be approved by course faculty. Clinical schedules must be provided to clinical faculty prior to attending clinical. Clinical hours using telehealth clinical experiences must be discussed with the course coordinator. It is the individual course coordinator’s decision to accept telehealth clinical hours.
Clinical Evaluation (Critical Evaluation Criteria)
Clinical evaluation includes satisfactory achievement in the delivery of patient care according to established clinical evaluation criteria. Critical elements of clinical performance are indicated on the clinical evaluation form. Students must pass the clinical portion of a clinical course in order to pass the course. To pass clinical, students must meet or exceed all critical evaluation criteria as indicated on the Clinical Evaluation Form by the end of the semester. Failure to pass clinical will result in course failure.