Practicum I Health Policy Leadership – NURS 627

CG • Section 8WK • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 05/27/2022

Course Description

This course will focus on health policy issues at the local, regional and state level. Emphasis will be placed on developing the critical thinking and analytical skills necessary to conceptualize and evaluate health care policy proposals within a well-developed ethical framework that reflects the contrast between the Judeo-Christian worldview and secular humanism. Students will be exposed to the process, institutions, and actors engaged in the process of creation, advocacy, development, enactment and implementation of health care policy.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

This course is designed to further develop knowledge and expertise within a specific area of specialization for advanced nursing practice, with a primary focus on the role of the nurse as health policy developer and advocate. In addition, the research component of this course provides the student with a valuable foundation for future doctoral studies.

Course Assignment

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each Discussion. Each thread must be at least 500 words and be supported by at least 1 scholarly journal article and 1 biblical reference in current APA format. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be at least 250 words and cite at least 1 scholarly journal article and 1 biblical reference.

Using the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice and ANA Social Policy Statements, the student will develop his or her practicum goals and objectives. These standards will guide and support the development of the practicum goals and objectives. These goals and objectives will assure the student’s practicum experience is comprehensive. It is important to note that these goals and objectives will be used throughout the remaining two practicum courses (NURS 628 and NURS 629).

In addition to using ANA Scope and Standards of Practice and ANA Social Policy Statements as a guide to develop the draft of the goals and objectives, the student will submit a draft and receive constructive feedback in preparation for the final submission. The objectives that support the stated goals must be measurable, realistic, and attainable. The instructor is available for questions.

Once the final is submitted in Blackboard (learn.liberty.edu), it will be graded by the instructor. The instructor will provide one of the following:

  • A final approval of the Goals and Objectives—the student may start the practicum and post the approved Goals and Objectives in Typhon under External Documents, Goals and Objectives
  • A final approval of the Goals and Objectives with minor edits—the student may start the practicum and post the Goals and Objectives in Typhon with minor edits added, or
  • The instructor asks the student to rewrite the Goals and Objectives (final approval to start practicum will be held until the revised Goals and Objectives meet the instructor’s approval). The revisions will be emailed by the student to the instructor.

The student may refer to the grading rubric for specific grading criteria. The student can document up to 10 hours toward his or her practicum hours for completing the Goals and Objectives in Typhon.

Once final approval is given by the instructor, the student will also submit a copy of the approved, final version of the goals and objectives in his or her Typhon account as a Microsoft Word attachment using the My External Documents tab.

This is a research paper that provides the opportunity for delving into the professional literature in a particular area of interest. The project serves as a basis for an evidence-based initiative and may be developed as a manuscript suitable for publication. The assignment will be divided into 3 parts.

The Practicum/Clinical Log is the documentation of the 200-hour practicum experience of which 75 hours will be completed in this course. The documentation is to be completed in Typhon. Instructions for setting up Typhon are found in the MSN Handbook. The log must be comprehensive in details related to the experiences in the field and reflective of the National League for Nursing (NLN) competencies. The discussion must be in-depth and analytical. It must also include examples of how the student has applied the NLN competencies and readings from the textbooks and professional literature in the practicum setting. Any citations must be provided in current APA format. Upon final approval of the practicum goals and objectives, the student must work on practicum hours weekly. Log submissions will be entered in Typhon.

NOTE: In addition to accruing the required number of practicum hours, there must be a passing grade for the practicum experience which includes the following: progression with the student’s established goals and objectives, an in-depth documentation of the practicum experiences as evidenced in the clinical log, and satisfactory preceptor evaluations. Failure to pass the practicum requirements will result in failure of the course; see the MSN Handbook for practicum expectations related to performance and professionalism.

The preceptor will complete an evaluation of the student at the end of the practicum experience. The evaluation will be sent electronically over a secured server through Typhon to the preceptor. The instructor will retain the preceptor evaluation and may review it with the student upon request. Refer to the MSN Handbook for important detailed information.

The student must complete a Self-Evaluation and an Evaluation of Site and Preceptor, and the preceptor will complete an evaluation of the student.

All evaluations must be completed and submitted as directed. Failure to submit any of the end-of-course evaluations will result in a final grade of an “Incomplete.” The student will be unable to progress to the next practicum course until the grade of “Incomplete” is resolved.

Self-Evaluation

The student must complete a self-evaluation of his/her practicum experiences using the provided form (required but no point value assigned).

Student Evaluation of Site and Preceptor

The student must complete an evaluation of the site and preceptor for his/her practicum experience using the form provided. This document must be shared with the preceptor (required but no point value assigned).

Preceptor Evaluation

The preceptor will complete an evaluation of the student at the end of the practicum experience. The instructor will electronically send the evaluation to the preceptor via a secured server through Typhon.

The student will complete quizzes consisting of 25 multiple choice and/or true/false questions each. Each test will cover the textbook material for the assigned module. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes and have a 1-hour time limit.