Nursing Field Experience:

NURS 4220/4221: Leadership Competencies in Nursing and Healthcare

In the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) Completion7 Program, current registered nurses (RNs) who have a diploma or associate degree in nursing are provided with the opportunity to earn a BSN degree.

Walden’s Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)–accredited RN-BSN completion program is structured to support and equip RNs with specialized skills and current knowledge they can apply on the job immediately.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is offered in two different learning modalities: the course-based modality and the competency-based modality, Tempo Learning®.

RN-BSN Track:  

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Completion Program provides current registered nurses (RNs) who have a diploma or associate’s degree in nursing with the opportunity to earn a BSN degree. The program is specifically designed to provide students with the evidence-based practices that can be applied on the job immediately. At the same time, students will develop the skills of reflection, independent learning, and enhanced critical thinking that will enable them to stay current in their field throughout their career.

NURS 4220/4221: This practicum course is a project-based practicum experience where students work on an approved project. Students collaborate with an approved preceptor and the interprofessional team in a healthcare facility to develop and present a quality improvement project. The purpose of the Quality and Safety Project is for students to design and present an evidence-based quality improvement plan that improves a quality and safety problem.

NURS 4220/4221:  Leadership Competencies in Nursing and Healthcare

• Credits:  5 credits (4 didactic credits, 1 practicum credits)
• Required Practicum Hours:  72 Hours
• Review Course Description & Prerequisites

Students must identify and secure a preceptor and practicum site for their practicum experience.  Students must determine whether the preceptorship meets the requirements for the preceptor and practicum site. Students should utilize Preceptorship Prescreen Checklists for the practicum course to check if a preceptor and practicum site may be appropriate for the practicum course prior to submitting a practicum application. 

Once a preceptor and practicum site are secured, students must submit a practicum application in Meditrek to nominate the preceptor and practicum site. Instructions on the Practicum Approval Process are described in Section 4 <INTERNAL NOTE: INSERT LINK TO SECTION 4 HERE> in this Practicum Manual. Prior to approval, the nominated preceptor’s licensure and certification (if applicable) is reviewed and verified; the Preceptor Commitment Form is reviewed and processed; and the preceptor’s credentials and qualifications are reviewed and evaluated by the Office of Field Experience. The faculty and Program Coordinator gives final approval of preceptorship nominees. Approval of the preceptor is based on the criteria outlined in this section. 

Approval of the preceptor and practicum site must occur prior to the student starting the practicum course and completing practicum hours. Students cannot begin completing and logging practicum hours until their practicum application is fully approved in Meditrek, they are enrolled in the course, it is after the first day of the term, and they have received approval from their Walden faculty instructor to begin the practicum experience.

Some state boards of nursing have specific requirements for preceptors and practicum.  Students must review the regulations of their state board of nursing for specific practicum requirements of preceptors to ensure students are meeting their state board of nursing requirements along with Walden requirements for preceptorships. For example, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Texas have specific requirements for Nurse Practitioner preceptors that restrict certain practitioners as preceptors for nurse practitioner courses.

Students must go through the appeal process in Meditrek to appeal any practicum policy, including policies related to practicum site and/or preceptor requirements or to appeal a closure of a practicum application. Students must review the Appeal Policy and Process for practicum in Section 5 <INTERNAL NOTE: INSERT LINK TO THE APPEAL POLICY IN SECTION 5 HERE> of this manual. 

Students should contact the Office of Field Experience with questions about requirements of preceptors and practicum sites.

Practicum Site Requirements 

To finalize their education, students must have an opportunity to apply their acquired knowledge, concepts, and skills during required practicum experiences. To do this, students may need to travel to a setting for their practicum experience. Students should consider their career goals after graduation when they are choosing a practicum site. They must match their practicum setting that they nominate with their goals and within the specific requirements of the course. Practicum sites must offer an experience that meets the requirements of the specialization and the practicum course. The general requirements for all practicum courses for practicum sites are as follows:   

• The practicum site must either have a valid affiliation agreement with Walden University that specifically covers your program or be willing to finalize an affiliation agreement with Walden University. The Office of Field Experience will contact a nominated practicum site to establish an agreement after a practicum application is submitted in Meditrek if Walden does not currently have an affiliation agreement with the practicum site. 
• The practicum site must abide by the terms and conditions outlined in the affiliation agreement. 
• The practicum site must employ the preceptor or be owned by the preceptor. 
• The practicum site must be located in a state or country where Walden University is authorized to enroll students and approve practicum for the student’s program. Students should review the list of states and countries that are restricted for enrollment and practicum on the List of Restricted States for practicum. 
• The practicum site must not be a private residential home setting because students are not permitted to go to private residential home settings of patients or preceptors for practicum experiences. 
• The practicum site must not be an agency that conducts home visits because students are not permitted to go to private homes for home visits. 
• The practicum site must operate at a physical location that is owned or leased by the site with a physical address that belongs to the site.  Addresses for a post office box, virtual office, co-working facility, or rental mailboxes are not acceptable. 
• The practicum site cannot be owned or operated by the student.  
• The practicum site must be willing to support you with opportunities to complete required practicum activities for the practicum course.
• The practicum site must meet the specific requirements for the practicum course. See the “Practicum Course Requirements for Practicum Sites & Preceptors” section for requirements.   <INTERNAL NOTE: Insert a link to the “Practicum Couse Requirements for Practicum Sites & Preceptors” subsection, which is in this section below> 

Practicum Site Placement and Onboarding Process:   

Students must follow the appropriate procedure at the practicum site to secure a practicum rotation by the site’s deadline, complete onboarding processes required by the site, and understand the practicum site requirements prior to beginning the practicum. If a practicum site requires a placement and/or rotation process or requires an affiliation agreement prior to assigning a student a preceptor, students must follow procedures described in the section titled Sites that Require a Placement Process or Affiliation Agreement Before Preceptor Assignment.  <INTERNAL NOTE: Insert a link to this section with this title in Section 4> 

State Restrictions for Practicum Sites:    

Walden University is not authorized to provide educational experiences in every state or country for all nursing programs. Students must review this list of states and countries with restrictions for enrollment and practicum approval:  Restricted States - Restricted States for Practicum.   The Office of Field Experience cannot approve practicum applications in states or countries listed on this list under any circumstance. This policy cannot be appealed.

Student’s Place of Employment for Practicum Site:  

Students may complete the practicum where they work, assuming the facility is appropriate for their area of specialization and meets the requirements for the specific practicum course. However, their practicum experience must be:

• Completed in a different setting outside of their current work department/unit;
• Completed outside of their normal working hours;
• Not under the direction of a preceptor who reports to them; and
• Not under the direction of a preceptor who is their immediate supervisor or manager.

Students’ employment at their nominated practicum site does not guarantee that an Affiliation Agreement can be reached between Walden University and the site. Regardless of employment status at the nominated practicum site, an Affiliation Agreement and onboarding are required for all students as required by the practicum site and/or Walden University.

Students who wish to conduct their practicum at their place of employment should be aware that change of employment before or during their practicum may interfere with their ability to complete their practicum experience at the site. Students must email nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu immediately upon a change of employment status.

Preceptor Requirement

Preceptors must be academically and experientially qualified to serve as a preceptor. Preceptors must meet the preceptor requirements to be eligible to be approved as a preceptor. Once a preceptor is identified, students must communicate with their potential preceptor and determine if the individual meets the requirements for their practicum course. Students should only nominate preceptors who meet the preceptor requirements for practicum. 

Preceptor Requirements – General Requirements: 

• The preceptor must hold the required academic degree that meets the requirements of the course; profession; licensure; certification; and is in a field related to the role and focus of the practicum experience.    
  • Undergraduate level courses: The preceptor must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree or higher.
  • Master’s level courses: The preceptor must hold a master’s or doctoral degree. 
  • Doctoral level courses: The preceptor must hold a master’s or doctoral degree, but a doctoral degree is preferred.    
• The preceptor must hold an active and unencumbered license to practice in the specialization in the state or country where the practicum experience will occur for licensed preceptors.    
• The preceptor must meet the specific licensure, certification, and/or board-certification requirements for the specialization and practicum course. See the “Practicum Course Requirements for Practicum Sites & Preceptors” section for requirements.   <INTERNAL NOTE: Insert a link to the “Practicum Couse Requirements for Practicum Sites & Preceptors” subsection, which is in this section below> 
• The preceptor must have a minimum of 1 year of postgraduate unsupervised experience in the area of specialization for the practicum course. For licensed practitioners, the 1 year of experience is based upon the original date of licensure for the specialization. 
• The preceptor holds a current position and role that is relevant to the specialization, relevant to the focus of the practicum experience, and meets the requirements of the course.  
• The preceptor is a current employee of the practicum site at the practicum site location.
• The preceptor nominee is not the student’s relative, family member, fiancé, roommate, significant other, personal friend, primary care provider, and does not have any other relationship that would create an actual or perceived conflict of interest.
• The preceptor is not the student’s supervisor/manager, employee, or direct report.   
• The preceptor is not a current Walden University nursing student. 
• The preceptor is not precepting other students during the same time they plan to precept you during your practicum experience because preceptors must only precept one student for direct supervision at any given time.   
• The preceptor is able and willing to commit to the preceptor role for the duration of the practicum experience.
• The preceptor must meet the specific requirements for the program, specialization, and practicum course. See the “Practicum Course Requirements for Practicum Sites & Preceptors” section for requirements.   <INTERNAL NOTE: Insert a link to the “Practicum Couse Requirements for Practicum Sites & Preceptors” subsection, which is in this section below> 

TBD?

NURS 4220/4221:  Leadership Competencies in Nursing and Healthcare

• Practicum Overview: Practicum is a project-based practicum experience where students work on an approved project. Students collaborate with an approved preceptor and other various professionals in a healthcare facility to develop a quality improvement project. This practicum experience is project-based.
• Acceptable Preceptor Options: The preceptor must be a nurse with a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Examples of preceptors include chief nursing officer, directors, directors of nursing, nurse managers, quality improvement nurses, nurse managers of a patient care unit, manager of quality improvement, nursing educators, infection control practitioners, charge nurses, unit managers, or other qualified nursing leaders.
• Acceptable Site Options: Any facility where data is collected and measured to improve an outcome for a patient population such as healthcare facilities, inpatient facilities, hospitals, medical centers, outpatient clinics, primary care clinics, community clinics, physician offices, clinics, mental health facilities, or behavioral health facilities, or nursing homes.
• Nonacceptable Site Options: Students are not permitted to go to a private home residential setting for practicum, do home visits with patients/clients, go to a practice that is in the preceptor’s private residential setting, or any other facility that is a private residential home setting. 
• Required Practicum Hours: 72 Hours 
• Review Course Description & Prerequisites
• Preceptorship Prescreen Checklist

Preceptorship Prescreen Checklist 
Practicum Course Activities