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Nursing Field Experience:
NURS 8513: DNP Project and Practicum II

Introduction

This overview provides a summary of the requirements for the practicum course.  Students and preceptors should review the Practicum Manual to review all policies and requirements for practicum courses.

Program Overview

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program builds on the student’s knowledge and expertise to strengthen advanced nursing practice, augment healthcare delivery, enhance organizational leadership, and improve patient outcomes. The program’s coursework covers a range of topics, including healthcare policy and advocacy, quality improvement, evidence-based practice, information systems/technology, advanced nursing practice, and organizational and systems leadership.

Program Learning Outcomes

At the end of the program, students will be able to:

  1. Translate quality research findings to direct evidence-based nursing practice.
  2. Develop organizational system changes for quality improvement in healthcare delivery in response to local and/or global community or workplace needs.
  3. Apply optimal utilization of healthcare information technology across healthcare settings.
  4. Advocate for the advancement of nursing and healthcare policy and standards to improve health outcomes by addressing positive social change and social policy through sharing of science-based knowledge with healthcare leaders and policy makers.
  5. Demonstrate leadership to facilitate collaborative teams for improving patient and populations health outcomes.
  6. Utilize advanced nursing practice knowledge to implement methodologies to improve population and community health outcomes among culturally diverse populations.
  7. Establish a foundation for lifelong learning for continual elevation of contributions to the field of nursing through active involvement in professional organizations and/or other professional and community bodies.

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Overview of Specialization/Track

The College of Nursing offers a range of programs, specializations, and tracks. Here is an overview of the DNP program: 

Overview of Specializations/Tracks  

DNP Traditional
DNP Executive Leadership
DNP Nurse Practitioner

Overview of Practicum

Practicum Site & Preceptor 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.   

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.
  • 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.