Pediatric Primary Care NP Clinical Rotation Descriptions

It is a requirement for accreditation that each preceptor working with a student in an APRN concentration have at least 1 year of clinical experience in the population-focused area of practice and role prior to providing clinical supervision (i.e., precepting).  

It is a recommendation that the preceptor-to-student ratio is 1:2 if the preceptor is not seeing his/her own patients and 1:1 if the preceptor is seeing his/her own patients.

Fall Semester

NURS 61792 Pediatric Assessment for Advanced Practices Nurses Practicum

Course Description: This course is the clinical application of concepts introduced in Pediatric Assessment for Advanced Practice Nurses.

Course Objectives - Advanced Assessment

1. Use interviewing techniques to obtain a health and psychosocial history relevant to the child’s and family’s environment and development.*
2. Develop skill in the selection, use, and interpretation of screening tools and methods.*
3. Perform a comprehensive physical assessment appropriate for age, developmental level and health status of child.*
4. Use age-appropriate anticipatory guidance in educating children and families.*
5. Analyze data from interview, exam, laboratory, and screening tools to assess health and wellness.*
6. Utilize critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning to delineate diagnoses and health status.*
7. Develop a plan of care/intervention to meet the physical, psychosocial, developmental, cultural, and health needs of the child.*
8. Demonstrates safe clinical practice

Course Objectives - Health Promotion

1. Evaluate and incorporate theoretical frameworks regarding health, children and families.*
2. Synthesize concepts related to health promotion, maintenance and restoration for generally healthy infants, children, and adolescents with sensitivity to culture for all age groups.*
3. Analyze effects of certain risks to health maintenance and achievement.*
4. Promote successful developmentally appropriate coping strategies of families.*
5. Review, critique and utilize current research relevant to the health of well infants, children, and adolescents.*
6. Demonstrates safe clinical practice

*Based on Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Competencies-NONPF 2012

Ideal clinical site (150 hours):
150 hours of well child care in a primary care setting–office, clinic (no minute clinics), health department.

Spring Semester

NURS 62792 Pediatric Nurse Practitioner I Practicum

Course Description: Practicum for the concepts introduced in Pediatric Nurse Practitioner I. This course emphasizes the development of competent advanced practice nursing skills, and comprehensive knowledge of acute illnesses in children including diagnostics, patient and family centered management, evaluation and implementation of advanced practice nursing interventions.

Course Objectives

1. Assess deviations from health and changes in health status of children*
2. Identify common acute illnesses in children in primary care setting*
3. Analyze data from physical exam, laboratory and other diagnostic tests to formulate a diagnosis and differential diagnoses.*
4. Develop a holistic culturally sensitive pan of care, using both pharmacologic and non pharmacologic interventions and advanced practice nursing interventions.*
5. Assess responses to interventions and changes in health status.*
6. Collaborate and consult with preceptors in the care of children.*
7. Learn the role of the pediatric nurse practitioner in acute primary care.*
8. Demonstrate clinical reasoning and diagnostic thinking to develop evidence-based practice.*
9. Demonstrate safe clinical practice.*

*Based on Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Competencies - NONPF 2012

Ideal clinical site (150 hours):
150 hours of acutely ill child care in a primary care setting - office, clinic (no minute clinics), health department.

Summer Semester

NURS 63792 Pediatric Nurse Practitioner II Practicum

Course Description: Practicum for the concepts introduced in Pediatric Nurse Practitioner II.

Course Objectives:

1. Synthesize concepts related to health promotion, maintenance and restoration for generally healthy infants, children, and adolescents with sensitivity to culture for all age groups. *
2. Identify various common developmental challenges, and formulate a plan of care, integrating concepts of growth and development within the context of the family and culture. *
3. Use age-appropriate anticipatory guidance when educating children and families. *
4. Become proficient in performing and interpreting common vision, hearing, developmental and risk factor screening. *
5. Increase ability to assess deviations from health, including common illnesses.*
6. Analyze data from history, exam and diagnostic tests to formulate a diagnosis and differentials. *
7. Continue to develop, with consultation with preceptor, a holistic plan of care. *
8. Demonstrate clinical reasoning and diagnostic thinking in developing diagnoses and assessing health status.*
9. Demonstrates safe clinical practice

*Based on Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Competencies - NONPF 2012

Ideal clinical site (75 hours):
75 hours of well and acutely ill child care in a primary care setting - office, clinic (no minute clinics), health department

Fall Semester

NURS 63992 Care of the Chronically Ill Child Practicum

Course Description: Practicum for the concepts introduced in Care of the Chronically Ill Child for Advanced Practice Nurses.

Course Objectives

1. Discuss presenting signs and symptoms, pathophysiology and disease progression of chronic illnesses. Employ critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning. *
2. Integrate assessment skills and knowledge about chronic illnesses.*
3. Synthesize concepts related to chronicity, illness and health. *
4. Integrate concepts of chronicity, illness, health, holistic and culturally sensitive care into a care plan created cooperatively and collaboratively with the family and health care team.*
5. Identify and review resources for chronically ill children and their families; such as web sites, books, support groups, popular literature and community resources.*
6. Promote health and disease prevention in the child with a chronic condition/illness. *
7. Discuss the role of the PNP in chronic care *
8. Demonstrates safe clinical practice

*Based on Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Competencies - NONPF 2012

Ideal clinical site (150 hours):
150 hours in a chronic setting such as endocrine, orthopedics, pulmonology, allergy, rheumatology, immunology, neurology. Students may choose two settings.

Spring Semester

NURS 64792 Pediatric Nurse Practitioner III Practicum

Course Description: Practicum for the concepts introduced in Pediatric Nurse Practitioner III. The course is an individually planned practicum in which the student performs in the advanced practice role with a specified population of patients of the student's choice in a selected multidisciplinary care setting.

Course Objectives

1. Perform in the role of the pediatric nurse practitioner with a selected population in a multidisciplinary setting. *
2. Demonstrate competence in direct, holistic, and culturally sensitive care of patients and families within specialty areas. *
3. Demonstrate means to integrate practice, theory, leadership and research through activities in the advanced nurse practice role. *
4. Synthesize a conceptualization of the advanced nurse practice role in a variety of clinical settings.*
5. Evaluate growth in the advanced nurse practice role.
6. Prepare a scholarly article to be submitted for publication.*
7. Discuss professional business and legal aspects of advanced practice nursing.*
8. Demonstrates safe clinical practice

*Based on Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Competencies - NONPF 2012

Ideal clinical site (75 hours):
75 hours in a chronic setting such as endocrine, orthopedics, pulmonology, allergy, rheumatology, immunology, neurology.