Adult Gerontology 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.

Spring Semester

NURS 60120 Adult/Gerontology Primary Care I
NURS 61292 Adult/Gerontology Primary Care I Practicum

NURS 60120 Course Description: Introduction to the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) role with adult patients across the life span. Identification and examination of evidence based primary health care problems, needs, and interventions. The course will focus on biological and behavioral parameters at primary, secondary and tertiary levels of prevention.

NURS 60120 Course Objectives:

1. Identify positive health maintenance and health surveillance by functioning in the APRN role.
2. Examine appropriate theoretical and evidence-based research to support APRN practice.
   1. Elicit and analyze the primary health care data base, define problems/needs, plan interventions and intervene using relevant theories and research.
   2. Interpret biological and behavioral parameters at primary, secondary and tertiary levels of prevention.
3. Identify needs, teach and support appropriate behaviors for effective management and prevention of actual and potential disorders.

NURS 61292 Course Description: Practicum for the concepts introduced in Primary Care I: Across the Lifespan.

NURS 61292 Course Objectives:

1. Apply appropriate theoretical and evidence-based research to clinical practice.
2. Demonstrate clinical reasoning in approach to management of common patient health/illness states.
3. Manage, advise, teach and counsel regarding potential and identified risks, disorders and problems while addressing health related priorities according to evidence-based practice.
4. Integrate knowledge of relevant standards of care into APRN practice.
5. Consult and collaborate within a multidisciplinary approach to maximize the effectiveness of health care systems and community services.

Ideal Clinical Practice Site:

The student should be seeking experience with a Nurse Practitioner or Physician in the following settings: Internal Medicine, Primary Care, Outpatient Clinics, Express Care Clinics or Skilled Nursing/Long-term Care.

Total Hours: 150

Summer Semester

NURS 60125 Family and Adult Nurse Practitioner Role
NURS 61892 Family and Adult Nurse Practitioner Role Practicum

NURS 60125 Course Description: This course continues to develop competencies of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse including requirements for practice, and prescribing. Quality of health care delivery across the lifespan through Advanced Practice Registered Nurse is examined. 

NURS 60125 Course Objectives:

1. Integrate an understanding of current and landmark literature on nurse practitioner and advanced practice nursing history, issues, roles and practice.
2. Consider legal issues, licensure requirements and prescription guidelines for the NP.

NURS 61892 Course Description: Practicum for the concepts introduced in Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Role

NURS 61892 Course Objectives:

1. Develop comprehensive clinical assessment skills, including cultural implications and management skills related to common problems and conditions in primary care.
2. Identify and evaluate patient interventions regarding the goals of patient care and patient outcomes as a result of the NP care rendered. 

Ideal Clinical Practice Site:

The student should be seeking experience with a Nurse Practitioner or Physician in the following settings: Internal medicine, Primary Care, Express Care Clinics, Free Clinic, and Underserved Clinics/Fairs. The student needs to do at least 16 hours of underserved care during this semester.

Total Hours: 75

Fall Semester

NURS 60220 Primary Care II: Chronically Ill Adults
NURS 62292 Primary Care II Practicum:  Chronically Ill Adults

NURS 60220 Course Description: Focus of this course is to establish a knowledge base of appropriate collaboration and consultation within a multidisciplinary approach to maximize the effectiveness of health care systems and community services in the health care of adults across the lifespan.

NURS 60220 Course Objectives:

1. Develop judgment and skills in the primary care assessment and management of adult patients with multiple acute and complex chronic problems/illnesses.
2. Identify needs, teach and support appropriate patient behaviors for effective management of actual and potential disorders.
3. Integrate relevant standards of care into APRN practice across the lifespan with adult chronically ill clients.
4. Examine the impact of acute and long term adult illnesses on economic, health care and other relevant resources at patient, local, state and national levels.

NURS 62292 Course Description: Practicum for the concepts introduced in Primary Care II: Chronically Ill Adults across the Lifespan.

NURS 62292 Course Objectives:

1.  Using relevant evidenced-based interventions and strategies, manage and plan individualized primary care for adults across the lifespan to attain short and long term patient health care goals.
2. Incorporate biological and behavioral patient parameters for the identification and application of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention measures in the clinical area.
3. Integrate evidence-based research to decrease complications in patients with multiple co-morbid conditions across the lifespan.
4. Demonstrate competence in evaluation and management of a variety of clinical presentations in simulated patient exam setting.

Ideal Clinical Practice Site:

The student should be seeking experience with a Nurse Practitioner or Physician in the following settings: Internal medicine, Primary Care, Outpatient Chronic Care Clinics, Long term care or Skilled Care. The student may do up to 40 hours in cardiology or endocrinology this semester.

Total Hours: 150

Spring Semester

NURS 60320 Adult/Gerontology Primary Care III
NURS 63692 Adult/Gerontology Primary Care III Practicum

NURS 60320 Course Description: Synthesizes an understanding of the transition to the professional role of the primary care Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. Integration of practice, theory, leadership and evidence-based research will all be applied to primary care.

NURS 60320 Course Objectives:

1. Demonstrate an integration of practice, theory, leadership and evidence-based research as an APRN within primary care.
2. Evaluate personal growth in the APRN role of the primary care adult/gerontology nurse practitioner.

NURS 63692 Course Description: Practicum for the concepts introduced in Comprehensive Primary Care III: Adults across the Lifespan.

NURS 63692 Course Objectives:

1. Perform in APRN role with a variety of patients across the adult lifespan in primary care settings utilizing a multi-disciplinary approach to care.
2. Demonstrate competence in direct primary care of patients across the adult lifespan with simple and complex, acute and chronic health care problems and with their families.
3. Synthesize an understanding of the transition to the professional role of the primary care APRN.

Ideal Clinical Practice Site:

The student should be seeking experience with a Nurse Practitioner or Physician in the following settings: Internal Medicine, Primary Care, Long term care or Skilled Care, Specialty Outpatient Offices/Clinics, Express Care Clinics. The student may also do specialty hours this semester. They cannot do more than 40 hours in one specialty. Specialty hours can be done in various settings such as cardiology, endocrinology, dermatology, neurology, orthopedics, pain management/palliative care, etc… If a student has a specific site or preceptor in mind for specialty hours, it should be discussed with the faculty for approval of the site or preceptor.

Total hours: 150

*It should also be noted that a student may do hours with a CNS or PA in an appropriate setting with their clinical faculty approval in all semesters.