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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 61492 Women's Health Nurse Practitioner I

Course Description: Practicum for concepts introduced in Women's Health Care NP I. These concepts include development of a foundational basis for competent clinical practice of women within a healthcare setting. Emphasis is placed on the menstrual cycle, fertility control, and normal and abnormal gynecological conditions. This course also emphasizes the coordination of care needed within the clinical setting through diagnosis, planning and evolutional components pertinent to clinical practice.

Course Objectives:

1. Identify philosophical, cultural, and historical contexts of social forces and trends that influence sexual behavior in women seeking health care.
2. Use normalcy as a basis for nursing actions with women and their families.
3. Demonstrate safe beginner levels skills which include head to toe assessments and procedures pertinent to health and well-being of non-pregnant women.
4. Formulate differential diagnoses and nursing interventions based on the health history and physical examination.
5. Collaborate with and refer to other healthcare professionals when a woman exceeds limits of normal.
6. Engage in self-evaluation of clinical performance.
7. Demonstrate skill in the initiation and maintenance of nurse-woman interactions, which promote growth and re-enforcement of healthy behaviors.
8. Begin to develop evidence-based practice in the discipline of advanced practice nursing.

Ideal Clinical Practice Site (150 hours):
Since this semester focuses primarily on well woman gynecology, the student needs a preceptor with a good GYN complement of patients. A CNM, WHNP or FNP in an OG/GYN office or a general OB/GYN would be an ideal preceptor. This course requires 150 clinical hours.

Spring Semester

NURS 62492 Women's Health Nurse Practitioner II

Course Description: Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner II Practicum (NURS 62492) is the clinical component to WHNP 2 (NURS 60240). In this course the emphasis is normal pregnancy focusing on prevention and health promotion as well as deviation from normal. Clinical assessment skills, including diagnosis, nursing intervention, treatment, and evaluation, will be emphasized and the student is expected to concentrate efforts in attainment and safe execution of skills pertinent to the women during the reproductive years.

Course Objectives:

1. Demonstrate clinical practice and exam competency as a beginning level nurse practitioner including assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and health care management of women during the reproductive years.
2. Demonstrate safe provision of care for pregnant women including assessment and anticipatory guidance for the promotion of maternal and fetal well-being as a beginning level nurse practitioner.
3. Apply an evidence-based approach to practice which recognizes pregnancy as a normal physiologic and developmental process.
4. Participate in self-evaluation of performance in the women's health advanced nurse practice role.

Ideal Clinical Practice Site (150 hours):
This semester focuses on reproductive health therefore; the ideal clinical site should have a good volume of obstetric patients. A CNM, WHNP (caring for OB patients) or a general OB/GYN would be an ideal preceptor. This course requires 150 clinical hours.

Summer Semester

NURS 63492 Women's Health Nurse Practitioner III

Course Description: Practicum concepts introduced in Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner III. The student will continue to apply the knowledge, concepts, and skills introduced in WHNP 1 and 2 in the clinical area.

Course Objectives: 

1. Integrate an understanding of current and landmark literature on nurse practitioner advanced nursing history, current issues affecting roles, patient population and practice.
2. Identify and evaluate patient interventions regarding the goals of patient care and patient outcomes as a result of the Advanced Nurse Practice (ANP) care rendered.
3. Continue to develop comprehensive clinical assessment skills. The student will consider and assess and evaluate cultural implications and socioeconomic implications affect the management plan.

Ideal Clinical Practice Site (75 hours):
This semester focuses on both reproductive health and well woman gynecology, therefore, the ideal clinical site should have a good volume of obstetric and GYN patients. A CNM, WHNP or FNP (caring for both OB and GYN patients) or a general OB/GYN would be an ideal preceptor. This course requires 75 clinical hours.

Fall Semester

NURS 64892 Women's Health Nurse Practitioner IV

Course Description: This course is the clinical application of concepts introduced in Women’s Health Care NP IV which provides further development of a foundational basis for competent clinical practice within a health care setting by introducing the student to the practice of primary health care of women including premenopausal and menopausal women. Included are principles of growth and development, health promotion, disease prevention and management of common acute and chronic health problems. Emphasis is placed on the biological, psychological and social cultural aspects of care. Pathophysiology assessment and diagnostic techniques specific to the acute and common problems are stressed. Nursing strategies related to health problems used to enhance, maintain and restore health are emphasized. Also emphasized are the coordination of care needed within the clinical setting, collaboration and use of community resources.

Course Objectives:

1. Identify client risk factors based on biological, psychological, social and cultural issues related to primary care of women.
2. Develop a plan of care to enhance, maintain, and restore health based on the integration of the concepts of normal anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology and how they relate to primary health care of women.
3. Analyze the impact of family dynamics on primary health care of women
4. Synthesize relevant concepts and develop long and short-term health goals based on scientific principles and evidence-based research for primary health care of women.

Ideal Clinical Practice Site (150 hours):
This semester focuses on primary healthcare of women; therefore, the ideal clinical site should have a good volume of female primary care patients. A FNP, Adult NP or an MD in Family Practice would be an ideal preceptor. This course requires 150 clinical hours.

Spring Semester

NURS 65892 Women's Health Nurse Practitioner V

Course Description: Practicum for concepts introduced in Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner V.  This course focuses on the implementation of the role of nurse practitioner and represents the final step in the educational process designed to prepare nurses to be competent in advanced clinical skill, collaboration, and leadership. The practicum in the role of nurse practitioner provides students the opportunity not only to integrate practice, research, and theory but also to convey this knowledge, through use of the nursing process and interpersonal process, to others as they initiate and support change in the health care delivery system. The focus of the advanced practitioner is on change as it affects positive client outcomes.

Course Objectives:

1. Perform in role of nurse practitioner with a selected population of people in a selected multidisciplinary care setting.
2. Demonstrate competence in direct care of clients and families within areas of specialization.
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.

Ideal Clinical Practice Site (150 hours):
This semester focuses role integration and development for women for reproductive health and well woman gynecology. The ideal clinical site should have a good volume of obstetric and GYN patients. A CNM, WHNP or FNP (caring for both OB and GYN patients) or a general OB/GYN would be an ideal preceptor. This course requires 150 clinical hours.