Clinical Learning Experiences
Clinical Site Placement
Clinical learning experiences afford students the opportunity to further use the theory and skills they have learned in their didactic course work. The Clinical Placement Office (CPO) functions as liaison between the MSN and PGC programs of the School of Nursing and the many clinical sites with which it collaborates to provide appropriate precepted training experiences.
Students are assigned to faculty-approved clinical learning sites based on the learning objectives of the course, faculty approval, and preceptor availability. All students who participate in clinical education must be prepared to be flexible. Scheduling requirements for placement rotations may potentially include evenings, nights, and weekends. This is particularly important for master of science in nursing (MSN) and post-graduate certificate (PGC) students who are placed in individually precepted clinical or systems sites. These clinical experiences will follow the preceptor’s schedule, with the expectation that the student adjust their schedule as needed. Although efforts will be made to secure clinical sites for precepted rotations near the student’s place of residence, factors such as statutory regulations, requirements of health care provider sites, competition for sites, availability of preceptors, clinical site contracts etc., may limit the location and selection of sites. MSN and PGC students may be required to attend a site in a state other than their resident state and/or to travel a significant distance depending on the availability of suitable sites. In most cases, the travel will be less than 120 miles. However, some students may be required to travel farther or temporarily relocate, in order to complete the clinical requirements of a degree and graduate.
Students are expected to be responsive to the CPO coordinators and to actively participate in the process of securing clinical or system sites and/or preceptors. This means, at a minimum, students will complete and submit all information requested from the CPO staff by the designated due dates. It also means, to the extent possible, that students will assist the CPO team by providing them with potential locations for site placements. Failure to be responsive to these requests for information may result in a delay of clinical placement.
Students are responsible for notifying their faculty advisors, Student Services (via Duke HUB), and CPO in writing of residence changes. Students contemplating a change in residence during the program should notify their director, clinical faculty, and/or faculty advisor to discuss implications of the change. The notification must occur as soon as possible to allow the CPO team time to search for a new site. Depending upon the timing of the move and/or the location of the student’s new residence, the School of Nursing cannot guarantee that a clinical placement in the new location or state can be secured. Students are also responsible for changing their contact information (name, address, telephone numbers, etc.) in DukeHub as soon as possible.
Relocation to a state in which the School of Nursing is not authorized to operate may make it impossible to secure clinical placements within the new state. Although every effort will be made to work with students relocating to these areas, it may either delay or make it impossible to find a site in proximity to the new place of residence. Information regarding the states in which DUSON is authorized to operate is available on the School of Nursing website.
Expectations/Requirements for Clinical Learning Experiences
The ABSN, MSN, PGC and DNP-NAP Programs provide detailed information about their expectations and requirements for student clinical experiences in their respective Student Handbooks. In order to participate in their required clinical learning experiences, students must comply with all requirements of their programs.