Practicum Expectations

• Students should read and reference the Student Handbooks, all course materials, course
announcements, and any documents provided by the faculty during their practicum
course for information concerning practicum requirements and/or updates from faculty.
o Student Handbooks
 Master of Science in Nursing Student Handbook
 South University Savannah Campus Student Handbook
 College of Nursing Master of Science in Nursing Degree Program, Nurse
Practitioner Practicum Student/Preceptor Information Packet
o Students are expected to review and watch all video training provided in the
clinical documentation system (CORE ELMS).

• Students must achieve a “B” or better in the didactic coursework and meet all
requirements of the practicum portion of the class in order to pass the practicum course.
All required documentation must be submitted prior to the end of the course.

• FALSIFICATION OF DOCUMENTATION is a violation of the Code of Conduct

policy. Please refer to the Master of Science in Nursing Student Handbook for detailed
information the Code of Conduct Policy.

• Students are required to provide their preceptor with the overall course objectives prior to
starting practicum.

• Some students may be assigned a site visitor faculty to visit them in their clinical setting.
If you are assigned a site visitor, they will contact you to set up the visit. Students cannot
refuse a site visit.
o If you are contacted by a site visitor, you must provide them with your clinical
schedule.

• Students are expected to set up a schedule with your preceptor for clinical days that you
will attend. Students are expected to be present for each scheduled date.
o You must submit your clinical schedule to the student requirements in CORE. A
template is available in the document center in CORE.
o If there are any changes made to your agreed upon schedule, please update the
schedule in CORE. This document is utilized by clinical staff and faculty to
identify your location and plan for site visits.

• Course faculty will communicate with your preceptors in week one, five, and ten during
the course. NSG6020 preceptors will receive communication in weeks four and ten.
Students are required to facilitate meetings between the preceptor and faculty and ensure
these meetings occur.
o Please inform your preceptors that your faculty will be contacting them.
o Provide your faculty with your preceptor’s current contact information.
o Please ask your preceptor for their preferred time of day and day of the week
when your course faculty may reach your preceptor for these phone
 conversations. Communicate this information to your instructor in the first week
of the course.

• Students are expected to participate in practicum each week during Weeks 1 – 10 of the
practicum course unless you are in NSG6020 and practicum starts in Week 4.
o Provide weekly written objectives to your preceptor that are reflective of the
weekly content.
o Enter field encounters (case logs) for all patients that you see each week. Case logs
must be entered in the clinical documentation system (CORE ELMS) within 7
days or they will not count.
§ Your course faculty will review your submitted cases weekly, providing
feedback and approving/disapproving your logs.
§ Students must complete 150 direct patient contact hours for the AGNP
and FNP program for each practicum course except NSG6020.
NSG6020 Students are required to complete 50 direct patient contact
hours. This must be documented and will be verified by faculty at the
end of the session.
§ Direct patient contact hours is care that involves assessment,
diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of real patients including
consultation. Direct care must be provided in the population-
focused areas of NP practice in primary care.
§ Direct patient contact hours are calculated from Case Logs, not
timesheets.
§ If you participate in any procedures for the patient, be sure to include those
in your case log. Often employers will request this data for your
credentialing.

• Students should complete a time sheet in CORE for each clinical day. This is documented
under Hours Tracking.

• Students are required to have preceptors sign the Verification of Hours Form for each
clinical day completed.
o Hours not verified by a preceptor’s signature will not be counted toward the
required hours for the practicum.
o Upload the form to the clinical documentation system (CORE) by week 10 of the
term. For CORE this will be uploaded under Hours Tracking as an attachment to
your final time sheet.
o This form is required as part of documenting and verifying your clinical hours.
Failure to submit the completed Verification of Hours Form may result in course
failure. The form can be found at the end of this document and is available in
CORE.

• Students are responsible for ensuring that the midterm (week 5) and final evaluations
(week 10) are completed by your preceptor online in the clinical documentation system
(CORE). Only a final evaluation is required for NSG6020.
 o Preceptor evaluations are due in week 5 and week 10 of the all practicum
courses without exception. NSG6020 only requires a week 10 evaluation. If
an evaluation is not submitted on time, your grade may be affected.
o Failure to have a final evaluation submitted in week 10 will result in failure
of the course.
o To avoid a late or missing evaluation, verify with your preceptor well in advance
of the evaluation due date that they have received information on how to logon to
the clinical documentation system (CORE).
 If your preceptor does not have logon information please contact the
CORE Help Desk (SouthHelp@COREHigherEd.com) immediately for
assistance with this.

• Students receiving a failing midterm evaluation or failing to meet course objectives at

midterm will be placed on a Remediation Plan. This remediation plan is initiated at mid-
term for any student who is not meeting course objectives per the preceptor or site visitor
evaluation.
o Once the remediation plan is approved by the Program Director, your faculty will
review it with you and your preceptor.
o Students are required to sign this form and complete the remediation plan by the
end of the term. Students able to improve his or her performance prior to the final
evaluation may still pass the course. Failing to meet course objectives will result
in failure of the course.

• Students are not allowed to change preceptors during the term unless there is an
extenuating circumstance that is verifiable where a preceptor is unable to fulfill the pre-
approved practicum agreement. It is your responsibility to schedule and accomplish all
practicum hours with your preceptor within the timeframe of the course.
o Students are not allowed to use any provider that has not been approved. Any
hours documented in this situation will not count and may violate program policy.
Please review the Master of Science in Nursing Student/Preceptor Packet.
o Students should contact their faculty AND Assistant Clinical Coordinator (ACC)
to request a change of preceptor.
o Students MAY NOT participate in any clinical without full approval from the
Assistant Clinical Coordinator.