NURS 642: Practicum in Gerontological Nursing
Prerequisites: NURS 622, NURS 628, NURS 629.
Credit Hours: (3) One hour seminar and six clinical hours/week
This clinically intensive course provides the student enrolled in the clinical nurse specialist program the opportunity to apply theories, concepts, and research findings in the clinical care of older adults. Emphasis is on developing clinical competence required for the advanced practice gerontological nurse.
Detailed Description of Content of Course
Content of seminar meetings will involve the integration and synthesis of theoretical concepts applied through clinical practice with older adults, their families, and agencies providing services for older adults. These will include:
1. Clinical reasoning related to the provision of individualized, holistic care.
2. Delivery of culturally sensitive care in a variety of settings and situations.
3. Advocacy in health policy, health care delivery, and quality of care
4. Dissemination and utilization of research in clinical settings
5. Role development in education, supervision, and consultation with other health
care providers.
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
This clinical experience will consist of a 90-hour faculty supervised clinical practicum. The student will be responsible for: providing individualized, holistic, culturally sensitive health care to older adults and their families across a variety of settings and situations; disseminating and utilizing research related to older adults in clinical settings; and demonstrating leadership in gerontological nursing in education, supervision, and consultation.
Objectives of the Course
At the end of the course, the student will:
1. Demonstrate critical thinking and clinical reasoning in the development, implementation,
and evaluation of individualized, holistic plans of care for older adults that incorporate
the many interacting pathophysiological and psychosocial changes of aging.
2. Provide comprehensive and culturally sensitive gerontological nursing services
collaboratively with formal and informal caregivers.
3. Utilize the research process and research findings in providing evidence-based
advanced practice nursing care for older adults.
4. Assume leadership in providing education, supervision, and/or consultation to individuals
involved in the health care of older adults.
Assessment Measures
May include clinical contract, participation, projects, and demonstration of oral and written communication skills.
Other Course Information
None
Review and Approval
Revised March 2004 Karolyn Givens, Graduate Program Coordinator