Department of Nursing & Health
Professions Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Program
BSN Student Clinical Practice Experience Guide
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BSN Student Clinical Practice Experience Guide
Greetings BSN Students:
Congratulations on taking the next step in your nursing education. To further facilitate your
success toward the completion of your bachelor’s degree, please carefully review the
following information regarding preparation for your upcoming NUR 350: Community and
Population Health Clinical Practice Experience (CPE) course.
Prior to start of the CPE course:
• Please review the information provided regarding the upcoming Health Education
Activity that will be completed as part of a direct clinical practice experience in NUR
350: Community and Population Health.
• Identify a CPE mentor and site in your state of residence
• Complete the required mentor and site approval paperwork (This paperwork must
be dated and submitted to the Sonia system within the first four weeks of term
prior to the intended start of the NUR 350 course term).
• Please submit required forms via the Sonia Clinical Tracking System
(SnhuBSNnursing.sonialive.com).
• The BSN placement officer must grant you approval on your
identified CPE mentor and site in order for you to begin NUR 350.
If a suitable mentor, site, and appropriate documentation for the CPE Health Education
Activity is not presented to the placement officer within the identified pre-approval
deadline, the student will not be eligible to take the course in the upcoming term.
All identified forms in Sonia must be completed by the pre-approval deadline date that
coincides with the NUR 350 term as identified on the BSN Sonia landing page.
(SnhuBSNnursing.sonialive.com)
Students are required to join their NUR 350 term group in the term prior to the start of
their NUR 350 course. Once students have joined their term placement group, students
will utilize the Sonia system to submit their selected mentor’s CV/resume, Nursys RN
verification or healthcare provider license information, mentor’s job description, and
‘Clinical Practice Experience Acknowledgement’ form. All required documents must be
current (dated within the four-week pre-approval period) in order to be approved by the
BSN placement officer. Students who do not meet the pre-CPE requirements within the
four-week pre-term deadline will be removed from the placement group. Students who
are removed will then need to join a placement group for a subsequent term. All forms
will need to be updated and resubmitted in the subsequent placement group for review
during the next pre-term approval period.
It is strongly recommended that students start the Sonia pre-CPE approval process as soon
as possible (once they are eligible to join the term placement group) in order
to ensure timely completion. Students should not select clinical practice experience sites
that require an affiliation.
Congratulations on your success to date and continued best wishes!
The Undergraduate Nursing Team
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NUR 350 CPE Timeline
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Table of Contents
BSN CPE Guide for Mentors and Nursing Students .................................................................................... 5
Welcome ....................................................................................................................................................... 5
University Mission ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Mission of the Nursing Department .............................................................................................................. 5
Vision of the Nursing Department ................................................................................................................ 5
Philosophy of the Nursing Department ......................................................................................................... 5
BSN Program Outcomes ............................................................................................................................... 6
General Course Information ......................................................................................................................... 6
Clinical Practice Experience (CPE) Information: ..................................................................................... 7
Mentor, Student, Faculty Roles ................................................................................................................ 8
Mentor Role .......................................................................................................................................... 8
Student Role .......................................................................................................................................... 9
SNHU Course Faculty Role ................................................................................................................ 12
Ethics, Dispositions, Proficiencies, and Professional Standards Policy and Procedure for Professional
Practice Programs ....................................................................................................................................... 12
References ................................................................................................................................................... 12
Necessary Document Examples .................................................................................................................. 13
Appendix A ............................................................................................................................................. 14
Appendix B ............................................................................................................................................. 15
Appendix C ............................................................................................................................................. 16
Appendix D ............................................................................................................................................. 17
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BSN CPE Guide for Mentors and Nursing Students
Welcome
This guide has been written for both the SNHU BSN student as well as the student’s
mentor. To the SNHU bachelor’s nursing student, congratulations on taking this next
step in your scholarly career. To the Mentor, thank you for serving as Mentor to
our nursing student for their clinical practice activity. We greatly appreciate the time and
energy you spend with our students and recognize that you make a significant difference
in preparing outstanding nurses. This guide is meant to assist both the bachelor’s nursing
student and the mentor during the clinical practice experience.
Thank you,
The SNHU Undergraduate Nursing Team
University Mission
Southern New Hampshire University transforms the lives of learners. Our success is defined by
our learner’s success. By relentlessly challenging the status quo and providing the best support
in higher education, Southern New Hampshire University expands access to education by
creating high quality, affordable and innovative pathways to meet the unique needs of each and
every learner.
Mission of the Nursing Department
Southern New Hampshire University Nursing is committed to empowering students to be
successful leaders, prepared to promote a culture of health within a diverse society and
responsive to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving healthcare system.
Vision of the Nursing Department
Southern New Hampshire University Nursing is recognized for preparing reflective thinkers
who motivate collaboration as innovative leaders, to promote quality and safety in healthcare
to meet the needs of a diverse society.
Philosophy of the Nursing Department
At Southern New Hampshire University, we view the students in our online nursing programs
as respected colleagues who come to the learning environment with their own unique views of
the world and nursing. Students are valued for the contributions they bring to the learning
environment and are appreciated for their diverse values and beliefs. Students are viewed as
both learners and learning resources.
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BSN Program Outcomes
SNHU’s Registered Nurse (RN) to BSN program prepares the registered nurse with the
core knowledge, attitude, skills, and abilities to confront complex healthcare challenges
in nursing. The coursework provides the nurse with the core competencies essential to
practice as recommended by American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
The design of the program is based upon transformational learning theory which
promotes critical reflection and autonomous thinking. The goal is to educate the nurse to
function effectively in the workforce to improve health outcomes of individuals and
communities.
Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program will demonstrate mastery of the
following program outcomes (POs):
BSN-PO.1: Apply skills in using patient care technologies, information systems, and clinical
decision support tools to promote safe nursing practice and quality patient outcomes
BSN-PO.2: Utilize evidence-based practice in planning, implementing, and evaluating
outcomes of care
BSN-PO.3: Formulate strategies to promote health and prevent disease in individuals and
populations across the lifespan
BSN-PO.4: Implement patient safety and quality initiatives within the complex clinical
microsystem using leadership and communication skills
BSN-PO.5: Analyze trends in healthcare policy, finance and regulatory environments and
their implications for healthcare access, equity, and affordability
BSN-PO.6: Evaluate life-long learning and nursing engagement to promote personal and
professional transformation
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program are required to complete eight
clinical practice experience (CPE) hours while enrolled in NUR-350.
General Course Information
In keeping with SNHU’s over-arching mission of providing a high quality,
transformational and affordable experience, the NUR 350 Community and Population
Health course permits the student to advance knowledge through assessment, analysis,
and intervention recommendation for a group or community. The NUR 350 Community
and Population health course strives to incorporate the AACN Essentials (2021), those
being:
Domain 1: Knowledge for Nursing Practice
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Domain 2: Person-Centered Care
Domain 3: Population Health
Domain 4: Scholarship for Nursing Discipline
Domain 7: Systems-Based Practice
This course incorporates Global Health Competencies per the Consortium of Universities for
Global Health (CUGH), those being:
Domain 1: Global Burden of Disease
Domain 2: Globalization of Health and Healthcare
Domain 3: Social and Environmental Determinants of Health
Domain 5: Collaboration, Partnering, and Communication
Domain 7: Professional Practice
Domain 10: Sociocultural and Political Awareness
Learners within the course will meet the following course outcomes:
•
•
•
•
•
Plan targeted, population-based interventions for diverse and vulnerable populations
across the lifespan by applying principles of community health
Analyze the interrelationships among theory, practice, and research for their
implications on community and population health
Assess the impact of local, regional, and national conditions on the delivery of nursing
services to vulnerable populations
Analyze the effects of healthcare policy on improvement of healthcare outcomes for
diverse populations across the lifespan
Identify social determinants of health through a comprehensive assessment of resources
at the local, regional, and national levels
Clinical Practice Experience (CPE) Information:
NUR 350 Clinical Practice Experience Health Education Activity Information
Students will be required to complete eight hours of Clinical Practice Experience (CPE)
in NUR-350. The CPE for this course will be a Health Education Activity that you will plan,
implement, and evaluate.
This activity is separate from other assignments within the NUR 350 course.
It is important to understand that the CPE is not equivalent to shadowing a preceptor for eight
hours, and students will not be providing direct physical patient care. Instead, nursing students
will accrue hours throughout the process of assessing their community and developing a health
education activity. Students will plan, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of their
developed Health Education Activity with their chosen vulnerable population.
Students will be assessing a vulnerable population and providing an educational activity for
healthcare professionals on that vulnerable population. As discussed in the text, vulnerable
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populations can be defined as those groups who have an increased risk for developing adverse
health outcomes. A vulnerable population group is a subgroup of the population that is more
likely to develop health problems as a result of exposure to risk or have worse outcomes from
these health problems than the rest of the population.
Examples of a qualifying health education activity include a presentation to the staff at a senior
center on incorporating daily physical activity, teaching elementary instructors on health eating
habits or methods of incorporating physical activity into the classroom setting, or a
presentation on cultural competence for a rehab setting.
Clinical practice experiences are defined in the AACN White Paper:
https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/News/White-Papers/RN-BSN-Expectations-WhitePaper.pdf
The student must have an identified mentor who is able to provide oversite for the health
education activity experience.
Mentor, Student, Faculty Roles
Please see additional information regarding the individual requirements for the mentor, student,
and faculty roles as described below.
Mentor Role
Mentor Expectations and Responsibilities
The Mentor should possess the following qualifications:
• Be a licensed nurse or healthcare provider who is able to provide oversight for the
clinical practice experience.
• Provide an active unencumbered license in the state, whereas, the Clinical Practice
Experience (CPE) is located
• Be an expert in his/her current position in the organization.
The Mentor agrees to the following:
• Will provide the student with a current CV/resume, proof of licensure (Nursys Quick
confirm full report or healthcare provider license number), and job description for
current position. (If a job description is not available, please provide a brief written
description of current job role/responsibilities).
• Provide student with knowledge of the facility rules and regulations, policies and
procedures, guidelines and facility protocols when working with the CPE project.
• Provide adequate site orientation to facility.
• Review professional conduct, dress code, proper identification and all criteria to meet
the needs and guidelines of this facility.
• Plan schedule with student to meet to discuss CPE expectations and goals.
• Provide support and guidance as a positive role model and leader.
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•
Provide ongoing input and constructive feedback to enhance the student’s
learning experience.
Provide a safe learning environment.
Provide close supervision to ensure a positive outcome.
Immediate notification of the clinical faculty of any incident involving the student.
•
•
•
The Mentor recognizes that:
• The NUR-350 CPE focuses on developing the student’s ability to utilize the Nursing
Process and to recommend positive change for health issues in community groups.
• The NUR-350 CPE involves identification of a vulnerable population, utilization of the
Nursing Process, development of a Health Education Activity, and evaluation of
the healthcare professional’s experiences as identified in the Acknowledgement Form.
• The Mentor is prohibited to be the student’s immediate superior, such as, manager or
supervisor.
• The Mentor is prohibited to be a blood relative or relative by marriage.
Student Role
Student Expectations and Responsibilities
The student recognizes that the NUR 350 course and CPE experience addresses the following
areas (See AACN Essentials, 2021):
•
•
•
•
Basic Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Care and Patient Safety
Scholarship for Evidence-Based Practice
Healthcare Policy, Finance, and Regulatory Environments
Clinical Prevention and Population Health
The NUR-350 CPE focuses on developing the student’s ability to utilize the Nursing Process
and to recommend positive change for health issues in community groups.
The NUR-350 CPE involves identification of a vulnerable population, utilize the Nursing
Process, develop a Health Education Activity and evaluate the community groups
receptiveness to the activity.
The NUR-350 CPE will not include direct patient care or shadow experiences as identified in
the Acknowledgement Form.
Criteria for site selection:
The site must offer community health related services. e.g. acceptable clinical practice
experiences may include but are not limited to long term care centers, community support
groups, pregnancy support centers, Red Cross or local shelter/aid resources.
The student is able to choose a mentor from current employment, however, must be outside
of normal work area and hours.
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Criteria for choosing a mentor includes:
The Mentor must be a licensed nurse or healthcare provider who is able to provide oversight
for the clinical practice experience.
The Mentor must possess an active unencumbered license in the state, whereas, the Clinical
Practice Experience (CPE) location resides.
The Mentor must be an expert in his/her current position in the organization.
The Mentor is prohibited to be your immediate superior, such as, manager or supervisor.
The Mentor is prohibited to be a blood relative or domestic partner.
Criteria for CPE health education activity:
For this activity, you will first review available data and demographics for your local area,
then choose a vulnerable population to assess, diagnose their need, then plan, implement,
and evaluate a health education activity as a response to the need. The health education
activity must be presented to healthcare professionals. Examples of a qualifying health
education activity include a presentation to the staff at a senior center on incorporating daily
physical activity, teaching elementary instructors on health eating habits or methods of
incorporating physical activity into the classroom setting, or a presentation on cultural
competence for a rehab setting. Other examples of organizations that may be a good fit for
this activity include (but are not limited to) a local shelter or aid resource, pregnancy support
centers, community support groups, federally qualified health centers, etc.
You may not engage in direct physical patient care as part of your clinical practice
experience.
You are not to be given patient-care assignments, access protected health information, or
complete a “shadow” of your mentor for the direct CPE hours.
Preparing for the CPE Experience
In preparation for the CPE experience:
Upon BSN enrollment (or preceding NUR 350), students will receive email to welcome to
the SNHU BSN Sonia system.
Students will access the Sonia system and review the CPE Guide.
As students prepare for NUR 350, they will identify a potential practicum site and mentor for
completion of the CPE experience.
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In the term preceding NUR 350, students will access their placement group within the Sonia
system and submit required pre-term documents. Students must submit the following
documents in order to receive pre-term approval for the NUR 350 CPE:
Required FORMS
1. NUR 350 Clinical Practice Experience Acknowledgement Form with the
designated mentor’s information and signature (Appendix A)
2. The mentor’s CV/resume (the CV/resume must be current and reflect the mentor’s
current job position within the organization)
3. Job description or a written synopsis of the current job duties
4. Nursys QuickConfirm full PDF RN verification report (or healthcare provider
license
Information).
Students may not begin CPE activities until NUR 350 begins.
During the CPE experience
During the CPE Experience, the student agrees to the following course requirements &
professional standards:
Initiate initial contact with Mentor.
Give the Mentor a copy of this document and the NUR-350 course syllabus.
Maintain professional comportment as representative of the nursing profession and SNHU
Nursing & Health Professions department.
Wear a facility identification (as required by the facility) when completing the CPE
experience and have SNHU ID available. A SNHU student identification may be purchased
using the following link:
https://my.snhu.edu/Offices/COCE/Advising/Pages/COCEStudentIDRequest.aspx
Adhere to all HIPAA regulations and all confidentiality requirements of the health care
facility where the clinical practice experience is taking place.
Adhere to agency policies and procedures at all times.
Develop CPE schedule in collaboration with designated Mentor.
Adhere to the schedule agreed upon with Mentor and notify Mentor in advance of absence.
Be accountable for their own learning experiences and actions while in the setting.
Maintain open communication with the Mentor and SNHU faculty.
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Collaborate with the Mentor to achieve course outcomes and targeted student goals.
Engage in CPE opportunities supported by Mentor guidance.
Submit the practicum log in Sonia and within the NUR 350 course (Appendix B).
Submit the Letter of Attestation regarding the completion of the Health Education Activity
within Sonia and the NUR 350 course. (Appendix C)
Complete and submit the evaluation of the Clinical Facility/Agency form within Sonia and
NUR-350 Sonia (Appendix D)
SNHU Course Faculty Role
Expectations and Responsibilities:
Be available to the Mentor to answer questions or concerns throughout the student’s CPE
experience.
Assist the student and mentor to optimize the CPE experience.
Review the practicum log in the Brightspace course (See Appendix B).
Review the Letter of Attestation in the Brightspace course (See Appendix C).
Ethics, Dispositions, Proficiencies, and Professional Standards Policy
and Procedure for Professional Practice Programs
Southern New Hampshire University supports professional practice standards and
behaviors aligned with regulatory and legal standards. Students enrolled in professional
practice programs at SNHU will be required to demonstrate compliance with applicable
professional organizations standards and code of ethics throughout their enrollment in
the program. These ethics, dispositions, proficiencies, and professional standards are a
critical component of the academic program and review under this policy is conducted
under the academic authority of the program.
See: ANA Code of Ethic
References
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2021). The essentials: Core competencies for
professional nursing
education. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/AcademicNursing/pdf/Essentials-2021.pdf
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Necessary Document Examples
Appendix A: Nursing Clinical Practice Experience Acknowledgement Form
Appendix B: Practicum Log
Appendix C: Letter of Attestation
Appendix D: Clinical Facility Evaluation Form
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Appendix A
NUR 350 Clinical Practice Experience Acknowledgement Form
I confirm I am a nurse or healthcare provider who will be mentoring _____________________, a
student of Southern New Hampshire University, during her/his Health Education Activity experience, as
described below at _________________ facility, and I will provide oversight of the experience.
This experience activity will consist of eight clinical practice hours utilizing the Nursing Process where the
student will be required to assess a vulnerable population, diagnose a need, and then plan, implement, and
evaluate a health education activity as a response to the need. A vulnerable population can be defined as those
groups who have an increased risk for developing adverse health outcomes.
Please note: Students will not be providing direct patient care. This activity should focus on assessing a
vulnerable population and providing education to healthcare professionals on this population. Students
should not be assessing individual patients or their personal records, rather assessing a vulnerable group
within the community.
It is the responsibility of the individual facility to provide HIPAA training as needed for the student.
Description of Activity: Please provide a description of the planned health education activity, including the
audience it will be presented to.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Term Date for Health Education Activity: _________________________________________________
The Health Education Activity will be completed in the following state:________________________
Mentor Full Name and Healthcare Credentials (printed):____________________________________________
Title of Mentor: _______________________________________________________________________
Contact Information
(Phone/Email): Work:____________________Cell:____________________Email:__________
Mentor signature: ___________________________________ Date: __________________
Student Signature___________________________________Date_________________
By signing above, I, the student, give permission for the course instructor to contact the mentor by phone or
email to check on my progress. The course instructor provides a digital signature upon the grading of the
Clinical Practice Experience Acknowledgment Form.
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Appendix B
NUR 350 Module Five Health Education Activity Planner and Log
In each section below, write one to two paragraphs, double-spaced. For full instructions, review the
Module Five Health Education Activity Guidelines and Rubric document.
Instructions: Fill out the time log below for each activity you complete while working on your health
education activity. This includes time spent on each step of the nursing process. You should plan to spend
two hours assessing and diagnosing, three hours planning, and one hour each implementing, evaluating,
and reflecting. Your log likely won’t be broken down into such neat pieces, but we strongly encourage
you to record the time as you complete it. If you spend 1.5 hours planning one night, and then another 1.5
hours planning another night, please record them separately.
TIME LOG
Date
Hours
Activity
Where does this activity
fit into the nursing
process?
How does this activity
connect to the course
objectives?
Date
Hours
Activity
Where does this fit into
the nursing process?
How does this activity
connect to the course
objectives?
Date
Hours
Activity
Where does this activity
fit into the nursing
process?
How does this activity
connect to the course
objectives?
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Appendix C
Letter of Attestation for Clinical Practice Hours
This letter confirms that Ms./Mr. _______________________________ met with me for the health
education activity described in the NUR 350 CPE Acknowledgement Form. During the clinical practice
experience, the student utilized the nursing process to assess a vulnerable population, diagnose a need,
and planned, implemented, and evaluated the health education activity in response to the need. The
student did not provide direct patient care.
The student met with me at __________________________________ (name of organization) located in
the state of _________________ (indicate state) on _____________ (date).
Signature of Leader:
Print Name:
Title:
Organization:
Phone:
Email:
Date:
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Appendix D
NUR 350 Student Evaluation of Facility
All students are required to complete an evaluation of the facility where his/her Health Education Activity
was performed. This evaluation is confidential and will not be disclosed with the facility. This
information will allow insight for Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) Nursing Department, to
assess the quality and efficacy of facilities across the board, for needs of improvements and/or
immeasurable opportunities for our future students.
Please use the scale provided below to evaluate your experience of the facility where you completed your
Health Education Activity. Written comments are encouraged
1 – Strongly
Disagree
2 – Disagree
3 – Neutral
4 – Agree
5 – Strongly Agree
Student Name: __________________________________________________________
Name of Facility: _________________________________________________________
Date: ____________________
This facility provided me adequate
1
information on its mission, purpose,
culture, policies, and procedures for me to
be able to enhance my learning
experience.
Comments
The employees were supportive and
1
receptive to my experience.
The experience and assignment were
valuable in meeting my learning goals and
objectives.
I recommend this facility to future
students.
2
3
4
5
2
3
4
5
Comments
1
2
3
4
5
Comments
1
2
3
4
5
Comments
Please briefly describe your overall experience:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
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