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Clinical Orientation for CAGS/DNP Programs

Clinical health clearance

Students in all clinical courses must complete health clearance requirement as determined by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. The following documents must be uploaded in Typhon to facilitate the clearance process. You cannot start clinical until all health clearance requirements are met. 

Clearance documents include:

  • Criminal record report
  • PPD testing within 1 year
  • Titers:
    • Covid vaccine
    • MMR
    • Varicella
    • Hepatitis B
    • Influenza
    • Valid RN license
    • Valid CPR card
    • COVID 19 Vaccines and Booster

These must be uploaded in Typhon by January 1.

Find more information on using Typhon NPST.

Failure to complete your health clearance will delay entrance into the clinical practicum and may result in the student being administratively withdrawn from clinical course. You will not be allowed to start clinical until your health clearance is established.

Clinical practicum experience

Please be advised that students may need to travel in excess of miles per clinical site placements. Students are responsible for travel, gas, and parking fees.

CAGS/DNP program

BSN to DNP students must complete 1000 hours of clinical practice.

Post-grad DNP students must complete a minimum of 500 hours.

CAGS students must complete a minimum of 525 hours of clinical practice beginning in the second semester of the third year of the part-time program of study, as outlined in the curriculum. Each semester you will need to complete 180 hours per semester.

Clinical hours must be completed in the semester in which a clinical course is taken. Clinical sites encompass a variety of outpatient, community-based, and acute care practice settings.

The clinical coordinator will facilitate clinical contracts and schedules in advance of the semester which the preceptorship experience will occur, and will work to secure additional sites. The clinical coordinator will provide the student with agency and preceptor contact and information in advance of the clinical start date.

Students are encouraged to locate clinical preceptors on their own, but once a preceptor has been established the clinical coordinator MUST be contacted in order to facilitate the contract process. Contracts can take up to 12 weeks to execute.

Clinical practicum policies

Attendance policies

  • Clinical preceptorships and practicums are graded
  • Students are required to attend designated clinical days. Exceptions, if made, are at the discretion of the clinical faculty, clinical preceptor, and the faculty course coordinator. The clinical schedule may be adjusted to ensure clinical requirements are met.
  • Punctual attendance is required at all clinical sessions. Plan to be at the site at least 15 minutes before the start of scheduled patients
  • If the student is going to be late to the clinical area, the student is expected to call the clinical site as soon as possible so the preceptor can be notified
  • In case of emergency or when the student cannot attend the clinical session, the student must:
    • Call the clinical preceptor or designated contact person at the clinical site prior to the start of the clinical session or soon as possible, and
    • Notify the clinical faculty advisor as soon as possible

Failure to adhere to these attendance policies with ongoing absenteeism or tardiness will result in an "unsatisfactory" evaluation.

Professional dress and behavior code

All students associated with UMass Dartmouth's College of Nursing and Health Sciences are expected to maintain a neat, clean, professional appearance at all times.

Professional dress for graduate students should be appropriate for their role in the specific clinical site. In some cases, students may need to follow a dress code that is designated by the specific site.

Professional dress

  • Site attire, such as lab coats, are to be worn at all times in the clinical area. Discuss the dress code expectations for your clinical site with your preceptor if you have any questions
  • Comfortable footwear within a closed heel are required. Heels should not be higher than 2.5 inches
  • Clothing must be neat, clean, and in good repair

Identification

A University of Massachusetts Dartmouth name badge must be worn and clearly visible in every clinical setting unless otherwise stated by the clinical site. It should be worn on the breastplate of your lab coat. Name badges must be purchased at the Bookstore as soon as possible.

In most cases, the name badge should follow this format unless otherwise instructed by your preceptor:

Kathleen Elliott
Student Nurse Practitioner
Graduate Nursing Program

However, clinical sites for psychology students may have different requirements. Be sure to confirm with your preceptor before ordering your badge.

Professional behavior in the clinical setting

Please refer to CAGS/DNP Handbook.

In accordance with the American Nurses Association’s Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (2015), examples of professional behaviors include, but are not limited to, demonstration of the following:

  • Caring, sensitivity, compassion, tact, integrity, and tolerance towards others
  • Written, verbal and nonverbal communication that conveys respect for clients, self, peers, and faculty
  • Responsibility and accountability for all actions, including timeliness to classroom, laboratory, simulation, and clinical experiences as well as prompt reporting to meetings with administrators, faculty, advisees, and preceptors
  • Appropriate use of technology to:
    • Maintain client privacy and confidentiality of medical information
    • Avoid disruptions in learning environments (class, lab, and clinical) as well as in meetings with students, faculty, staff, and colleagues
    • Project a professional image on social media venues
  • Appearance and conduct that conveys professional demeanor and adherence to institutional policies and procedures
  • Remaining free of chemical dependency substance abuse in classroom, laboratory, and clinical settings

Clinical experience expectations

  • Provide the primary preceptor with copies of your course and clinical syllabi. Review the course objectives and the preceptor evaluation of the student and ensure its completion prior to last day of classes for the semester
  • Contact clinical preceptor and determine the schedule for the clinical experience, including days per week and hours per day
  • Develop and share daily clinical needs objectives with preceptor and discuss strategies to make them
  • Adhere to professional attire with the clinical site requirements of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences
  • Maintain professional behavior in the clinical setting at all times
  • Demonstrate increasing competencies and progressive independence and clinical knowledge and skills
  • Work independently according to the preceptor’s judgment and recommendations
  • Attend all scheduled clinical experiences on time and prepared, completing all required clinical hours for each clinical course
  • Notify clinical preceptor and clinical faculty as soon as unable to attend clinical as scheduled and arrange make up clinical day
  • Complete clinical preceptor and clinical site evaluations at the end of clinical rotation in Typhon

Find more information and guidelines on writing clinical notes.

Preceptor responsibilities

  • Orient student to clinical site and agency policies
  • Discuss with the preferred method of communication with receptor and/or clinical site
  • Facilitate an informal, collaborative, and mutually respectful environment in which to learn
  • Review the objectives of the course, and determine the type of learning opportunities that will enhance student learning and direct the student to resources and evidence-based readings
  • Assume responsibility for providing a substitute preceptor in the event of an absence
  • Collaborate with student faculty to identify learning opportunities
  • Provide guidance on the level to which the student may practice independently and safely
  • Provide a role model for professionalism
  • Provide ongoing feedback and evaluation of student participation performed
  • Promptly communicate issues and concerns with unsafe practices (student behavior, clinical skills, and/or student progression) regarding the student to the clinical faculty
  • Complete student's clinical evaluation(s)
  • Verify the student's clinical hours
  • Sign preceptor agreement letter and upload CV, license, and board certification

Clinical faculty responsibilities

  • Collaborate with student preceptor to identify learning opportunities within the clinical experiences needed
  • Assist student and preceptor to optimize clinical learning environment
  • Support the preceptor and provide ongoing communication regarding the clinical experience
  • Evaluate written assignments and provide feedback to students
  • Complete phone conferences/a site visit to discuss clinical evaluation
  • Award student's final grade upon achievement of clinical competencies
  • Review the student's evaluation of the clinical preceptor and clinical site and make recommendations as appropriate for ongoing use

Evaluations

Completed evaluations are required for all clinical preceptors. Failure to complete evaluations will result in an unsatisfactory (U) grade for the clinical course, which may result in failure of the clinical course.

CAGS/DNP clinical site and preceptor information

  • The Adult Gerontology Primary Care track is based on the concepts of primary care. Students graduate from this program with knowledge and clinical skills necessary to provide primary health care for individuals who are adults and older adults
  • The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track will prepare students to diagnose and treat acute and chronic mental health conditions. Students will gain knowledge and competence in providing psychotherapy and prescribing medications for patients across the lifespan
  • Students are strongly encouraged to network for clinical preceptors. Developing a relationship with a preceptor prior to clinical coursework provides a much more rewarding experience for the student. If you have a clinical site/preceptor in mind, you must seek approval from the clinical coordinator to confirm that it is an appropriate selection in and a contract is in place
  • The clinical coordinator will facilitate clinical sites for students in need of placement but these sites may be distant
  • The primary consideration should be securing a high-quality clinical experience that meets the course objectives
  • The ideal clinical site is a primary care practice setting, and the ideal preceptor is an adult nurse practitioner. Students are required to spend at least two full semesters during the program within advanced practice NP.
    • Although physicians can offer valuable experiences, it is important for NP students to observe the NP role. Sites other than a primary care practice may work well if they include other NPs and physicians in women’s health, urgent care, or acute care
    • Ideal sites for psychology students include inpatient psychiatric units, outpatient mental health clinics, day programs, private practices, community agencies, and specialized school-based programs
    • Due to different practice models, education, and licensure/credentialing, PAs may be accepted but need to be approved by the clinical coordinator

Preceptor qualifications

Nurse practitioners should have a minimum of two years of full-time clinical experience in the role. However, exceptions may be made for psychology preceptors with strong mental health experience (e.g. psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed mental health counselors, and licensed clinical social workers)

See more information on preceptor benefits and frequently asked questions (FAQs).