Welcome to your PMHNP Care Across the Lifespan II Practicum to enhance psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) clinical skills! The practicum experience is an experiential learning opportunity that allows you to gain and refine your clinical advanced nursing skills under the mentorship of a Preceptor. As you engage with patients in the practicum setting, your involvement will extend your learning about a variety of psychiatric and mental healthcare needs for patients across the lifespan.
Throughout the next 11 weeks, you will evaluate your skill development, reflect on patient encounters, and generate goals related to your growth as an advanced practice nurse. This week, you start by assessing your strengths and opportunities related to psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) clinical skills.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
- Complete Practicum Site Information Form
- Assess clinical skills related to advanced psychiatric-mental health nursing practice
- Develop measurable goals and objectives for the practicum experience
- Describe clinical hours and patient encounters
Week 1 Assignment 1: Practicum Site Information
Prior to starting the course, you should have applied for a practicum site following the guidelines for psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) practice. Now it is time to make it official. For this Assignment, you provide your Clinical Faculty with information about your practicum site, your Preceptor, and your clinical calendar.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
To Prepare
- Verify that your practicum application has been approved by logging in to Meditrek.
- Access the Practicum Site Information Form from the Learning Resources.
The Assignment
Complete the designated areas of the Practicum Site Information Form. Include your practicum site and contact information; your Preceptor and contact information; and a schedule of when you plan to engage in onsite practicum activities.
Students must provide their schedule in the form of a monthly calendar with the time written out on the appropriate date. For example, writing 8 hours on the 5th day of the monthly calendar slot is not acceptable. You must enter 8am-4pm or 10pm-6pm in the day slot of the monthly calendar. Students need to complete the calendar for the whole quarter to demonstrate to the faculty the total number of hours to be completed this quarter.
NOTE: Students have a responsibility to notify faculty of any schedule changes throughout the quarter.
By Day 7
Week 1 Assignment 2: Clinical Skills Self-Assessment
Before embarking on any professional or academic activity, it is important to understand the background, knowledge, and experience you bring to it. You might ask yourself, “What do I already know? What do I need to know? And what do I want to know?” This critical self-reflection is especially important for developing clinical skills such as those for advanced practice nursing.
The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Clinical Skills List and Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form provided in the Learning Resources can be used to celebrate your progress throughout your practicum and identify skills gaps. The list covers all necessary skills you should demonstrate during your practicum experiences.
Just as you have in previous practicum courses, for this Assignment, you assess where you are now in your clinical skill development and make plans for this practicum. Specifically, you will identify strengths and opportunities for improvement regarding the required practicum skills. In this practicum experience, when developing your goals and objectives, be sure to keep assessment and diagnostic reasoning in mind.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
To Prepare
- Review the resources and clinical skills in the PMHNP Clinical Skills List document. It is recommended that you print out this document to serve as a guide throughout your practicum.
- Review the “Developing SMART Goals” resource on how to develop goals and objectives that follow the SMART framework.
- Review the resources on nursing competencies and nursing theory, and consider how these inform your practice.
- Download the Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form to complete this Assignment.
The Assignment: PMHNP clinical skills
Use the PMHNP Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form to complete the following:
- Rate yourself according to your confidence level performing the skills identified on the Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form.
- Based on your ratings, summarize your strengths and opportunities for improvement.
- Based on your self-assessment and theory of nursing practice, develop 3–4 measurable goals and objectives for this practicum experience. Include them on the designated area of the form.
By Day 7 of Week 1
Submit your completed PMHNP Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form.
submission information
Before submitting your final assignment, you can check your draft for authenticity. To check your draft, access the Turnitin Drafts from the Start Here area.
- Then, click on Start Assignment near the top of the page.
- Next, click on Upload File and select Submit Assignment for review.
Rubric
PRAC_6675_Week1_Assignment2_Rubric
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Rate yourself according to your confidence level performing the skills identified on the Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form. | 25 to >22.0 pts Excellent The response provides ratings for all skills on the form. 22 to >19.0 pts Good The response provides ratings for most of the skills on the form. 19 to >17.0 pts Fair The response provides ratings for some of the skills on the form. 17 to >0 pts Poor The response provides ratings for only a few skills on the form, or ratings are missing. | 25 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Based on your ratings, summarize your strengths and opportunities for improvement. | 30 to >26.0 pts Excellent The response provides an accurate, clear, and complete summary of both the strengths and opportunities for improvement. 26 to >23.0 pts Good The response provides an accurate summary of both the strengths and opportunities for improvement. 23 to >20.0 pts Fair The response provides a somewhat vague, inaccurate, or incomplete summary of both the strengths and opportunities for improvement. 20 to >0 pts Poor The response provides a vague, inaccurate, or incomplete summary of the strengths and/or opportunities for improvement, or the summaries are missing. | 30 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Based on your self-assessment and theory of nursing practice, develop 3–4 measurable goals and objectives for this practicum experience. Include them on the designated area of the form. | 30 to >26.0 pts Excellent The response provides 3–4 clear, appropriate, and measurable goals and objectives for the practicum experience. 26 to >23.0 pts Good The response provides 3–4 appropriate, measurable goals and objectives for the practicum experience. 23 to >20.0 pts Fair The response provides 3–4 unclear or inappropriate goals and objectives for the practicum experience. 20 to >0 pts Poor The response provides 3–4 unclear or inappropriate goals and objectives for the practicum experience, or goals and objectives are missing. | 30 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Written Expression and Formatting—Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well-developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused—neither long and rambling, nor short and lacking substance. Clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided, which delineates all required criteria. | 5 to >4.0 pts Excellent Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity…. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion is provided, which delineates all required criteria. 4 to >3.5 pts Good Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time…. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment are stated, yet are brief and not descriptive. 3.5 to >3.0 pts Fair Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%–79% of the time…. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment are vague or off topic. 3 to >0 pts Poor Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity <60% of the time…. No purpose statement, introduction, or conclusion were provided. | 5 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Written Expression and Formatting—English Writing Standards: The assignment follows correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation | 5 to >4.0 pts Excellent Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors. 4 to >3.5 pts Good Contains 1-2 grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. 3.5 to >3.0 pts Fair Contains 3-4 grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. 3 to >0 pts Poor Contains ≥ 5 grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding. | 5 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Written Expression and Formatting—APA Format: The assignment follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, parenthetical/in-text citations, and the reference list. | 5 to >4.0 pts Excellent Uses correct APA format with no errors. 4 to >3.5 pts Good Contains 1-2 APA format errors. 3.5 to >3.0 pts Fair Contains 3-4 APA format errors. 3 to >0 pts Poor Contains ≥5 APA format errors. | 5 pts |
Week 1 Assignment 3: Clinical Hour and Patient Logs
Clinical Hour Log
For this course, all practicum activity hours are logged within the Meditrek system. Hours completed must be logged in Meditrek within 48 hours of completion in order to earn the points associated with this assignment. You may only log hours with Preceptors that are approved in Meditrek.
Students 2018 must complete a minimum of 160 hours of supervised clinical experience. You may not complete your hours sooner than 8 weeks. You will enter your approved preceptor and clinical faculty as part of each time and patient encounter you log.
Your clinical hour log must include the following:
- Dates
- Course
- Clinical Faculty
- Approved Preceptor
- Total Time (for the day)
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
Patient Log
Throughout this course, you will also keep a log of patient encounters using Meditrek. You must record at least 80 patients by the end of this practicum. Note: 80 encounters in 160 hours – Psychotherapy must include individuals, groups, and families – No age group minimum, but quality experiences are expected.
The patient log must include the following:
- Date
- Course
- Clinical Faculty
- Preceptor
- Patient Number
- Client Information
- Visit Information
- Practice Management
- Diagnosis
- Treatment Plan and Notes: You must include a brief summary/synopsis of the patient visit. This does not need to be a SOAP note; however, the note needs to be sufficient to remember your patient encounter.
By Day 7 of Week 1
Record your clinical hours and patient encounters in Meditrek and upload a PDF of your Meditrek hours and encounters.
Rubric
PRAC_6675_Week1_Assignment3_Rubric
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Part 1: Time logs and patient logs are completed within 48 hours of completing clinical time. | 5 pts Excellent *Time logs are completed within 48 hours of completing clinical time. *Patient logs are completed within 48 hours of completing clinical time. 0 pts Poor *Time logs are completed more than 48 hours after completing clinical time. *Patient logs are completed more than 48 hours after completing clinical time. | 5 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome *Each entry includes Date, Course, Clinical Instructor, Preceptor, Patient number, Client information, Visit information, Practice management, Diagnosis, Procedures (if applicable), Treatment plan and notes, Notes section (Students must include a brief summary/synopsis of the patient visit—this must include enough information to understand how the patient presnted and the student intervention. Do NOT include EMR SOAP notes. *LOGS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITHIN 48 HOURS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY POINTS | 5 pts Excellent *Patient logs include all of the required documentation elements. 0 pts Poor *Patient logs do NOT include all of the required documentation elements. There are some elements missing or the logs are incomplete. *Patient logs were submitted more than 48 hours after completion of the clinical time. | 5 pts |
Total Points: 10
Learning Resources/Required Readings
Required Resource for Assignment 1
- Document: Practicum Site Information Form (Word document)
Required Resource for Assignment 2
- The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2018). CPT code training module. https://www.aacap.org/App_Themes/AACAP/docs/clinical_practice_center/business_of_practice/cpt/2018_CPT_module_revised_March_2018.pdf
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2019). Discussion paper: Standards of practice for nurse practitioners. https://storage.aanp.org/www/documents/advocacy/position-papers/StandardsOfPractice.pdf
- American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). CPT coding and reimbursement. https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/practice-management/coding-and-reimbursement
- American Psychiatric Nurses Association. (2013). Population-focused nurse practitioner competencies. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.nonpf.org/resource/resmgr/competencies/compilationpopfocuscomps2013.pdf
- Note: Review the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Competencies.
- International Council of Nurses. (2020). Guidelines on advanced practice nursing. https://www.icn.ch/system/files/documents/2020-04/ICN_APN%20Report_EN_WEB.pdf
- National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. (2017). Nurse practitioner core competencies. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.nonpf.org/resource/resmgr/competencies/20170516_NPCoreCompsContentF.pdf
- National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. (n.d.). https://www.nonpf.org/
- Walden University Academic Skills Center. (2017). Developing SMART goals. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/ld.php?content_id=51901492
- Document: PMHNP Clinical Skills List (Word document
- Document:PMHNP Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form (Word document)
Required Resource for Assignment 3
- Meditrek https://edu.meditrek.com/Default.html
Note: Use this website to log into Meditrek to report your clinical hours and patient encounters.
Walden Practicum Guides
Keep the following practicum resources on-hand for review as needed throughout the quarter:
- Walden University Field Experience. (n.d.). Field experience: College of Nursing. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/fieldexperience/son/home
- Walden University. (2020). MSN nurse practitioner practicum manual. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/fieldexperience/son/formsanddocuments
- Walden University Field Experience. (n.d.). Student practicum resources: NP student orientation. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/StudentPracticum/NP_StudentOrientation
Recommended Resources
- Boland, R. Verdiun, M. L. & Ruiz, P. (2022). Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry (12th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
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