The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) practicum courses provide the context and framework through which, upon completion of the Post MSN DNP/PMHNP or Post Graduate PMHNP Certificate program, the nursing student will be prepared to enter the professional role of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. This course helps to meet the required minimum of 1000 post-BSN clinical hours for DNP students, and helps to meet the minimum of 500 population-focused direct patient care hours in order to be eligible to sit for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner nationally recognized certification. (ANCC, 2006; NTF, 2017), and the Liberty University School of Nursing, minimum of 504 PMHNP direct-patient care Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner practicum hours.
During NURS 754 PMHNP Practicum I, students are required to complete 224 hours providing direct patient care under the supervision of the practicum preceptor. NURS 754 PMHNP Practicum I adheres to the practicum guidelines and requirements set forth in the current Liberty University Doctor of Nursing Practice Student Handbook.
Submission of a practicum log for each patient encounter into the Typhon system is a mandatory requirement of the practicum course. Each student is responsible for maintaining his or her own practicum logs. All patient encounters, whether seen independently, in collaboration with preceptor, or as observation, require an entry into Typhon. Every entry will include demographic information for each patient, level of student participation and level of care. Students are required to select three patient encounters on each practicum day to write a full SOAP note. The remaining patient encounters will be entered as clinical summaries. Students are also required to document two comprehensive psychiatric assessment of new patients from practicum encounter in Typhon during the semester. Practicum faculty will review practicum logs on a weekly basis and offer feedback. Students are expected to respond to feedback and make corrections as recommended. Faculty will review case logs at the midterm and at the end of the semester looking for completeness and revision of logs and award points for completed logs. Please see the Typhon Guide and the Practicum/Clinical Log Grading Rubric in NURS 754 Bb Course . SOAP notes must be entered within one week of the clinical experience.
The case analysis exercise (CAE) assignments afford the PMHNP student the opportunity to analyze patient encounters from practicum experience. Emphasis is placed on the evaluation of the plan of care in regards to evidence-based practices, cultural and socioeconomic factors.
Students are required to maintain a preceptor-verified, log documenting practicum hours for each Practicum Course that will become a part of the student’s permanent academic record (DNP Practicum Tracking Record).
Emphasis is placed on the critique, evaluation, and utilization of nursing and other relevant theories that apply to advanced nursing practice and a comprehensive approach to care. Professional role development, interdisciplinary relationships, and issues relevant to advanced practice are studied.
The student will review a classmate’s Theory-Based Exemplar Paper and provide a constructive critique and review based on prescribed questions. The peer review will help the student improve his/her work and promote quality in nursing publications.
The purpose of this course is to prepare the graduate to critique, evaluate, and utilize appropriate theories within his/her specific fields of practice . Practice that incorporates nursing and related theories enables advanced practice nurses to develop and implement a comprehensive and holistic approach to care in all phases of a dynamic health care system.
The student will write a 7‒10-page research-based paper in current APA format that focuses on clinical evaluation. The paper must include at least 5 references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible.
Each paper should be in current APA format and should include 4-6 references. First person is appropriate in each reflection paper.
The student will complete several Written Assignments. Each assignment must be at least 3 pages (excluding title and reference pages) and in current APA format. Each assignment must include at least 3 references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible.
Therefore, the student is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt for each forum. Each thread must be at least 500 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge.
Advanced nursing practice requires refined communication and assessment skills in order to adequately gather pertinent information and employ critical thinking skills in clinical decision-making. The information gathered through interviewing and physical assessment allows the advanced practice nurse to effectively evaluate the patient, develop a care plan, and manage the care of the patient in the hospital, in the home, and in the community.
This course focuses on comprehensive physical assessment which includes in-depth health history, physical and psychological signs and symptoms, developmental stages, pathophysiologic changes, and psychosocial and cultural characteristics of the individual, family, and community as client. Enhancement of communication and observational skills are emphasized along with the development of sensitive and refined interviewing techniques. Students must obtain a master’s prepared nurse preceptor who will proctor their final exam which is a comprehensive head-to-toe physical assessment.