Accelerated Online Bachelor's to BSN Program
Clinical Rotations
As part of the Accelerated Online Bachelor's to BSN Program at UWOshkosh, students complete 728 clinical hours during six different rotations. This represents approximately 80 more clinical hours than are completed by students in the Traditional Nursing Program at UWOshkosh. The additional clinical time is important to successfully apply the theoretical concepts of nursing to clinical situations in a more compressed timeframe.
Adult Health I Clinical
The first clinical rotation is completed during the two week campus residency period. Students complete this rotation (caring for adults with medical/surgical health problems) in a hospital in the Oshkosh surrounding area in a group of 4-5 students with one UW Oshkosh Clinical instructor. 56 clinical hours are completed during Adult Health I. These 56 hours are completed on days opposite the lab experience. A typical clinical day starts at 6:30-7:00AM and ends at 5:00-6:00PM. Nursing care units for this experience may include the following: cardiac, neurology, rehabilitation, or medical-surgical. Students have their first experience planning and managing care for 1-2 patients. Students complete health and physical assessment skills, and perform psychomotor skills learned in the lab and previous courses.
Preceptor-Model Clinical Rotations
The next five clinical rotations are completed via the preceptor model. Students learn under the direct supervision of a registered nurse preceptor who is an employee of a health-care agency within a 50-mile radius of the student's "home community." An UW Oshkosh faculty member oversees the precepted clinical experiences via online communication and on-site clinical visits. The Program Coordinator coordinates the placements with personnel at the health care facilities near the students' home communities. Students who know a registered nurse who may be willing to act as a preceptor, or an agency that may be willing to accept students, are asked to inform the Program Coordinator. Students are not expected to secure their own preceptors or clinical agencies. Preceptors are required to have specific qualifications to supervise students in the Accelerated Online BSN Program. With few exceptions, preceptors have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and three years of work experience. Preceptors complete a UW Oshkosh Preceptor Training Module.
For all five of these rotations, students work the very same hours as their assigned preceptor. For example, a student may work days (7:00AM-3:30PM), evenings (3:00PM-11:30PM), or nights (11:00PM-7:30AM) or a combination of these shifts, dependent upon the preceptor’s work schedule. Students may work 8, 10 or 12-hour shifts; Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays; again dependent upon the preceptor’s schedule. Due to the compressed format of the Program, students cannot refuse to work certain days due to childcare issues or other personal/family commitments. Likewise, students cannot choose to shorten or lengthen a particular shift for personal commitments or convenience. Thus, it is important for prospective students to be sure that they can be available “24/7” during the clinical rotations.
Written assignments for clinical rotations are submitted to the UW Oshkosh clinical instructor (i.e., not to the preceptor). Students have 3 hours of a “live chat” conference (usually divided into 2 or 3 chat sessions) with the clinical instructor and other students in the same clinical course during the precepted clinical rotations.
The Program Student Services Coordinator makes every effort to secure placement at an appropriate agency relatively close to the student’s home community. However, a particular agency may take students in one specialty area, but not another, or, may have its own constraints, limiting the number of students who can be accommodated. Not all agencies have qualified preceptors available to supervise students. Thus, students must be prepared to travel up to fifty (50) miles, one way, for clinical experiences. In extenuating circumstances, the distance may be greater than 50 miles.
Students complete the clinical experience under the licensure of the preceptor and the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh clinical instructor.
Adult Health II Clinical
This clinical rotation runs concurrently with Adult Health II Theory. Theoretical concepts covered in this course include nursing care of adults with cardiac disorders, renal disease, gastrointestinal, liver, and pancreatic disorders, neurological disorders, cancer, burns, and multiple trauma. Clinical units will have a combination of patients with some of the above problems to facilitate application of theoretical concepts to clinical situations.
During Adult Health II, students complete 112 clinical hours over five weeks. This is the first clinical rotation with a registered nurse preceptor.
Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Mental Health, Geriatric Clinical's
Students are assigned to two of the above four clinical rotations. Although students may have a preference or “higher interest” in one area than another, assignments are made by the Student Services Coordinator based upon preceptor availability and number of students needing clinical experiences. Particular clinical specialty experience during a nursing program, or lack thereof, is not a significant factor related to job placement upon graduation.
The format for these two clinical rotations is the same as for Adult Health II, described above. However, the theory courses for the four specialty areas do not necessarily run concurrently with the clinical rotations.
End goals for these clinical courses reflect greater independence and problem solving when performing cares for patients than in the Adult Health II rotation. Students independently care for two patients, and may progress to managing 3-4 patients with a nursing assistant or an LPN, depending on the acuity of the patients. Preceptor guidance and supervision is maintained throughout the rotation, even as the student becomes more independent. Students become more actively involved in discharge planning and multidisciplinary teamwork to assure the needs of patients are met both in the hospital and after discharge.
Community Health Clinical
All students complete the Community Health Clinical Rotation concurrently with the Community Health Theory Course. Students complete 168 hours of clinical over 6 weeks. Students are partnered with a community health nurse preceptor and complete the hours in a community or public health agency such as a county health department, free clinic, or school.
The schedule and format for this rotation is the same as described above in Adult Health II. Students follow the preceptor’s schedule. During this rotation, students have 4.5 total hours of “live chat” sessions with the UW Oshkosh Clinical instructor and fellow students.
Clinical Internship
Approximately mid-way through the Program, students are asked to identify areas of interest for the Clinical Internship experience. The Clinical Internship rotation can be completed in a clinical area already experienced, or in an area not yet experienced. Students are asked to select more than one area for the Clinical Internship rotation. The students “first choice” cannot be guaranteed as all rotations are based upon preceptor availability.
During the Clinical Internship, students complete 168 hours of clinical over 5-weeks. The Clinical Internship runs concurrently with the Leadership and Management Course. The schedule and format for this rotation is the same as described above in Adult Health II. Students follow the preceptor’s schedule. During this rotation, students have 4.5 total hours of “live chat” sessions with the UW Oshkosh Clinical instructor and fellow students.
Contact Information
Accelerated Online BSN Program Office
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Nursing/Education 306
800 Algoma Boulevard
Oshkosh, WI 54901-8660
(920) 424-3096
on@uwosh.edu
Sue Clark, Advisor/Recruiter
Nursing Education 307
(920) 424-7215
ona@uwosh.edu
Disclaimer
The information on this web site is designed to be a helpful overview of the program including admission requirements. However, students and prospective students are responsible to adhere to all University and College of Nursing policies.
