Clinical Information

Experiential learning (clinicals and practicum) is a vital part of the nursing program, providing students with valuable opportunities to learn alongside experienced healthcare professionals and apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Through these hands-on experiences, students develop the practical skills, confidence, and clinical judgment that are fundamental to nursing practice.

Special Considerations within Clinical Placements

Students completing experiential learning may request special consideration via the Petition for Special Consideration. Examples of circumstances that may warrant consideration include a major illness, medical leave, or military leave. For transportation considerations, review the Transportation section.

Students with disabilities who require accommodations should work with the McBurney Disability Resource Center to determine appropriate accommodations.

Submission of the petition does not guarantee your request will be approved and may require additional communication and/or meetings depending on the situation.

Clinical Completion Requirements

Experiential learning courses must be completed during the term of enrollment. Term dates can be found on the university’s Academic Calendar. Clinical work and clinical hours must be completed within the term dates. Some clinical courses are broken down into shorter session within a term.

Clinical work cannot be started prior to the first day or after the last day of the term. Exceptions may be considered in the case of extenuating circumstances or if a student is assigned an Incomplete grade for the course. Exceptions should be requested via the Petition for Special Consideration.

Clinical Incidents & Injuries

Students in clinical rotations in health care facilities are at risk for incidents and injuries. When an incident occurs, the student should immediately notify their clinical preceptor and instructor. Within 24 hours of a clinical incident or injury, the student and instructor must follow the reporting policy for Clinical Incidents & Injuries.

Students are eligible to use University Health Services (UHS) for consultation and treatment. For more details, refer to the Clinical Incidents & Injuries page.

Clinical Placements

Hands-on, practical experiences in real clinical settings are a critical part of the nursing curriculum. The Clinical Placement Unit (CPU) within the School of Nursing’s Office of Academic Affairs & Student Services coordinates all student placements. This includes securing sufficient and appropriate placements for students, ensuring the appropriate affiliation agreements are in place, and that students meet the site-specific onboarding requirements.

Each agency where students are placed have been thoroughly evaluated by CPU and/or faculty to ensure the site and staff can provide an engaged, safe, and productive experience that aligns with the course learning outcomes. CPU and faculty evaluate the clinical learning environments through regular site visits.

CPU, in collaboration with faculty, are responsible for placing students into their rotations. Students do not request, rank, or preference their placements. The School utilizes a strategic process designed to provide experiential learning opportunities with broad experiences and exposures to the many aspects of the nursing profession.

Clinical Placement Examples

BSN Clinical Placements

BSN programs provide a broad, generalist nursing education. Students complete clinical experiences across a variety of healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, schools, public health agencies, community organizations, prisons, and long-term care facilities. These diverse experiences prepare graduates to care for patients across the lifespan and in a wide range of healthcare environments.

DNP Placements

DNP clinical and practicum experiences are specialized and vary by track. Students complete advanced practice experiences in settings aligned with their area of focus, such as primary care clinics, specialty practices, hospitals, behavioral health agencies, health systems, community organizations, public health agencies, and leadership settings. Clinical placements are designed to help students develop the advanced skills and competencies required for their chosen specialty.

Required Tracking Systems

There are two third-party, web-based systems the School of Nursing partners with to track clinical experiences. Students are required to set up an account with each system. There is a one-time fee for each.

Exxat is the clinical and practicum tracking system used to track placements, clinical hours, patient logs, activity logs, evaluations, and student profile.

Viewpoint Screening is the tracking system used to manage compliance documents required by the School of Nursing.

In addition, each clinical site has onboarding requirements which may include their own unique tracking system. Students are responsible for any costs associated with onboarding at clinical sites.

Functional Abilities Standards (BSN)

Students are responsible for providing safe, effective care in both classroom and clinical learning environments. Students must be able to perform certain essential functions related to communication, observation, critical thinking, professional behavior, and physical participation in patient care activities.

The Essential Functional Abilities Standards help ensure:

Students can participate fully in classroom, simulation, laboratory, and clinical learning experiences.
Students, faculty, peers, and patients remain safe in educational and healthcare settings.
Students are able to meet the clinical requirements of the BSN curriculum.
The School can fulfill requirements established by healthcare organizations.

If a student is unable to fulfill the essential functional abilities, they must work with their provider to complete and submit the Medical Release to Return to Clinical/Lab/Simulation.

Outside Employment

Employment obligations cannot take precedence over academic, laboratory, or clinical requirements. Students are expected to adjust work schedules to meet all program requirements.

Securing Placements

CPU secures clinical placements for all students. Students are not required, nor allowed to arrange their own clinical placements. Students may suggest a clinical site by emailing CPU at clinicals@nursing.wisc.edu. Students must not contact a site on behalf of the School.

All prospective sites are carefully vetted by CPU and the faculty to ensure they are appropriate for students and the course learning outcomes.

Transportation

Transportation to Clinical Sites

The School of Nursing places its students in a variety of venues in and beyond Madison. Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from their clinical sites. Sites may be located up to 90 miles from Madison for undergraduate students and 100 miles for graduate students. Therefore, students are required to have access to reliable transportation. Students are responsible for all transportation costs incurred, including gas and parking fees. As an alternative to owning a car, students can carpool, rent a car, use a taxi or ride share (i.e., Lyft), or rent a Zipcar.

BSN students complete an annual transportation survey to indicate special transportation needs. Placement locations are not guaranteed based off information submitted in the survey, but responses are taken into consideration.

Students with extenuating circumstances that impact their clinical transportation options (e.g., driving/medical restrictions) should review the Special Considerations within Clinical Placements section.

Driving During Clinical Shifts

Students who are expected to drive as part of their clinical hours must complete UW-Madison’s Authorized Driver process. An example is having a placement in home health where students drive between patient homes. If applicable, students will receive information when onboarding for the clinical placement.

Uniform & Professional Appearance

Uniform Requirements

Scrubs/Uniform

TBSN and ABSN students are required to purchase the approved uniform: a gray scrub top embroidered with the SoN logo and gray scrub pants (jogger scrubs are allowed). Uniform tops must be purchased from the UW Book Store, online or in person at the Health Sciences Learning Center (750 Highland Avenue). Uniform pants are available for purchase at the UW Book Store or may be purchased elsewhere.

Students are required to wear the approved uniform whenever they are on a clinical unit, unless directed otherwise by their clinical instructor. If desired, students may wear a solid-white, pewter, or black short or long-sleeved shirt under the uniform top. Other colors and patterns are not permitted.

Lab Coats/White Coats

Lab coats embroidered with the SoN logo are generously funded for students through a fundraising campaign each year. Students receive their lab coat during their White Coat Ceremony. Students may be required to wear their lab coats during clinical preparation and community clinical experiences. Students are responsible to replacing their own coat if needed.

Lab coat replacements may be purchased from the University Bookstore online or in person at the University Bookstore Health Sciences Learning Center (750 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792).

Shoes

Students are required to wear white nursing, running or walking shoes when on their clinical units. Shoes are to be reserved for clinical use for hygiene and comfort reasons.

Professional Appearance for Clinical Practice

Guidelines

The words “professional appearance” have a different meaning for each person. Despite diversity of views, it is generally agreed that professional appearance entails both a functional and aesthetic component. The School of Nursing’s student professional attire standards follows. Additional requirements may be set by a particular clinical agency, in which case students must comply with the requirements of the clinical setting in which they are practicing.

Hair

Loose strands should not brush or fall into work area or fall in front of your face when leaning forward.

Fingernails

Should be a length that does not interfere with work and can easily be kept clean and neat. Nail polish should be a conservative color and free from chips.

Jewelry

Earrings should be small and designed so they will not scratch the client or catch on anything. Rings should be confined to one or two significant wedding, engagement or friendship rings that will not scratch the client and can be kept clean. Bracelets and necklaces should be avoided.

Items to avoid

Jeans, shorts, tee shirts, sweat shirts, sweat pants, sandals, clothes with graphics/art/messages, or clothes that are too tight, too short, or wrinkled should not be worn.