Clinical Information

Experience in a clinical setting is an integral part of the nursing program. Through working side-by-side with some of the best nursing and medical professionals in the county, you will benefit from the knowledge and hands-on learning that is only possible through actually applying theoretical skills in practice.

For clinical guidelines and information on specific clinical courses, please scroll down.

General Information and Guidelines

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BSN Essential Functional Abilities Standards

The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing will make appropriate academic accommodations to facilitate enrollment and participation of qualified individuals with temporary or permanent disabilities. The School of Nursing has established Essential Functional Abilities Standards to provide a framework to balance several competing interests, including:

  • The rights of students
  • The safety of students, their peers and faculty, and patients
  • The significant clinical component of the BSN curricula
  • The requirements by clinical agency agreements allowing the School to place students in various healthcare organizations for clinical education

Clinical Placements

Hands-on, practical experiences in real clinical settings are a critical part of our nursing curriculum. The Clinical Placement Office within the School of Nursing’s Office of Academic Affairs coordinates all student nurse placements, in collaboration with the faculty. This includes not only securing sufficient and appropriate placements for students, but also ensuring the appropriate affiliation agreements are in place and that all students have the necessary site-specific compliance requirements met. Each agency with which we place a student has been thoroughly evaluated by the Clinical Placement Office and/or faculty to ensure the site and staff can provide an engaged, safe, and productive experience that aligns with the course learning outcomes. By making regular site visits, faculty and clinical placement staff continue to evaluate the various clinical education learning environments.

The Clinical Placement Office is responsible for placing all students into their various rotations, again in collaboration with the faculty. Students do not request, rank, or preference their placements as the school utilizes a strategic placement process designed to provide students with excellent experiential learning opportunities at all levels with broad experiences and exposures to the many aspects of the nursing profession.

Clinical Placement Examples

Pop Health/Community  

Use principles of epidemiology and community assessment to identify individuals and populations at risk. From an individual to community level, you may employ evidence-based Public Health policies and methods to provide education, screening, outreach, referral, coordination, and other services.
Sites may include: free clinics, county public health departments, health care for the homeless.
 

Long Term Care – Hospice

Care for patients in their living environments (home or long-term care facilities) managing symptoms, pain, and anxiety, while providing emotional and spiritual support. Implement and monitor patient care plans, serving as a primary coordinator for all disciplines on the care team, including the family. Think creatively on the resources provided in the home, provide education to the patients and their families, and learn ways to adapt care and adjust treatment plans for patients’ evolving needs.
Sites may include: residential long term care facilities, in home or inpatient hospice.

OR – PACU

OR: Communicate and coordinate Operating Room activities to facilitate efficiency in the surgical case progression and turnover between cases. Involve the Operating Room multidisciplinary team to plan for patient care in the Operating Room in a timely manner. Recognize changes in patient’s condition and risks for the patient and take appropriate nursing actions.

PACU: Assist, plan, and care for patients undergoing surgical and other invasive procedures. Closely observe the recovering patient by monitoring the patient’s vital signs, cardiac rhythm, proper oxygenation levels, ensuring a patent airway and managing their pain levels.
Sites may include: Operating Room, Pre-Post, Day Surgery or PACU.

Critical Care

Provide direct nursing care in settings where patients require complex assessments and intervention, utilizing invasive monitoring, ventilator and respiratory support, and hemodynamic treatments. Work alongside a multidisciplinary team at the bedside. Typically care for one to two complexly ill patients.
Sites may include: intensive care (ICU), intermediate care (IMC) inpatient units, critical care transport.

Pediatrics (ALL settings, including inpatient, outpatient, schools, and community)

Inpatient: Provide direct patient care to children and their families with varying diagnoses with an emphasis on developmentally appropriate patient-family centered care. Use the nursing process to develop and implement the plan of care, collect assessment data for each patient, implement interventions, and evaluate patient outcomes. May care for 1-4 pediatric patients depending on clinical site and patient acuity.

School Nursing:  Work alongside the educational team (including teachers, administrators, families, and community organizations) to design and deliver a comprehensive, coordinated, and customized system of student supports. As a member of the pupil services team, the school nurse is an advocate for educational equity, promotes the healthy development of the whole-child, and is a leader of systemic change within their school community.
Sites may include: acute care inpatient pediatric units, PICU/NICU, Pediatric Sedation clinic, Pediatric specialty clinics, Peds OR, Peds PACU, public elementary/high schools across the state, pediatric primary care clinic, specialty camps.

Mental Health – Psychiatry

Provide direct patient care to behavioral health patients utilizing critical thinking skills and judgement to analyze patient assessment data. Assess and monitor patients and their environment for safety, and participate in the development, review and evaluation of multidisciplinary treatment plans.
Sites may include: inpatient and outpatient behavioral health/ psychiatric units or clinics.

Emergency Medicine – Urgent Care

Provide direct nursing care in settings where patients may require complex assessments and interventions. This includes triaging patients utilizing age, developmentally appropriate, and culturally sensitive practices to prioritize and optimize health care consumer flow, expediting those health care consumers who require immediate care. Work alongside a multidisciplinary team. Patient population and diagnoses are unpredictable- may care for one to five patients at a time depending on the shift and site.
Sites may include: rural or urban emergency departments or urgent cares.

Outpatient Clinics

Provide patient care efficiently and effectively through appropriate allocation of clinic resources.  Utilize telephone triage tools, initiate treatment per clinic protocols, provide appropriate patient education, and provide case management of high-risk patients in conjunction with the providers and other health care professionals. May also provide direct patient care during clinic visits including injections, diagnostic tests and minor procedures.
Sites may include: specialty or primary care clinics, infusion centers, or dialysis.

Acute Inpatient

Use standards of medical-surgical nursing practice to increase the quality of care and quality of life for the patient, family, and significant other(s) by systematically evaluating the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice. Use the nursing process to develop and implement the plan of care, collect assessment data for each patient, implement interventions, and evaluate patient outcomes. Work alongside a multidisciplinary team at the bedside. Typically care for 4-5 inpatient adult patients depending on clinical site and patient acuity.
Sites may include: Med/Surg, Orthopedics, Transplant, Neuro, Cardiac, Hematology/Oncology, etc.

Reproductive Health

Provide patient care for individuals during labor, childbirth, or postpartum. Care may include monitoring the baby and birthing individual, helping administer medications, identifying and assisting with complications, aiding in inducing labor and preparing new parents for before, during, and after pregnancy. Patient education is a key component to this care- specifically surrounding labor, breastfeeding and newborn care.
Sites may include: Labor and Delivery, OB, Postpartum, Perinatal Resource.

Transportation to Clinical Sites

The School of Nursing recognizes that students need educational experiences beyond those available in hospitals in Madison, Wisconsin. In answer to this educational need, and in order to secure enough clinical sites for all students, the School of Nursing places its students in a variety of venues in and beyond Madison. This includes ambulatory sites, clinics, rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, geriatric facilities, school districts, nursing homes, etc. This gives our students comprehensive exposure to a broad range of patients, illness, and care.

Nursing students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from their clinical sites. In the Traditional and Accelerated BSN programs, first-year clinicals (i.e., N316 and N326/N327) are accessible by public transportation from Signe Skott Cooper Hall and other points in Madison. Second-year BSN clinicals (N436 and N446) and DNP clinical rotations require travel to and from an agency, as well as to and from homes, schools, and other sites. Locales may be up to 90 miles from Madison. Therefore second-year Traditional BSN students, Accelerated BSN students in their spring semester, and DNP 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, UW-Madison has partnered with Zipcar to offer a sustainable alternative with low hourly and daily rates with cars conveniently located on campus. Learn more…

Students with extenuating circumstances that impact their clinical transportation options (e.g., driving/medical restrictions) can find information about requesting an accommodation on the “Accommodations within Clinical Placements” tab below.

Students receiving financial aid may be eligible for a budget adjustment to reflect clinical transportation expenses. Federal regulations allow for a student’s financial aid budget to be increased in certain circumstances, and the cost of transportation to a clinical site is one of the eligible reasonable educational expenses. To learn more and to request a budget adjustment, contact the UW-Madison Office of Student Financial Aid.

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.

Perfume. – Should not be worn in clinical because it may be offensive or harmful to patients/clients.

Uniform Requirements

All undergraduate nursing students are required to purchase the approved UW-Madison School of Nursing (SoN) uniform. The uniform consists of a white top and navy pants. The white top, embroidered with the UW-Madison SoN logo, is available in two styles and the pants will be available in three styles.

Lab coats embroidered with the SoN logo are also required and are worn when students are on their clinical units doing clinical preparation. In addition, students may be required to wear their lab coats during community clinical experiences.

You may view sample uniforms and lab coats on the University Bookstore website by clicking here.

Uniforms and lab coats may be purchased from the University Bookstore by:

  • On-line ordering
  • On-line reservation
  • Purchase at University Bookstore, Health Sciences Learning Center (750 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792)

You wear the SoN uniform during three of the four semesters of nursing school, so you may want to purchase more than one set. 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 white (only) short or long-sleeved shirt under the uniform top. Colors and patterns are not allowed.

Questions regarding purchasing uniforms can be directed to David Jewell, University Bookstore, Tel. 608-663-2665.

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.

Clinical Incidents/Injuries

Students in clinical rotations in health care facilities are at risk for injuries or clinical incidents. When an incident occurs, the student should notify their:

  1. Clinical instructor, if enrolled in N316, N326, or N327, or
  2. Clinical preceptor and clinical course professor, if enrolled in N436, N446, N728, N729, N828, and N829.

Students are eligible to use University Health Services (UHS) for consultation and treatment. Students also have the option of contacting their individual health care provider for treatment. Students choosing to be seen at an emergency/urgent care facility rather than at UHS are responsible for all charges incurred. For detailed information on School of Nursing clinical incident/injury procedures, refer to the Related Link.

Within 24 hours of a clinical incident or injury, the student and instructor/professor must complete and submit the Clinical Incident/Injury Report Form (pdf) to the Academic Programs Office, Cooper Hall suite 1100.

As a reminder, all students are strongly encouraged to have health insurance either through a private insurance company or through the University’s Student Health Insurance Program.

For a more detailed explanation of the policy, please click here.

Securing Placements

The School of Nursing, via the Clinical Placement Office, secures clinical placements for all students who are eligible. Students are neither asked  nor allowed to arrange their own clinical placements. If a student has a suggestion for a site, they may bring that suggestion to the Clinical Placement Office by emailing clinicals@nursing.wisc.edu, but students should not independently reach out to a site with an inquiry on behalf of the school. All prospective sites are carefully vetted by the faculty and the Clinical Placement Office to ensure they are appropriate for students and the course learning outcomes.

In the event of enrollment limitations, the following criteria are applied to establish placement priorities:

  • All prerequisites met
  • Course needed for graduation in that semester
  • Progression
  • Only nursing courses remaining

Accommodations within Clinical Placements

Students who will be completing Experiential Learning (i.e., clinical) experiences and are seeking accommodations are required to note this on the interest survey.  This survey is sent to undergraduate students each term from the Clinical Placement team.  Examples of situations warranting a placement accommodation might include a major illness or medical leave, military leave, or disability.

The completed survey goes directly to the Clinical Placement team for review to develop a proactive plan to establish and approve reasonable accommodations.

Typhon Clinical Time Logs & Evaluations

Undergraduate Student Log In

Typhon Account Number:

8265

Graduate Student Log In

Typhon Account Number:

3151

Clinical Hour Completion Within the Term/Rotation

Experiential learning/clinical work required for School of Nursing courses must be completed during the term or session of enrollment, recognizing university holidays and recesses (e.g., Thanksgiving and Spring) within. These official terms and dates are when the faculty have effort allocated to course instruction and also when our clinical partners have agreed to engage with students in clinical rotations. Per the university’s Academic Calendar, there are three terms each academic year: fall, spring, and summer. Each term has an official date instruction begins and last class day, again with holidays and recesses within. In addition, some clinical courses are broken down into shorter rotations within a term, typically an eight-week session. Clinical work and clinical hours must be completed between these term/session/rotation dates. It is not an option to start clinical work prior to the first day of instruction, complete clinical work after the last day, or complete clinical work on university holidays or during recesses. Exceptions may be made in the case of extenuating circumstances or if a student is assigned an Incomplete grade for the course. Any requests for an exception to this policy should be directed to the course coordinator or instructor who will review the request with the Director of Clinical Practica to determine its appropriateness and feasibility.

Outside Employment

Due to the heavy academic demands of the nursing curriculum, students who work while in the program are strongly encouraged to have employment that provides for a flexible schedule to accommodate student course, laboratory, and especially clinical schedules and demands. Clinical shifts may be 8-12 hours and may include days, evenings, and weekends. Some clinical shifts are subject to last-minute changes. Therefore, students’ personal commitments must remain flexible to accommodate program requirements.

BSN Experiential Learning

N316:  Foundations of Nursing Practice:  Experiential Learning

Course Description

This course introduces psychomotor and assessment skills necessary to provide person-centered, evidence based nursing care.  Students will experience opportunities to promote wellness and respond to health problems by participating indirect client care in community and acute care settings.  Students will develop confidence with the application of skills and clinical judgment in a simulation lab and through concept-based learning experiences in care settings.

Experiential Learning Description

Experiential learning for N316 is a faculty led/8 student clinical rotation on adult inpatient hospital units.  The patient populations include learning opportunities with medical, surgical, urological, gynecological, orthopedic, trauma, oncology, neurology, plastics, ENT, vascular, and respiratory patient populations.

N326:  Health and Illness Concepts with Individuals and Families:  Experiential Learning

Course Description

This course builds on psychomotor and assessment skills necessary to provide direct care to individuals and families across the lifespan. Students continue to develop clinical judgment, knowledge, communication skills, and professional behavior while providing nursing care that is safe, evidence-based, and patient centered. Experiential learning takes place in simulated and clinical settings, building on previous and concurrent coursework.

Experiential Learning Description

Experiential learning for N326 is a faculty led clinical rotation on adult inpatient hospital units.  The patient populations include learning opportunities with medical, surgical, urological, gynecological, orthopedic, trauma, oncology, neurology, plastics, ENT, vascular, and respiratory patient populations.

N436: Health and Illness Concepts with Individuals, Families and Communities: Experiential Learning 

Course Description

Students spend concentrated time focusing on care to individuals across the lifespan, families and communities. The concept based learning activities are aligned with those taught in the companion didactic courses and builds on previous learning and experiences. Students provide direct care from an evidenced based perspective, at an increasingly independent level. The student learning activities are guided by nursing preceptors in practice settings and School of Nursing faculty in simulation and seminar settings.

Experiential Learning Description

Students spend time 1:1 with preceptors in both community and acute care settings caring for patient populations across the life span in multiple settings.  Settings include acute care, home health care agencies, hospice, correctional institutions, schools, public health departments, government agencies, long term and assisted living for both adults and pediatrics, psychiatric and mental health, and rural health settings.  Students can expect to drive up to 90 miles for a clinical rotation, and travel time to and from the site is not part of clinical time.

N446:  Advanced Concepts in Complex Nursing Practice  

Course Description

Students spend concentrated time focusing on the complex care of individuals across the lifespan, families and communities. Students demonstrate advanced ability to integrate professional nursing related theory and concepts as they develop and implement the plan of care.  Students are mentored by clinical nursing preceptors in the clinical setting and School of Nursing faculty in simulation and seminar settings.

Experiential Learning Description

Students spend time 1:1 with preceptors in both community and acute care settings caring for patient populations across the life span in multiple settings.  Settings include acute care, home health care agencies, hospice, correctional institutions, schools, public health departments, government agencies, long term and assisted living for both adults and pediatrics, psychiatric and mental health, and rural health settings.  Students can expect to drive up to 90 miles for a clinical rotation, and travel time to and from the site is not part of clinical time.

For the TBSN program, there are several summer immersions which are options for the second year Fall N436 clinical experience. These include both domestic and international opportunities.

For more information on these programs, please click here.

Ann Johnson

Position title: Clinical Placement Coordinator

Email: amjohnson46@wisc.edu

Phone: 608-263-5329

Rikki Klassy

Position title: Clinical Placement Coordinator

Email: klassy2@wisc.edu

Phone: 608-263-5167

Danielle Seib

Position title: Graduate Clinical Placement Coordinator

Email: dseib@wisc.edu

Phone: 608-262-0053