Orientation for Adjunct Clinical Faculty Preparing to Teach

Orientation for Adjunct Clinical Faculty Preparing to Teach Clinical Faculty Solutions, LLC

• Preparing for your first day as an adjunct clinical instructor can be overwhelming. • There are many details that must be attended to before you arrive on the unit with students. • Failure to complete these tasks will result in frustrated students and staff, and waste valuable clinical hours.

• To help make this process more manageable, think of the necessary tasks as: • Compliance focused • Course focused • Student focused

Contact the Nurse Manager and/or Nurse Educator Introduce yourself and share important details such as: • • Your name, credentials, and how you can be reached before and during your rotation. Name of your school and what type of degree they offer (RN, BSN, LPN, etc) The grade level of student (junior, second degree, etc) First and last day of clinical rotation Unit (s) where you will be sending students Days and times you will be on the unit Any special circumstances As a courtesy, include a copy of your resume and a copy of the syllabus. Some institutions require this.

• Doing this early allows for a double check of any potential scheduling errors (yes, it happens) • It also allows you to begin the conversation about institutional requirements.

Arrange for any site specific training • This can include: • Faculty orientation course- this may be in person or online. • Tour of unit • Shadowing a staff member • EMR training • Medication dispensing training (pyxis, omnicell) START THIS EARLY!!

Compliance Documents • Make sure you know what documents must be completed and returned to the Nurse Educator, and who is responsible for completing them. • Some schools have a clinical coordinator handle some aspects of this paperwork (such as computer logon for students) and others will expect you to do it.

Documentation • Many sites will ask you return some form of documentation for: • • • HIPAA compliance Completion of orientation with students (more on this later) Requests for computer access Parking ID badges These documents should be completed and returned on your first clinical day or before.

School Compliance Make sure your school and/or site have all required documents • This can include: • • • License(s) Certifications Driver License BCLS/ACLS/NRP/PALS Immunization records Proof of vaccination Physical exam Criminal background check Child abuse clearance FBI clearance

START EARLY! Begin compliance based tasks as soon as you can Starting this process as early as possible assures you will be ready to step on the unit on the first day with access to patients, information and resources. Some steps, such as EMR training, may only be offered once a month. Make this your priority as you begin to prepare

COURSE SPECIFIC

Syllabus Knowing a bit about what the students are leaning and when can help you develop clinical scenarios that mirror what is happening in the classroom. This allows students to make important connection between classroom and clinical practice.

Syllabus • Review the syllabus before the course begins • Refer to it frequently throughout the semester • Always have a copy with you during clinical

Textbook • Some schools will provide you with a copy of the textbook • If this is not possible you could request online access • Reading an entire text may not be realistic but it’s a good tool.

Clinical Calendar Creating a calendar can help you and the students coordinate classroom topics with clinical experiences • • • Date Classroom topics Assignments due Tests Special considerations

Clinical Calendar • The benefit of creating a clinical calendar specific to your rotation is that it can help guide your patient assignments, pre and post conference discussions and keep everyone on the same page with regards to clinical and classroom assignments and exams.

Date Topic Concept Assignmen Notes t 1/1 Cardiac Anatomy and Physiology Perfusion Orientation documents 1/8 Cardiac Medications Safety Med cards 1/15 Heart Rhythms Hemodynamic Stability EKG quiz 1/22 Congenital Heart Disease Human Development none 1/29 Acquired Heart Disease Nutrition Care plan 2/5 Heart Attack Perfusion Sim prep 2/12 Winter Break break Bring all course docs TEST 1 in class brea

Know the Rules! • It is important you are familiar with the rules of your specific institution. Consistency between classroom and clinical faculty is critical and students will quickly pick up on inconsistencies. • The general rule is: it's never a problem until it's a problem. If you are inconsistent with requirements and rules it will become an issue when you have a problem student and you need to enforce the rules. Don't get yourself into that position. • Be firm, fair, and if in doubt refer the student to the course faculty. • Most of the answers will be found in the student handbook. Look through to make sure you clearly understand as students will almost always challenge these guidelines.

Know the Rules • • • Uniform Sick Call Weather Equipment Late Cell phones Performance Issues Off unit experiences Lunch breaks

Uniform • know the required uniform and what is not allowed • This will be clearly spelled out in the student handbook. • Make sure you are clear on this expectation.

Sick Call • What counts as an excused absence • What documentation is required • What is the process for makeup • What is the policy on being sent home from clinical due to illness

Weather • Generally if the school is closed then clinical is cancelled. • Clarify this with faculty especially in climates with a heavy snow or ice. • If students will be traveling early in the morning before the school has officially closed, consider delaying clinical until you can get a clear answer from the school.

Equipment • What equipment are the students are required to have with them daily • What are the consequences for not having required equipment • Many schools require a stethoscope and watch as basic tools

Late Policy • Know your schools late policy and follow it to the letter. • Again, it won't matter until it matters and you have a chronically late student who needs remediation.

Performance Issues • What is the procedure for a student with performance issues? • There should be a formal process for documenting student performance issues in the clinical setting. • This will be discussed in more detail in the section, "Giving Feedback". • In brief, know the process and start it early if you are concerned a student may be at risk for failure.

Off Unit Experiences • Some programs do not allow students to spend time shadowing in another unit during clinical hours. • Clarify exactly what experiences are acceptable.

Breaks • How much time are students allowed for a meal break? • Is break included in the clinical hours? • Can students opt for a working lunch in order to leave clinical earlier? • Can students opt to skip lunch in order to leave clinical earlier?

Assignments • You may be required to collect and grade assignments as part of your clinical rotation. • The syllabus should spell out the details of any assignments. • Read through prior to your first clinical day to make sure you clearly understand all the details.

Assignments • • Due dates Submission guidelines Lateness Grading

Student Focused • Get your class list • Update any online learning platforms as required by your school • If you don’t know how to do this reach out to your course director

STUDENT FOCUSED • • Previous classes Previous clinical Pharmacology Skills labs • Knowing a bit about your students past experiences will help you organize and plan clinical experiences.

STUDENTS • Email students as soon as you can to give them some specifics • Many students are anxiously awaiting any information • • First day Time and place to meet Where to park What to wear What to bring What not to bring How to reach you Any safety concerns