The purpose of this packet is to maintain optimal patient safety by providing clear communication between Amarillo College and its affiliated clinical agencies providing a precepted clinical experience for our nursing students.

The precepted clinical experience is designed to provide nursing students a professional role model who will guide the student as s/he gains knowledge and confidence in growing clinical skills and advanced critical thinking. The preceptor will act as a facilitator and resource person to the student during the clinical learning experience and will participate in the evaluation of the student’s performance during and after the clinical experience.

Student

• Abide by all hospital policies and procedures.
• Attend all required clinical orientations.
• Wear student ID badge at all times
• Maintain patient confidentiality standards according to HIPAA regulations.
• Report off to RN preceptor assigned or unit charge nurse when leaving the floor for any reason.
• Introduce self to patients as a nursing student working with RN staff to provide care.
• Participate and perform direct care of patients under the supervision of a Registered Nurse.
• Notify RN preceptor and instructor immediately when a medication error or other adverse incident occurs.
• Notify RN preceptor immediately when there is a change in the patient’s condition, or if any problem occurs with the patient, family, or equipment
• Participate in the identification of his/her learning needs
• Participate in the planning and implementation of learning experiences
• Demonstrate self-direction by actively seeking learning experiences and being prepared to accomplish learning objectives
• Accept and act in accordance with direction provided by the preceptor
• Participate in ongoing evaluation of progress with preceptor and instructor
• Participate in ongoing evaluation of clinical preceptor experience, including recommendations for improvement

Faculty

• Conduct student orientation
• Provide preceptor orientation
• Seek regular feedback from the student and the agency/preceptor on progress and developments
• Provide regular feedback to student and agency/preceptor on progress and development; keep written records at least at midterm and final point of experience
• Be available for questions, problem identification and resolution
• Collaborate with preceptor and agency to identify student learning needs
• Monitor student progress through rounds and preceptor feedback
• Be responsible for overall teaching/evaluation of students.
• Collaborate with preceptor to complete student evaluations

Preceptor Responsibilities

• Participate in preceptor orientation
• Orient student to clinical area/agency
• Function as a role model
• Facilitate learning activities
• Assure safe practice by supervising student’s performance of clinical skills
• Assist the student in identification of learning needs
• Provide frequent feedback to student regarding clinical performance
• Communicate student performance to faculty
• Participate in evaluation of clinical preceptor experience, including recommendations for improvement

Clinical Agency Responsibilities

• Orient the student to the facility and to the unit as necessary.
• Facilitate student involvement in daily nursing staff activities as appropriate.
• Recognize that the student needs an environment of support, feedback and inquiry.

Attendance

Students are responsible to report to the assigned clinical area on time and to be dressed according to the “Student Dress Code Policy for Clinical”.

Student Dress Code Policy for Clinical

When in the role of a student in any clinical setting, the student is to be professional in appearance. 

The Student Uniform will be:

• Royal blue ADN program uniform jacket, top, and pants. Brands cannot be mixed due to color differences. Please check the label colors.
• Clean, neatly pressed, and well-fitting. Pants may not drag the floor.
• Athletic shoes that cover the entire foot.

The Student Uniform should not include:

• Uniform that is too baggy or too tight.
• Uniform pants made of knit material.
• Uniform pants that are bound at the ankle by knit or elastic.
• High top tennis shoes, clogs, sandals, open toes or backless shoes.

Amarillo College School of Nursing Patch

The AC School of Nursing patch is to be visible at all times on a student’s clothing. The patch is to be firmly attached to the upper left chest 4 inches from the shoulder seam on the lab jacket and on the left sleeve of the scrub top 2 inches from the shoulder seam. Amarillo College uniform is to be worn only for Amarillo College clinical.

Hair, jewelry, and make-up should be used conservatively.

• Hair is to be fashioned in a manner that prevents it from falling into any patient areas.
• Hair MUST be secured away from the face, and groomed so that vision is not hampered.
• Hair longer than collar length must be secured in a ponytail.
• Hair clips may be worn but must match the color of the students’ hair as closely as possible. Hair bows may not be worn.
• Conservative hair color (not blue, purple, or green).
• A student may only wear wedding rings and watches. NO smartwatches may be worn.
• Any piercing jewelry must be a stud and not be larger than 5mm. Earrings should be no larger than 5mm and may be worn in the lower lobe only! No Facial Piercing is permitted.
• Make-up is to be used conservatively. NO false Eyelashes may be worn.
• Explicit tattoos, profane or gang-related must be covered. Exposed tattoos must be approved by the Associate Degree Program Directors or Assistant Directors.
• Fragrances should not be worn in the clinical setting.
• Smoking or other use of tobacco products (including, but not limited to, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, pipes, cigars, snuff, or chewing tobacco) is prohibited in any Amarillo College building and at all clinical site healthcare facilities. A student who smells of smoke may be asked to leave the clinical setting.
• Fingernails need to be clean and not extend over ¼ inch past the fingertip. If nail polish is worn, it should be clear. No gels, acrylic, Shellac, etc. may not be worn in the clinical setting.

Medication Administration and Intravenous Therapy for Level IV Students

Students must be knowledgeable about all medications prior to administration.  Students must be under the direct supervision of the clinical instructor or registered nurse in the preparation of all medications. Topical and oral medications may be administered by the student without direct supervision or at the discretion of the agency.  All injections (intramuscular, subcutaneous, intradermal), IV fluids, IV flushes, IVPB and IV push must be administered under the direct supervision of the instructor, registered nurse, or clinical teaching assistant.

Students are responsible to know the type and rate of IV solutions ordered.  Students must observe the flow rate and IV insertion site for signs of infiltration or signs of reaction and report to the clinical instructor or registered nurse.  Students may adjust the rate of flow of IV solutions, hang IV fluids, including syringe pumps, discontinue IV fluids, discontinue invasive pressure lines and perform phlebotomy and venipuncture under the direct supervision of the clinical instructor or registered nurse.

Chemotherapy/Cytotoxic/Experimental - These medications may not be administered by nursing students.

Blood and Blood Products - Students may not check or hang blood or blood products or be solely responsible for monitoring the administration of blood or blood products. Students may not administer RhoGAM or MICRhoGAM Ultra-Filtered PLUS Rho(D) Immune Globulin (made from human plasma).

Accident or Injury on Duty

In the event of an accident or injury on duty, the clinical instructor must be notified. An accident and/or incident report must be completed for any injuries incurred on agency property. Refer to the Nursing website and Student Handbook for additional information. 

Clinical Absences

Absences must be reported to the preceptor and instructor prior to clinical. The student must talk to the instructor in person, a text message or email is not acceptable. Failure to notify the preceptor/health care agency and instructor may result in failure of the course.  Students who arrive late to the clinical area may be asked to leave if report has been missed or arrival time is incongruent to providing appropriate patient care

Students will not be allowed to participate in the clinical experience without current immunizations, TB skin testing, and American Heart Association CPR for Healthcare Providers. 

Breaks and Mealtime    

Students will be given a twenty (20) minute break in the morning or afternoon and a thirty (30) minute meal break. Students should organize their workload to allow for breaks.  Continuity of patient care should be maintained. Students should not leave the unit unless the needs of their patients have been met. Students should report to their assigned nurse before leaving the clinical area. Smoking, eating or drinking beverages in the clinical area is not permitted.

Fire/Disaster Procedures

Students are responsible to know the location of fire extinguishers in the clinical area and to understand how they operate. (Refer to Fire Procedure and Disaster Manuals located in each clinical area.)

Going off Duty and Leaving the Unit

Students must report to their assigned nurse preceptor before going off duty or leaving the unit for any reason. Students should not visit friends or family members on other units in the agency while on duty.

Hours of Duty

Students will complete five 12-hour shifts with their assigned clinical preceptor. This includes arriving 15 minutes early to receive patient assignments and staying for shift report at the end of the shift.

Illness on Duty

Students who become ill while on duty are to notify the clinical preceptor and instructor. If illness is acute, the instructor will help make arrangements for the student to go home or see his/her physician. Students should not contact a doctor for personal reasons in the clinical agency.

Parking Facilities

Students must park in the areas designated by the clinical agency. Students should take all precautions to maintain personal safety.

Permits

Nursing students may not witness the signing of patient authorization permits or any other legal document.

Personal Possessions

Students should not bring valuables to the clinical area. Belongings should be labeled and kept in an area designated by clinical preceptor.

Physician’s Orders

Nursing students may not receive verbal orders or phone orders from physicians, residents, interns, or medical students, or use routine orders until the nurse transfers them to the chart and signs them. Nursing students may not take lab reports or orders for preoperative medications over the phone.

Telephone on the Unit

Students are not permitted to use the telephone in the clinical area while on duty for personal calls (incoming or outgoing). Cell phones or pagers may not be used in the clinical unit for incoming or outgoing communications. 

Patient Safety

The nature of clinical nursing courses is such that students are involved in the direct delivery of patient care services. The primary purpose of any course is to provide education for students. However, when direct patient care is involved in the learning experience, the safety and well-being of patients are also of paramount concern. 
In the unusual circumstances that, in the preceptor’s or instructor's professional judgment, a student is unable to provide safe nursing care to patients, the student will be removed from the clinical setting.

Care of Inmates

Students shall not be assigned to care for inmates while in the Associate Degree Nursing Program. Students should not have any direct contact with inmates.

For further information, please see the Amarillo College Student Handbook. 
AMARILLO COLLEGE NURSING HANDBOOK 

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