Nursing theory courses come alive in clinical placements throughout the nursing curricula. As a practice profession, successful nurses rely on a wide variety of clinical strengths in their daily work. The fundamental areas of assessment, planning, implementing, and evaluating are the heart of every nurse's practice.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Clinicals
Under the close supervision of clinical faculty, beginning students master the skills of health assessment and therapeutic intervention in the safe environment of the campus lab. Undergraduate nursing students then apply those basic skills and extensive classroom theory to the care of clients at dozens of northern California medical centers and community agencies. Students progress through a series of clinical courses approved by the Board of Registered Nursing. Students may select experiences for their various group clinical rotations from a wide range of options.
Students complete the BSN curriculum with a clinical preceptorship focused in a clinical area of individual interest. With the guidance of experienced nurse preceptors who are experts in their specialties, Samuel Merritt students have excelled in these in-depth experiences at over 100 agencies. Preceptorships also serve to assist students in bridging the divide between student role and professional nursing practice through extended experiences with clinical decision-making and a heightened responsibility for communication with health team members on clients' behalf.
Master of Science in Nursing Clinicals
· Entry Master of Science in Nursing - Students complete the full pre-licensure curriculum in an accelerated, 16 month program. Entry MSN students experience all clinical components described above, enabling them to sit for the NCLEX licensing exam. After completing pre-licensure content, students continue in their declared clinical track (see below).
· Case Management - Individualized internships are arranged for each student with a practicing nurse case manager in an area of clinical interest. While studying the theory of management of clients' health problems over time, students develop insights into the case manager role. Theories and concepts of case management provide an excellent foundation for many advanced nursing roles.
· Family Nurse Practitioner - Students complete 630 clinical hours in three semesters. Students work one on one with primary care provider preceptors in community clinics and private medical offices. Clinical placements are arranged by the program and will include internal medicine, geriatrics, women’s health and pediatrics. There are also many specialty rotations to which students will have access – ophthalmology, cardiology, otolaryngology, neonatology, and dermatology to name a few. Students may also find their own clinical placements to supplement what the program has to offer. Many of our preceptors are our own graduates who provide wonderful role models and mentors for our students.
· Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
