Post-Licensure Clinical Experiences

 

Both the Clinical Nurse Leader and Family Nurse Practitioner tracks of the MSN-Entry curriculum have a clinical component.  

Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) Track
WesternU developed the Clinical Nurse Leader track in response to research by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) indicating the need for highly skilled clinicians to engage in outcomes-based practice and quality improvement. A clinical nurse leader evaluates patient outcomes, assesses cohort risk, and can change care plans when necessary. The goal is to put evidence-based practice into action to ensure patients benefit from the latest innovations in care.

You can complete the post-licensure (MSN) portion of the Clinical Nurse Leader curriculum in 5 semesters (full time) during which time you'll complete approximately 225 clinical experience hours. Clinical experiences for this track take place in acute care settings and are preceptored by current clinical nurse leaders in the workplace. Your clinical professor works with your preceptor to design and monitor your progress as you move through the program.

As a CNL-track student, you will have the exciting opportunity to contribute to the evolution of this new professional role. Your clinical experiences will also position you for new and unique employment opportunities after graduation.

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Track
As an FNP-track student, you will complete 675 preceptored clinical hours in your home community concentrated in three semesters of the eight semester (full time) track. Working with Medical Doctors (MD's), Osteopathic Physicians (DO's) and Nurse Practitioners who agree to mentor you through this skills-building phase, your local preceptor will make sure you receive an outstanding learning experience at a site as close to home as possible.

Your clinicals focus on ambulatory, primary-care practice. Geriatric, adult, pediatric, obstetric and gynecologic populations are all included in your clinical rotations that take place in a range of settings, including private practices, community clinics, public health facilities, and some specialty clinics. During your seminar weekends, classes and skills workshops introduce skills and intellectual concepts that you will integrate into your clinical rotations.

This partnership between the academic and clinical worlds not only prepares you for clinical practice, but also positions you for employment opportunities.

Clinical Experience Sites
Most students obtain preceptored experiences at multiple sites to obtain the widest possible experience in practice patterns, skill sets, and specialties. Faculty Site Visitors from the CGN will visit your location each semester to evaluate your progress, preceptor interactions, and patient encounters to ensure your experiences meet our rigorous standards.

You will have your choice of working in community clinics, private practices, urgent care sites, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, Indian reservations, military sites, specialty clinics, or family practices in your home community or other area.

We've had students complete their preceptored clinical experiences at locations all over California as well as in Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, New York, Montana, Hawaii, Alaska, Michigan, Texas, Canada, and Guam.

For more information on clinical experiences
please contact Dr. Diana Lithgow.