Clinical placement/practicum take place in every year of the program in a variety of community and institutional settings: hospitals, continuing care centres, schools, not-for-profit agencies, etc. These experiences enable students to be comfortable and competent in a variety of health care settings and to put into practice the knowledge and skills that they are learning in the classroom and labs. Nursing courses entitled "Clinical Nursing Experience", "Clinical Practicum" or "Consolidated Practicum" are clinical placement courses.
General information about clinical placements (years 1-4):
- Clinical placements are arranged by the Faculty of Nursing within Windsor and the greater Windsor area. This includes Essex County, Chatham-Kent County and Lambton County (Sarnia region) If needed, placements may be arranged as far away as 150 kilometres from Windsor. Students are responsible to arrange their own transportation to and from placements (e.g. vehicle, public transit, car-pool, car share, etc.) and for any costs of travel and accommodation (if required).
- Students are not permitted to contact and find clinical placements on their own, due to the extensive vetting, negotiation and legal processes involved with securing placements.
- Clinical placements can take place on weekdays or weekends, and may be 8 or 12 hour day and/or afternoon shifts. At the start of each of your clinical courses throughout the program, you will be given a schedule with the shifts identified. In general, day shifts are from 7am to 3pm and afternoon shifts are from 2pm to 10pm. In 4th year (NURS-4562 and NURS-4572) and consolidation courses (NURS 1612, NURS 2622 and NURS 3632) - you may also be required to work night shifts.
- Clinical placements are negotiated in a collaborative manner by the various educational institutions that incorporate clinical placements into their programs. Once sites are secured, the placements and clinical instructors are assigned to small groups of students.
- If there are any extenuating circumstances that could affect a student’s participation in clinical placements in general or at a specific placement site, this must be communicated to the Nursing Clinical Coordinator prior to the assignment of placements (for example, an immediate family member is a staff member on one of the units, you have a child that requires specialized care, etc.).
- Clinical placements are the responsibility of the course/clinical coordinator and are subject to change at any time.
- Clinical placements are unpaid positions.
Additional information about Year 4 Clinical Experiences:
NURS-4562 (Community Preceptored Placement) and NURS-4572 (Hospital Preceptored Placement) are the 4th year clinical placements in the program. Students must complete both of these courses in order to graduate.
The University of Windsor, Faculty of Nursing uses a "clinical precepted experience” to enhance the fourth-year students' clinical learning experiences in hospital and community settings. The student is paired with a preceptor who is an employee of the agency/hospital in which the student will be placed for the duration of the clinical experience. The preceptor works with the student on a one-to-one basis to share her/his clinical expertise. The preceptor will supervise the nursing care or projects that the student undertakes. As the semester progresses, the student develops independence and assumes greater responsibility with continued guidance and support of the preceptor. The student is also assigned a faculty advisor (FA) who will act as a mentor and resource to the student and preceptor.
Students need certain opportunities to prepare them for independent practice: (1) opportunity to assume responsibility, (2) opportunity to practice skills, and (3) opportunity to gain confidence in their own ability to provide nursing care.
At the University of Windsor, the clinical precepted experience provides pre-graduate students with a realistic experience in a supportive environment. Preceptors assist students in understanding the values required in professional practice.
For more information or questions:
or
Ms Susan Rotondi-Moore
Clinical Placement Secretary
srotond@uwindsor.ca
519-253-3000, x4918