Syllabus for NUR-721-OL

 

NURSING INFORMATICS: Practicum I

 

Description | Topics | Objectives | Materials | Structure | Assessment | Grading | Strategies

 

Course Description 

The Nursing Informatics Seminar and Practicum I and II are closely aligned. The two practicums provide a capstone experience for applying knowledge and skills acquired during the nursing informatics program. Practicum I and II are scheduled in the same healthcare setting. Students select their learning environment based on course objectives and their professional goals, needs, and interests. In Nursing Informatics Seminar and Practicum I, students, working with the online mentor and onground preceptor, develop a plan for practicum activities and select, initiate, and implement informatics related projects that may continue into the second practicum. Students reflectively discuss their experiences, projects, and related learning in the online seminar. This course requires completion of 120 practicum hours.

 

Prerequisite: All MSN degree requirements and all Nursing Informatics course requirements except Nursing Informatics Practicum II; submission of all documents and requirements outlined in the Practicum Packet. This course may be taken concurrently with one nursing elective.

 

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Course Topics

  1. Change Methodology
  2. System Life cycle stage 1
  3. Strategic Planning   
  4. Impact of Health Policy
  5. Selecting a Project
  6. Defining Metrics        
  7. Forming Committees  
  8. System Life cycle: Stage 2
  9. Redesigning Best Practice
  10. Planning Implementation (work plan)
  11. Outlining Risk Factors
  12. Preparing Next Steps

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Course Objectives

After successfully completing this course, the student will be able to: 

 

  1. evaluate the organizational needs of a healthcare facility/department requiring implementation of a new innovative technology and/or functionality; (CO1)   

  1. analyze data collected from a comprehensive needs assessment to strategically plan for the implementation of new technology and/or functionality; (CO2)   

  1. create the various committee structures needed to plan, design, test, and implement  new technology and/or functionality; (CO3)

  1. design an educational plan that outlines the needs of all employee impacted by the new technology and/or functionality; (CO4)

  1. construct a communication structure that provides clear transmission of information horizontally and vertically throughout the healthcare setting; (CO5)

  1. execute  the project management process in planning the  implementation of new technology and/or functionality. (CO6)

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Course Materials

You will need the following materials to do the work of the course. The required textbook is available from the College's textbook supplier, MBS Direct. 

 

Required Materials  

American Nurses Association. (2008). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of practice. Silver Spring, MD: Author. (ISBN 978-1-55810-256-9)

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. ISBN-13: 9781433805615

Felgen, J. (2007). I2E2: Leading lasting change. Minneapolis, MN: Creative Healthcare Management, Inc.  ISBN-13:978-1-886624-12-2 or ISBN- 10-1-886624-12-7  

Hebda, T., & Czar, P. (2009). Handbook of informatics for nurses & healthcare professionals (4th ed). New Jersey: Pearson. ISBN-10: 0135043948

Houston, S., & Bove, L. (2007). Project management for healthcare informatics. New York,  NY: Springer, . ISBN: 0387736824

 

Other Required Media

Additional Resources

  1. Please see the additional resource section of the course website for a list of additional course resources..

 

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Course Structure

NURSING INFORMATICS: Practicum I (NUR-721) is a three-credit online course, consisting of 11 modules. Modules include an overview, topics, learning objectives, study materials, and assignments. Module titles are listed below.

 

  1. Module 1: Change Methodology
    Course objectives covered in this module include CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4, CO5, and CO6.
     
  2. Module 2: System Life Cycle Stage I

    Course objectives covered in this module include CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4, CO5, and CO6.
     
  3. Module 3: Strategic Planning

    Course objectives covered in this module include CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4, CO5, and CO6.
     
  4. Module 4: Impact of Health Policy

    Course objectives covered in this module include CO1, CO2, CO3, CO5, and CO6.
     

  1. Module 5: Selecting Project

    Course objectives covered in this module include CO1, CO2, CO5, and CO6.
     
  2. Module 6: Defining Metrics

    Course objectives covered in this module include CO1, CO2, CO5, and CO6.
     
  3. Module 7: Forming Committees

    Course objectives covered in this module include CO1, CO3, CO4, CO5, and CO6.
     
  4. Module 8: System Life Cycle Stage 2

    Course objectives covered in this module include CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4, CO5, and CO6.
     

  1. Module 9: Redesigning Best Practice
    Course objectives covered in this module include CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4, CO5, and CO6.
     
  2. Module 10: Planning Implementation

    Course objectives covered in this module include CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4, CO5, and CO6.
     
  3. Module 11: Outlining Risk Factors
    Course objectives covered in this module include CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4, CO5, and CO6.
     
  4. Module 12: Preparing Next Steps

    Course objectives covered in this module include CO4, CO5, and CO6.
     

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Assessment Methods

For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in 14 online discussion forums (DF), 10 independent learning activities (ILA) and complete XXX written assignments (WA). See below for more details.

Consult the course Calendar for assignment due dates.

Online Discussion Forums

You are required to participate in 12 graded discussion forums. Discussion forums are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. There is also an ungraded but required introduction forum in Module 1 and an ungraded but required reflection forum in week 12. 

Located within the Evaluation Rubrics section of the course website is the online discussion forum rubric used to aid in the grading of all online discussion assignments.

For posting guidelines, discussion posting requirements particular to the nursing courses, and additional help, please see the Online Student Handbook and the Nursing Student Handbook located within the General Information section of the course website.  

Independent Learning Activities (ILA)

You are required to complete 10, ungraded, Independent Learning Activities.   

The details of, and requirements for, each of the ILAs are contained in the relevant modules under Assignments. Although ungraded, these ILAs provide critical information to assist you to successfully complete your clinical practicum assignments and discussion board forums.

 

Go to the Submit Assignments area of the course website to submit all written assignments.

For additional help regarding preparing and submitting assignments, see the online Student Handbook and the Nursing Handbook located within the General Information section of the course website.   

Written Assignments

You are required to complete eight written assignments and a written evaluation of your practicum site experience.   

  1. The first written assignment, WA #1, is a paper called Journal & Log #1 is worth 5% of your grade
  2. The second written assignment, WA #2, is a MS PowerPoint called Project Charter, and is worth 15% of your final grade.
  3. The third written assignment, WA #3, is a Journal & Log called Journal & Log #2, and is  worth 5% of your grade.
  4. The fourth written assignment, WA #4, is an organization chart called Project Committee Organizational Chart, and is worth 10% of your final grade.
  5. The fifth written assignment, WA #5, is a Journal & Log called Journal & Log #3, and is  worth 5% of your grade.
  6. The sixth written assignment, WA #6, is a paper called Education and Communication Plan (Paper), and is worth 20% of your final grade.
  7. The seventh written assignment, WA #7, is a paper called Project Management Plan (Paper), and is worth 20% of your grade.
  8. The eighth written assignment, WA #8, is a Journal & Log called Journal & Log #4, and is  worth 5% of your grade.
  9. The ninth written assignment, WA #9, is called Clinical Practicum Evaluation Tool and is graded on a Pass/Fail basis, and must be passed in order to pass the course. 

Located within the Evaluation Rubrics section of the course website are the written assignment rubrics used to aid in the grading of each written assignment.

See course Calendar for due dates.

Go to the Submit Assignments area of the course website to submit all written assignments.

For additional help regarding preparing and submitting assignments, see the online Student Handbook and the Nursing Handbook located within the General Information section of the course website.    

 

 

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Grading and Evaluation

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

 

  1. Online discussions (12) - 15%
  2. WA #1 - Journal & Log #1 - 5%
  3. WA #2 - Project Charter (PPT) - 15%   
  4. WA #3 - Journal & Log #2 - 5%
  5. WA #4 - Project Committee Organizational Chart - 10%
  6. WA #5 - Journal & Log #3 - 5%
  7. WA #6 - Education & Communication Plan (Paper) - 20%
  1. WA #7 - Project Management Plan (Paper) -20%
  2. WA #8 - Journal & Log #4 - 5%
  3. WA #9 - Clinical Practicum Evaluation Tool - Pass/Fail

All assignments will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

 

A

=

93–100

A–

=

90–92

B+

=

88–89

B

=

83–87

B–

=

80–82

C+

=

78–79

C

=

73–77

C–

=

70–72

D

=

60–69

F

=

Below 60

 

Students enrolled in the MSN degree program must earn a grade of C (73) or better in the nursing courses for the credit to be accepted toward the degree. Students enrolled in the Nurse Educator Certificate program must earn a grade of B (83) or better for the course to be applied to program requirements.

NOTE

 All website addresses (URLs) in this course were accurate and reflected the stated content at the onset of the course. However URLs change and great resources may disappear. If you encounter a problem accessing a website, post a message in the HELP discussion area of this course.

LATENESS POLICY

Written assignments should be submitted no later than the due date unless prior arrangements are made with the mentor and a new due date is established. If a student submits an assignment after the due date without having made arrangements with the mentor, a minimum of five points, (based on an assignment grading scale of 100 points), or 5% of the total points, will be deducted for each week, or part thereof, that the assignment is late. Discussion board assignments must be completed in a timely manner or points will be deducted.

  

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Strategies for Success

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

 

  1. Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.
  2. Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook and the School of Nursing Student Handbook. These handbooks, which can be found under "Student Support" within the General Information course section, answer many questions about how to proceed through the course and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College.

  1. All assignments, including the Online Discussion Forums, are graded using a rubric. Be sure to consult the appropriate rubric in the Evaluation Rubrics section of each course for the specific requirements of each assignment.

  1. Utilize the writing resources for APA, listed in the "Educational Resources - Writing Style Guides" within the General Information course section, to help you use this format correctly.

  1. Online tutoring assistance is available through Smarthinking.com located in the "Educational Resources - Online Tutoring Resources" within the General Information course section.
  2. Familiarize yourself with the learning management systems environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.
  3. If you are not familiar with Web-based learning be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

 

  1. Note to MSN Students Only. A Synthesis Paper is required for all students in the MSN program. Information on the paper's requirements are available under the MSN Information section of the course. Please read and familiarize yourself with the synthesis paper requirements early in the program.

Study Tips

 

Consider the following study tips for success:

 

To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking examinations.

 

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