Clinical-Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)

Class

A health-related work-based learning experience that enables the student to apply specialized occupational theory, skills, and concepts.  Direct supervision is provided by the clinical professional.  CIP Code Description:  51.3901 VNSG 1360 (Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training) 288 Contact Hours, 3 Semester Credit Hours.   

Course Learning Objectives

As outlined in the learning plan, apply the theory, concepts, and skills involving specialized materials, tools, equipment, procedures, regulations, laws, and interactions within and among political, economic, environmental, social, and legal systems associated with the occupation and the business/industry; and will demonstrate legal and ethical behavior, safety practices, interpersonal and teamwork skills, and appropriate written and verbal communication skills using the terminology of the occupation and the business/industry.   

  1. To introduce the vocational nursing student to the care of patients in an institutional setting. (DECs I-A; SCANS C-5, 6, 7, 8, 9)   
  2. To allow the vocational nursing student to assist in determining the physical and mental health status of culturally, ethnically, and socially diverse patients and their families in a non-acute setting. (DECs I-B, II-A, B, C, D; SCANS C5, 6, 7, 9)   
  3. To obtain beginning-level instruction, supervision, or knowledge as needed when  implementing nursing procedures or practices. (DECs I-C, D; II-D, III-B, D, SCANS C-5, 9)   
  4. To communicate and collaborate with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team to assist in the planning, delivery, and coordination of patient-centered care to assigned patients. (DECs II-H, IV-A, D, E; SCANS C9, 11, 12, 13, 14)    
Required Textbooks

Foundations and Adult Health Nursing 8th Ed, Cooper, K. & Gosnell, K. (2019)    

Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-PN Exam 7th Ed; Silvestri, L. & Silvestri, A. (2019)   

Elsevier Adaptive Quizzing: Foundations and Adult Health Nursing, 8th Ed    

HESI PN Case Studies with Practice Test   

Simulation Learning System for LVN/LPN/Elsevier; Sim Chart   

First Semester Basic Nursing Skills Lab Pack    

  • Clinical lab level I forms    
  • Watch with second hand    
  • Stethoscope    
  • Hemostats   
  • Penlight    
  • Bandage Scissors    
  • Personal protective equipment    
  • Smart Phone with Data Plan & GPS access   
  • Trac Prac Access   
  • Computer Accessibility    
Evaluation Standards

Cognitive and psychomotor evaluations will include, but not be limited to data collection, use of the nursing process, documentation, and clinical observation of student’s skills and behaviors. Anecdotal evaluations will be done utilizing TracPrac. Summative evaluations will be done at midterm and at completion of the semester.   

Grading:   

Evaluation   

Percent   

Clinical Exam   

20%   

Simulation   

10%   

Clinical Evaluation   

70%   

Total Evaluation   

100%   

A= 89.5 to 100    

  1. = 79.5 to < 89.5    
  2. = 74.5-to <79.5   

F = <74.5    

Students will be given a dosage calculation exam(s) during the first and second semesters. If the student fails the exam, then two demerits for each failure will occur on the clinical grade. Remember, if you fail the dosage calculation exam after the last scheduled attempt your overall clinical grade will be deducted by 25%. Students in 1st semester must score a 90 on this exam.   

Two absences are allowed for this course. More than two absences will result in a 10% final grade reduction for each additional absence. The clinical instructor and the assigned clinical agency should be notified prior to the beginning of the clinical shift if absent.   

Final course grades will be calculated to the nearest whole number.  Anything less than a 74.5 will be considered a failing grade.   

Clinical experiences may be scheduled between the hours of 5:30 A.M and 11:30 P.M. Times for clinical experiences will vary and may include 8 or 12- hour shifts. When in hospital clinical, the student will have thirty (30) minutes for lunch. Each student must ask permission from the instructor and the charge nurse if he/she wishes to leave the unit. The student is not allowed to leave the 20 clinical unit during the clinical shift, unless otherwise specified by the instructor, failure to do so will result in a section 1 (g) offense. Clinical during the first and second semesters are scheduled for 8-hr shifts, two days per week. Third semester clinical can be 8 or 12-hour shifts, two or three days per week. 3. Clinical experiences require students to travel to sites away from the college campus. Clinical sites include hospitals and other health care facilities in Mineral Wells, Stephenville, Weatherford, Willow Park, Millsap, Fort Worth as well as Decatur, Jacksboro, Granbury and Bridgeport. Other Locations may be used if deemed necessary for student learning. Students must be prepared to drive to any of these locations for clinical. 4. The nursing faculty will determine clinical assignments, depending upon the learning environment, availability of clinical resources and needs of the students. 

Absences

Two absences are allowed for this course. More than two absences will result in a 10% final grade reduction for each additional absence. The clinical instructor and the assigned clinical agency should be notified prior to the beginning of the clinical shift if absent.   

Final course grades will be calculated to the nearest whole number.  Anything less than a 74.5 will be considered a failing grade.   

Clinical experiences may be scheduled between the hours of 5:30 A.M and 11:30 P.M. Times for clinical experiences will vary and may include 8 or 12- hour shifts. When in hospital clinical, the student will have thirty (30) minutes for lunch. Each student must ask permission from the instructor and the charge nurse if he/she wishes to leave the unit. The student is not allowed to leave the 20 clinical unit during the clinical shift, unless otherwise specified by the instructor, failure to do so will result in a section 1 (g) offense. Clinical during the first and second semesters are scheduled for 8-hr shifts, two days per week. Third semester clinical can be 8 or 12-hour shifts, two or three days per week. 3. Clinical experiences require students to travel to sites away from the college campus. Clinical sites include hospitals and other health care facilities in Mineral Wells, Stephenville, Weatherford, Willow Park, Millsap, Fort Worth as well as Decatur, Jacksboro, Granbury and Bridgeport. Other Locations may be used if deemed necessary for student learning. Students must be prepared to drive to any of these locations for clinical. 4. The nursing faculty will determine clinical assignments, depending upon the learning environment, availability of clinical resources and needs of the students. 

Instructional Methods

Guided clinical practice in a variety of settings:  acute care, long-term care, community clinics, physician offices, simulated activities, clinical conference and group discussion, and online resources.  Clinical Simulation, Basic and Advanced Nursing Skills may utilize low, moderate or high fidelity simulation types as defined by the Texas BON rule 214 and 215.    

Disabilities

ADA Statement:

Any student with a documented disability (e.g. learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) may contact the Office on the Weatherford College Weatherford Campus to request reasonable accommodations. Phone: 817-598-6350 Office Location: Office Number 118 in the Student Services Building, upper floor. Physical Address: Weatherford College 225 College Park Drive Weatherford, TX.

Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity is fundamental to the educational mission of Weatherford College, and the College expects its students to maintain high standards of personal and scholarly conduct. Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials including unauthorized use of Generative AI. Departments may adopt discipline specific guidelines on Generative AI usage approved by the instructional dean. Any student who is demonstrated to have engaged in any of these activities will be subject to immediate disciplinary action in accordance with institutional procedures.
Hope Statement
Any student who faces challenges securing basic resources such as food, clothing, or housing and believes this may affect their performance in their course of study is urged to contact the Director of Student Resources, Dr. Deborah Cregger, for support at (817) 598-6444. Her office is on the first floor of Student Services. If the student prefers, they may contact their instructor, who can reach out on their behalf. Weatherford College also provides the Coyote Pantry. The Pantry maintains boxed and canned foods for students in need. The location of the Coyote Pantry is two blocks west of the Weatherford campus at the Baptist Student Ministry (118 E. Park Ave., Weatherford). Pantry hours are Mon-Thurs. 8:30 am-4:30 pm and Fri. 8.30 am-12:00 pm (817-599-6586).
SCANS

Essential Competencies (DECs) & Secretaries Commission of Achieving Necessary Skills  Differentiated (SCANS) will be aligned throughout the syllabus. Differientiated Essential Competencies of Graduates of Texas Vocational Nursing Educational programs and SCANS competencies can be accessed from Texas Board of Nursing.   SCANS information can be obtained from the document Identifying and Describing The Skills Required by Work published by The Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Work Skills.   

Texas Board of Nursing DECS     

I. Member of the Profession  

A. Function within the nurse’s legal scope of practice and in accordance with regulation and the policies and procedures of the employing health care institution or practice setting. B. Assume responsibility and accountability for the quality of nursing care provided to patients and their families. 

C. Contribute to activities that promote the development and practice of vocational nursing.  D. Demonstrate responsibility for continued competence in nursing practice, and develop insight through reflection, self-analysis, self-care, and lifelong learning.  

  1. Provider of Patient-Centered Care  
    1. Use clinical reasoning and knowledge based on the vocational nursing program of study and established evidence-based practice as the basis for decision-making in nursing practice. B. Assist in determining the physical and mental health status, needs, and preferences influenced by culture, spirituality, ethnicity, identity, and social diversity of patients and their families, and in interpreting health-related data based on knowledge derived from the vocational nursing program of study.  
      1. Report data to assist in the identification of problems and formulation of goals/outcomes and patient-centered plans of care in collaboration with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team. 
      2. Provide safe, compassionate, basic nursing care to assigned patients with predictable health care needs through a supervised, directed scope of practice.
      3. Implement aspects of the plan of care within legal, ethical, and regulatory parameters and in consideration of patient factors.
      4. Identify and report alterations in patient responses to therapeutic interventions in comparison to expected outcomes.
      5. Implement teaching plans for patients and their families with common health problems and well-defined health learning needs. 
      6. Assist in the coordination of human, information, and physical resources in providing care for assigned patients and their families.
  2. Patient Safety Advocate  
      1. Demonstrate knowledge of the Texas Nursing Practice Act and the Texas Board of Nursing Rules that emphasize safety, as well as all federal, state, and local government and accreditation organization safety requirements and standards.  
      2. Implement measures to promote quality and a safe environment for patients, self, and others.  
      3. Assist in the formulation of goals and outcomes to reduce patient risks.  
      4. Obtain instruction, supervision, or training as needed when implementing nursing procedures or practices. 
      5. Comply with mandatory reporting requirements of the Texas Nursing Practice Act.  F. Accept and make assignments that take into consideration patient safety and organizational policy.  
  3. Member of the Health Care Team 
    1. Communicate and collaborate in a timely manner with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team to assist in the planning, delivery, and coordination of patient-centered care to assigned patients.  
      1. Participate as an advocate in activities that focus on improving the health care of patients and their families.  
      2. Participate in the identification of patient needs for referral to resources that facilitate continuity of care, and ensure confidentiality. 
      3. Communicate patient data using technology to support decision-making to improve patient care.  
      4. Assign nursing activities to LVNs or unlicensed personnel based upon an analysis of patient or work place need.  
      5. Supervise nursing care by others for whom the nurse is responsible. 
      6. Assist health care teams during local or global health emergencies or pandemics to promote health and safety, and prevent disease.