Consolidated Learning Services
Nurse Refresher Course
STUDENT HANDBOOK
2008-2010
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Course Overview 4
Eligibility for Licensure 5
State-Specific Guidelines, Contact Hours 6
Approvals 7
Costs, Refunds, Computer Requirements 8
Grading 9
Insurance, Medical Exams, CPR 10
Release of Information/Record Keeping Policy 11
Student Conduct 12
Timelines and Extensions 13
Clinical 14
FAQ 15
Introduction
Congratulations on your decision to reactivate your license and return to nursing. We understand that Refresher Courses are a time commitment and we strive to facilitate the accomplishment of your goals.
Self study is a wonderful option for many individuals but it is not always a good choice for others. Self study programs require considerable self discipline and a proactive approach to your educational process. Flexibility and independence are two of the many advantages of working in a self study program.
There is no instructor for interaction as in other forums. As there is no ‘due date’ for assignments, you must be capable of setting a timeframe for yourself and setting aside time for the coursework so that you may complete the didactic portion in the six month timeframe.
As with the self study theory portion of the course, a precepted clinical is not always the best option for some individuals. You must be prepared to find your own preceptor and follow through on obtaining the appropriate paperwork for yourself. We provide as much assistance as possible, but as we are a national company, it is impossible for us to know every individual or facility in your area willing to precept a refresher student.
Our goal is to bring you up to date on current nursing practice. You may read materials and think that this is not the way you were taught in nursing school. That is probably correct. What you learned in nursing school was up to date and accurate for that time. Pharmacology and technology have changed dramatically in the last twenty years. Much of nursing has changed to be evidentiary based versus simply following tradition. This course is designed to prepare you to enter today’s healthcare arena. Anatomy and physiology, general pathophysiology of diseases and the art of nursing have not changed. You should find this course challenging, but in no way should you feel ‘in over your head’.
The policies and procedures in the handbook are provided to guide you through this course. You may contact us with any questions at info@learningsvc.com.
Welcome back to nursing!!
Nurse Refresher Course
Course Overview:
This course is designed to assist the nurse who is in need of a review to re-enter nursing practice. It is a review for those who have already graduated from a formal nursing program in the past. This course is not designed for initial licensure. It is not designed or intended to replace the Commission of Graduates of Foreign Nursing School’s Qualifying Exam. The didactic portion is in a self study format. Any clinical requirements are provided by preceptors in the student’s home state, in accordance with Board of Nursing requirements. This course is designed for RN level and marketed to that educational level.
The course is written in the English language with appropriate medical terminology consistent with an RN level education. The student is expected to have the ability to read and write in the English language at a post-secondary level. The student is expected to have a working knowledge of medical terminology. Students with deficits in those areas are encouraged to seek remediation prior to enrollment.
This course contains 120 clock hours of theory. Clinical time is 180 clock hours or the minimum number required by your state as specified in the Nurse Practice Act. We are an approved provider able to grant 120 continuing education (CE) contact hours.
It is the responsibility of the individual seeking license re-activation to contact the BON for instructions and criteria prior to enrollment to ensure eligibility for re-activation.
The course is divided into five major sections. There are small quizzes (just 10 questions) at the end of every subsection. The quizzes pinpoint areas of weakness prior to taking the section exam. All activities are designed to enhance learning, and prepare the nurse for current issues and styles of practice. A Master’s prepared instructor will monitor the course and content. Assignments are graded and feedback given. Students will have the ability to print passing quiz and test grades, if required by clinical preceptors.
Textbook purchase is not required. All material needed to pass the course is provided. Reading materials are available online or in public libraries. Students are given a list of textbooks used for the course development and are strongly encouraged to purchase certain text for future reference.
Students must have access to a computer, an active email account and familiarity with using a PC and word processing. All information is available for download or to print for the student’s personal use only.
Eligibility for Licensure
The Board of Nursing (BON) retains the sole authority for licensing nurses in your state. No Company, employer, hospital, etc can issue a nursing license, deny a license or grant temporary work permits.
Every state has a website for the Board of Nursing with licensing information. Most have downloadable forms for your convenience.
Every state has its own Nurse Practice Act and Statutes under which the BON operates. Rules and laws vary concerning issues such as criminal violations, practicing with physical or mental impairments, continuing education and nurse refresher courses. If you have a disability or condition which will alter your ability to perform in a clinical setting, you must discuss this with your Board prior to initially enrolling in the course.
It is the student’s responsibility to contact their Board of Nursing to discuss the procedure for reactivating a license. If you have legal, health, disciplinary or other issues, please discuss those with your Board. The Company cannot advise you as to whether you are eligible for licensure, advise you on the procedure in your state, nor can we intercede for you with the Board. We cannot grant waivers for clinical rotations.
A need for refresher due to disciplinary proceedings does not necessarily preclude enrollment in this course. In most cases, the student’s needs are better served in a traditional setting. However, students who have disciplinary issues are admitted on a case by case basis. The Company will require information regarding the disciplinary proceedings, consent orders, Board recommendations, and any other documents that we feel may assist us to determine if we can meet your needs and the BON requirements for remediation and reactivation of the student’s license. Any information you send us related to your disciplinary issue must be a certified copy and sent directly from the BON in a sealed envelope. You may make that request yourself or sign a release for us to obtain it directly from the BON. After careful review of the material and your needs, we will advise you as to whether we can accept you into our course.
The student is responsible for obtaining temporary licenses or work permits to advance to the clinical rotation. All fees related to licensing owed to the Board are the student’s responsibility.
State Specific Guidelines
Every Board of Nursing operates slightly different and under its own Nurse Practice Act and State Laws. Therefore, there may be some slight variations in requirements to have your license reactivated.
The terms ‘refresher’ and ‘reactivation’ are sometimes used interchangeably. Some states have ‘refresher guidelines’ and ‘reactivation guidelines’. Depending on what state you are in they can have different meanings. Read your Board’s website carefully.
For states that only require “continuing education hours” as proof of continued competency to re-activate a license, there is no clinical component required of the student. Students from states that require a “Nurse Refresher Course” as a prerequisite to reactivating a license will take both theory and clinical. Your state may also require you to take a ‘Predictor Exam” or NCLEX after course completion.
Every state requires that you complete the course in accordance with the rules and regulations of Consolidated Learning Services. There are no variations in the didactic portion of the course. The goals, objectives, evaluation materials etc are identical for every student in every state. The only variations will be in clinical rotations which will be issues such as credentials of the preceptor, acute care settings vs. non-acute care settings, and whether your Board receives a copy of your scheduled hours and clinical contract.
Information is posted on our website and is accurate to the best of our knowledge. When you enroll for clinical, the information that is specific to your state will be given to you again.
Contact Hours
We are an approved provider able to grant contact hours for continuing education materials. Every student receives 120 contact hours for the theory portion of the course and it is stated on the certificate of completion. Any clinical hours completed are noted, although no contact hours are awarded for clinical.
**Please note, some states accept the refresher course contact hours as satisfying the CE requirement for that state for the initial renewal period after active status. Some states require that you take additional CE courses after you are active. Please review your Board’s website for those rules and regulations. We cannot advise you on this issue.
Approvals
There is much confusion about the terms approval, accepted and accredited.
“Approval” is when the actual course material has been reviewed and accepted by a Board of Nursing. The approval process is extensive and can take weeks to months as the materials are reviewed by education committees, consultants, and ultimately voted upon by the Board.
“Approved provider” means that the company has been approved by a Board to provide continuing educational materials. This process involves reviewing the company polices as a whole and the general process of developing, implementing and evaluating courses. This process is also extensive and can take weeks to months. Once approved, the company is expected to provide only courses that adhere to specific standards.
“Accepted” is a form of reciprocity. In this case, the Board in an ‘accepting’ state has decided that since the course was already approved by another Board, it will trust that other state’s approval process and accept the course as meeting criteria.
“Accredited”. The U.S. Department of Education defines accredited to mean that the school was reviewed, “by an accrediting agency or state approval agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a “reliable authority as to the quality of postsecondary education”. The process is typically sought by degree-granting institutions. Accrediting bodies are usually national and the process is very expensive. At present, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) charges fees of $3000-$6600. The ANCC is one of the least expensive national accrediting bodies. Costs can run as high as $25,000 for accreditation. This cost is then passed on to students via tuition costs. NLN (National League for Nursing) does not accredit refresher courses. Refresher courses are considered continuing education, as the nurse has already received an initial degree/diploma in nursing. The accreditation process is beneficial for schools offering financial aid, receiving federal and state funds, and those granting degrees or providing initial licensure programs.
Consolidated Learning Services designed the Nurse Refresher course to assist nurses to re-enter the workforce. We recognized that traditional educational methods are not always feasible and we are conscious of the life issues that face many of our returning nurses. Our goal is to keep our program high quality, easy to use, and cost efficient. Licensing is strictly under the control of the State Boards of Nursing. The Boards dictate policy regarding refresher courses, course content and have the sole power to grant/deny licenses. A current list of our approvals is on our website.
Course Costs and Payments
The cost for the didactic portion is $650.00 (USD) and the cost for the clinical portion is $150.00 (USD). If your clinical rotation is extended due to deficits in your performance, an additional $50 per week is charged. Paypal is utilized for your convenience and credit card security. If you prefer to mail a personal check, course materials are not sent until funds have cleared our bank, usually within five business days.
Refunds and Credits
Consolidated Learning Services has a NO REFUND policy for any reason regardless of whether you have begun the coursework or not. We do not issue partial refunds or credits for any reason.
Unlike traditional programs, there is no wait period between enrollment and start of class. Students begin didactic study as soon as payment is cleared. Therefore, as soon as payment is received, students are in possession of course materials and intellectual property.
Computer Requirements
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that he/she is comfortable using a personal computer, including opening and viewing attachments in Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Word, accessing internet sites, using email capabilities, disabling popup blockers and changing file formats, as well as using word processing equipment. Our software is compatible with the following operating systems and browsers: Windows 2000 or higher, Linux, UNIX, Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari. Consolidated Learning Services is not responsible for incompatibilities or damage to the student’s software/system. We do not guarantee proper viewing of our programs in any other than the software systems listed above. We provide technical support only on issues related to our software/site. We are not able to provide technical support for any other issue. Do not send documents in .mht format, it is not able to be opened on most systems.
Grading
The course is pass/fail. You will receive a pass/fail for theory and a pass/fail for clinical. Both sections must be successfully passed to pass the course. If you pass theory and fail clinical, you have failed the entire course. There is no ‘incomplete’ grade. Not completing the course is considered a failure of the course and is recorded and reported as such.
The course consists of a maximum of 500 points. A minimum of 375 points are required for successful completion. All quizzes and exams must be passed with a minimum grade of 80%. Maximum points for all tests/quizzes are 340 points. A minimum of 272 test/quiz points and successful completion of the medication administration review exam is needed to pass the course.
A medication administration review is a separate module with an exam. The medication exam must be passed with an 85% or better. A student may have only two attempts at passing the medication administration exam. Due to the liability involved with medication error, the inability to pass the medication administration exam constitutes failure of the theory portion. The module is user friendly with detailed explanations and a review of math skills and multiple practice tests/questions. This module is nearly identical to a module used in a Fundamentals of Nursing course for an associate degree program.
All test/quiz questions are from the course material given to the student. Questions may measure critical thinking; however, there are no ‘trick’ questions. Each quiz and exam has a pool of questions. The computer is set to randomly select a number of questions from that pool and to shuffle answers. Every single quiz or test is different each and every time the computer generates it. If you have a question about a particular question, you must email us the entire question as you saw it on your test. At the end of the quiz/test, there is a button to email your exam. That sends specific data about your test and answers to a databank where we can periodically analyze questions and responses. It only sends a grade to the course coordinator for recording.
In the rare event that a student would fail a test, quiz or assignment, he/she is instructed to email the course monitor for an alternative assignment or a 're-do'. Failure to contact the monitor is forfeiture of an alternative assignment or retake and failure of the course. The higher point value between the test/quiz and alternative assignment will be the recorded score for that test/quiz. That average must equal at least an 80% for tests/quizzes or it is considered a failure and failure of the course. There will be only one alternative assignment or re-take of the test/quiz given in this course, including the medication exam. There is no ‘re-take’ of the comprehensive final.
Students who fail theory may enroll again at any time, to begin the course again from the beginning. There is no reduced fee for failure of a course.
Clinical grades are pass/fail. The preceptor determines the final clinical grade. Additionally, Consolidated Learning Services may fail a student form the clinical portion independent of the preceptor, for failing to adhere to the pre-requisites for clinical, such as licensure, insurance contracts etc, violation of any terms of the clinical contract, failure to satisfy financial obligations, or for conduct determined to be unprofessional in nature
Insurance
Malpractice insurance: All students are required to carry malpractice insurance if doing a clinical rotation. Coverage amounts must include: general liability in the minimum amount of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence/aggregate and professional liability insurance coverage with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence/$3,000,000 annual aggregate for protection of the individual refresher student. Students may choose the insurance provider. This company does not endorse any particular carrier. A web search will provide numerous companies providing this type of coverage with annual premiums being approximately $100 per year or less. Proof of coverage must be provided prior to entering the clinical facility. Coverage must remain in place throughout the entire clinical preceptorship.
Health insurance: Health insurance to cover the student’s individual health care needs is at the discretion of the student. At this time, the company does not offer Company health insurance.
CPR
Proof of healthcare provider adult and child CPR is required prior to entering clinical. Courses are offered by the American Heart Association or the Red Cross.
Medical Exams and Immunizations
Required immunizations, titers, drug testing, fingerprinting or medical exams
are dictated by the clinical facility. Any cost related to such are the
responsibility of the student. Check with your preceptor or the Education
Coordinator at the facility for requirements.
Release of Information
Purpose: To ensure proper release of confidential information
1. No information will be released without a written request with the appropriate signature. Email and fax are not acceptable.
2. Individual students requesting duplicate or replacement certificates must indicate name of course, month and year course was taken, and will be charged a fee. Only one request for a duplicate or replacement certificate will be honored.
3. Information released to state licensing or approval boards per their request, will only contain information regarding individuals whose licenses/certifications or practice are governed by that agency.
4. Consolidated Learning Services reserves the right to charge an administrative fee for processing of records, when appropriate.
5. Consolidated Learning Services will comply with a properly executed court order from the appropriate jurisdictional authority.
6. Individuals are not notified when their information is released to an appropriate convening authority.
Confidentiality and Record Storage
Purpose: To ensure confidentiality of personal information and proper record maintenance as required by approval Boards.
1. No financial information is stored or recorded by Consolidated Learning Services (CLS).
2. Information retained will include client’s name, mailing address, date of course, name of course, pass/fail.
3. License numbers for students of individual CE courses are not verified, retained or stored. They are retained for refresher students attempting to reactivate a license.
4. Social security numbers are not retained or stored.
5. Computer records are maintained via secure password protected programs with updated software firewalls.
6. The company owner, president and/or CEO reserves the right to assign password privilege based on employee job description.
7. Paper records are maintained in a secure file cabinet.
8. Access to computer and file cabinet shall remain behind locked door when area is unoccupied by CLS personnel.
9. Files may be purged after five years.
Student Conduct
Students are expected to conduct themselves as professionals. This includes, but is not limited to: completing work on time, using proper grammar, sentence structure, etc in ALL correspondence to the Company, refraining from using profanity or other unacceptable slang terminology unless quoted in context for a paper or other assignment, attempting to hack or otherwise jeopardize or destroy course material or website, cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation, harassing of faculty, staff or students, and any other behaviors that may violate ethics of the nursing profession or violate standards of the Board of Nursing. It is the discretion of Consolidated Learning Services whether to issue ONE warning to the student, or expel the student from the program immediately. Illegal conduct will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Students are expected to use the email address given for sending course-related assignments and correspondence ONLY. Any student who forwards jokes, emails, chain letters, etc as part of a mass mailing, solicitation or other non-course related correspondence will be issued ONE email warning. If the behavior continues, the student will be expelled from the course with no refund.
Students are given an opportunity at the end of the course to evaluate the course, the preceptor and provide comments. Students are kindly requested to refrain from sending comments, personal stories, etc at other times.
***Use of email to communicate is still considered professional correspondence. It is highly unprofessional to send emails that resemble text messages or personal correspondence. Please use capital letters at the beginning of sentences, periods at the end, two spaces between sentences, and use spell check. We have received far too many emails from professional nurses that are unreadable. The only communication we have with you is via email. It raises a high level of suspicion when we receive daily emails that are unreadable and coursework that is college level.
Time Lines and Extensions
The purpose of a refresher course is to provide the nurse with updated materials. In a rapidly changing environment, even the most current textbooks can have information that has changed within the first year of circulation. This course is updated yearly with the most current information available. A certificate of completion of the course indicates that the nurse has a current knowledge base and is better prepared to re-enter the workforce after an absence. This can only be achieved by completing the course in a reasonable timeframe.
The entire course, both didactic and clinical must be completed in twelve months.
Didactic coursework must be fully completed in six months. Coursework is sent the next business day after payment clears. The date materials are sent is the start date of the course. The six month period runs until 6 months exactly from that time. Failure to complete all coursework in that timeframe results in a failure of the course. Students must re-enroll, pay another full tuition, and start the course over from the beginning.
Theory must be passed successfully to be eligible for clinical rotations. Concurrent theory/clinical arrangements are not allowed. Clinical assignments should be completed in 8 weeks. The preceptor may negotiate a longer timeframe with the clinical coordinator if there is scheduling difficulty. The clinical coordinator will not allow more than an additional four weeks added to the clinical experience.
We do not offer extensions for the six month timeframe to finish the didactic portion of the course. Six months is more than generous to complete one month’s worth of coursework. We work very hard to maintain the same standards as colleges offering a comparable course. Colleges do not extend the semester because a student cannot finish the work on time. This policy applies whether you are taking the course for reactivation of a license, under Board mandate, employer mandate or for your own self enrichment.
Clinical Rotations
The ultimate responsibility for finding a clinical site and an appropriate preceptor falls to the student. Whenever possible, we will provide you with a list of agencies in your state or area that were willing to have a student in the past. We will provide you with all paperwork needed for the rotation, including facility contract agreements. We will walk you through the process to the best of our ability in a long distance arrangement. Begin arranging for clinical IMMEDIATELY upon enrolling in the course. You cannot do clinical in a facility without a legal contract. Legal departments can take MONTHS to review the contract and approve it for the facility. If you wait until you finish theory, you will potentially run out of time. When approaching facilities about clinical, you need to talk to the Nurse Educator NOT the Nurse Recruiter about contracting with that facility for clinical.
At the time you enroll for clinical, we will give you all paperwork and any specific issues that are required of you to meet your state’s standards. Any limitations to your ability to perform clinical should have been discussed with your Board prior to enrollment. We cannot alter clinical requirements.
Clinical rotations are unpaid rotations designed to meet the goals and objectives of the course. Your employer may function as your preceptor; however, you are not functioning in a paid position. Hospital orientations which are not clinical in nature are not considered part of the clinical hours. Skills labs and hospital in-services which are clinical in nature can be used as clinical hours but may not exceed sixteen hours total.
When choosing a preceptor, please use the following guidelines:
Legal issues:
FAQ
How do I know what I need to do to reactivate my license? The very first step is to look at your State Board’s website. It will provide you with information about what to do to begin the process.
Will you fill out the information for me or assist me with filling it out? No. It is your license and your responsibility to do what your state requires, such as fees, fingerprinting, etc
My license has been inactive for five years. We have since moved to a new state. What state do I call for reactivation? The state of your current residence is the state board that will govern your license to practice in that state. Call the BON in the state you are currently living. Some states allow you to reactivate in the new resident state. They may refer you back to the state that placed you on inactive status to reactivate through your old state, then allow you to transfer that license to your new state of residence.
I have a disability that prevents me from doing clinical in a hospital setting. Can I still do a clinical rotation? Maybe. If the Nurse Practice Act states that clinical rotations must be carried out in acute care settings, then you will need to contact the Board about your ability to practice with your disability. If the Nurse Practice Act states that clinical rotations must be able to provide the ability for the student to meet the objectives of the clinical rotation, then yes, we can most likely assist you with a rotation that can accommodate your disability. Our advice to those with disabilities or conditions which may impact their practice is to discuss these issues with the State Board prior to enrolling in the course.
I have not practiced in four years due to being suspended from practice. The Board says I need to take a refresher course to get my license back. Can I enroll? Maybe. We will look at all information related to why you were suspended, any consent documents, Board directives, legal issues etc. If we feel that we can serve your needs in a distance learning program, we will be glad to let you enroll. Typically, nurses who are inactive for disciplinary reasons require more intensive remedial educational assistance than can be offered in a distance learning environment. In this type of situation, your chances of success are greater in a traditional learning situation. However, we will review each case individually.
Can I do my clinical in a state that is not my state of residence? Usually not. There is no compact state regulation for temporary permits. Even if your home state accepted the clinical hours as part of the refresher program, you would still need to apply to the second state for a temporary license and permission to work. In most situations, the second state denies the request. There is duplication of paperwork, fees and a considerable amount of work for the student to coordinate the necessary steps. The “very rare exception’’ is for those who are actively licensed in one state but must take a refresher course to qualify for reciprocity/endorsement in another state.
But I’m moving and wanted to have my license reactivated by the time I got to the new state. What are my options? Many of our students have this exact situation and do the theory portion while waiting to sell a house and/or move. The self study theory portion can be completed anywhere, even overseas. Depending on the new state of residence regulations, you may have to do clinical prior to moving or with a temporary permit, after you move. Talk to both BON's about what your options are prior to enrolling.
I can start theory now, but have to take three weeks to care for my mother post-operatively. What do I do about assignments? That’s the beauty of a self paced self study. You do as many modules as you want or can until your mother’s surgery. Then stop and resume when you wish. There is no penalty for ‘downtime’.
I have arranged clinical in a clinic that meets the course objectives. The physicians are willing to have me there and precept me. Why am I being told I can’t use the facility? Your preceptor must have an active RN license and meet the criteria set forth in the course. No other profession is allowed to supervise nursing education. If there is no RN in this facility to be your preceptor, you may not use it.
My clinical rotation is being done at the hospital where I plan to take a job. Why won’t you count orientation as clinical? First, the clinical portion of the course is an unpaid learning opportunity with specific goals and objectives designed to enhance the learning experience and prepare you for current practice. The preceptor’s responsibility is to ensure that you have the best possible learning opportunities available. As a paid employee, your primary goal is to do a job, not necessarily ensure learning opportunities. Second, orientation hours concerning benefits, retirement issues, vacation policy do not meet the BON standards for clinical requirements.
But my manager said she is going to count my clinical rotation as part of my orientation time on the unit. So why are orientation and clinical rotations not the same thing? The first priority is to satisfy the clinical requirements so that your license may be reactivated. Our responsibility is to ensure that the goals and objectives of the course can be met with the clinical portion of the course. The goals and objectives of employee orientation are not necessarily the same as they are for clinical. Employee orientation encompasses more than the goals of the clinical rotations and is typically longer. Many times, a manager feels that the clinical assignment satisfied a portion of the employee orientation and sees no need to repeat it. It is strictly the employer’s discretion to waive orientation time.
So what in-services or training sessions can I count as clinical hours? Generally speaking, if the information is designed to enhance your professional practice, it is considered clinical in nature. If the information is for your personal benefit, it is not. For example, information about new drugs/equipment, skills labs, charting, ethics, etc all enhance your practice. Sessions about your vacation time, 401k plan, using sick leave, etc are for your personal benefit only. Only sixteen hours of inservicing/skills labs can count toward your clinical hours. Contact your Clinical Coordinator with questions about an activity.
Why only eight weeks for clinical? And why can’t I decide to make it longer as long as I finish in the twelve month timeframe? Eight weeks is sufficient to complete 180 hours of clinical at a part-time pace. You can have longer if the preceptor agrees to it, with the consent of the Clinical Coordinator. The rule is that you must have one preceptor for the entire clinical with only one alternate who can do no more than 25% of your orientation. We are guests of the facility and the preceptors are doing a professional courtesy by accepting a student. It is unprofessional to take advantage of that generosity and not make efforts to finish clinical in a timely fashion.
I have daycare issues and cannot do my clinical on day shift. What are my options? You may do any shift with a qualified preceptor. If you can only do clinical on weekends, we suggest you find a nurse on “weekend option” that will be there each week so that you can fulfill the ‘one preceptor’ rule.
Must I do eight hour shifts? No. Shift schedule is decided by you and your preceptor.
Am I required to take a job in the facility after I finish the program? The local hospital said I can’t do a preceptorship there unless I commit to work there for a year. The facility has every right to determine who can and cannot do a preceptorship in their facility. Some hospitals simply do not have the manpower to expend on refresher students who are not willing to become employees. That stipulation will be part of the agreement prior to taking that preceptorship and job. If you are not comfortable with taking employment at that facility, you will have to choose another for clinical.
My Clinical Coordinator told me that a particular institution currently has refresher students from your program. When I called, the education director told me they are not accepting students at this time. Why would the Clinical Coordinator refer me there? Your Clinical Coordinator did not intentionally send you on a dead end. At any time, the facility may decide that there simply are not enough qualified preceptors to accommodate the needs of every type of student. Sometimes, the units are overcrowded with not only nursing students, but other disciplines. We are not privy to that information which is why you were referred to the proper contact person at the facility.
I asked for an extension on the theory timeline and was denied. This is an overly rigid policy and it doesn't hurt you to give me extra time. I have no instructor that is costing you money. First, nursing is a profession and with it comes professional responsibilities. Time management and personal responsibility for one's actions are part of that duty. We send a reminder when you have not done any work and have 90 days left to complete theory. Second, nursing and medical information is time sensitive in a rapidly changing environment. Outdated CE is worthless. The purpose of CE is to bring you up to date. Refresher courses taken in classroom settings are a semester long (13 weeks), rarely is a course two semesters (26 weeks). Colleges do not extend semesters for credit or non-credit courses. Thirdly, our reputation is on the line. Most BON's still have members who do NOT support self study or online education. It has taken us years of hard work to convince them that we offer a course that is equal to if not superior in content than a traditional classroom.