Clinical Practicum: Family Primary Care

Course Description

This capstone course is the culmination of clinical knowledge for family nurse practitioner students in the care of individuals and families across the lifespan. Students will conduct comprehensive assessments, formulate differential diagnoses, and develop and implement plans of care to manage acute and chronic health problems across the lifespan. In collaboration with other health care providers, students provide care in variety of primary care settings where they integrate health restoration, health maintenance, social determinants, and evidence-based practice.

Course Objectives

In the clinical practicum portion of this course, the student will perform histories and physical examinations. The family nurse practitioner student will focus on the health prevention, health promotion, and diagnosis and management of patients with acute and chronic illnesses across the lifespan. This clinical practicum will allow the student to integrate the theoretical knowledge obtained in their didactic courses with clinical practice in preparation to deliver high quality, evidence-based primary care. Upon completion of this clinical practicum, the FNP student will be able to:

1. Perform an efficient health history and a relevant, orderly, and complete physical examination for the patient, and analyze data from the history and physical to prioritize interventions based on the severity and complexity of the health problem.

2. Diagnose medical alterations of the patient based on an understanding of pathophysiology and an accurate interpretation of data from the history, physical exam, laboratory, and diagnostic tests.

3. Communicate and record accurate and concise findings related to patient care management while maintaining patient confidentiality throughout all aspects of the relationship.

4. Develop a comprehensive management plan, in partnership with the patient or the family, based on medical alterations of the patient, and evaluate plans of care.

5. Provide health promotion and disease management for patients, families, and communities while taking into consideration culture, race, gender, spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, social class, economic situations, and alternative health care practices using current guidelines.