Will need a preceptor in NY for MSN-Nursing Informatics Capstone at Excelsior College

[Info(RN)matics]

I will have to find a preceptor for my Excelsior College MSN-Nursing Informatics Capstone Course/Project in the last quarter of 2013 or the first quarter of 2014.

If there is anyone out there reading this who is willing to help me out, please PM me.

Here are the details I was able to find online:

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Course Syllabus

NUR 685: Informatics Capstone Experience

Course Credits: 5

Prerequisites: All courses in Phase I and II

Course Description

The Informatics Capstone Experience is a five-credit course consisting of three integrated components: informatics project experience, online seminar, and leadership retreat. This culminating experience of the graduate nursing program is designed to provide students with an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills acquired throughout the program of study to actual and simulated technology situations in healthcare.

Performance assessment of the students' attainment of program competencies is built into the three components.

Informatics Project - 120-150 hours with *preceptor

*Individual with master's degree or higher who has expertise within the designated specialization and agrees to voluntarily serve as a resource for the student.

Online Seminar - 15 weeks, discussion/participation, faculty facilitation

Leadership Retreat - 2 days (virtual beginning 2012)

Course Outcomes

At the completion of the Capstone Experience, each student will demonstrate the ability to:

1. Analyze effective use of systems to create/promote a culture of safety and continuous improvement in healthcare settings
   
2. Demonstrate the knowledge and skill needed to function as leader and change agent in nursing and healthcare
   
3. Assume a leadership role in providing evidence-based content to ensure data driven decisions in nursing and healthcare
   
4. Integrate ethical, legal, financial, and socio-political considerations in the informatics role in nursing and healthcare
   
5. Synthesize current theory and scientific knowledge to conduct self assessment and an ongoing plan for professional growth
   

Course Requirements

Informatics Project

The Informatics Project is an integrated component of the Capstone experience with the Online Seminar, and the Leadership Retreat. The Informatics Project is designed to provide students with the opportunity to:

• directly experience informatics leadership and management
  
• observe and participate on an informatics team in a health care organization, under the guidance of a preceptor
  
• assess the role of the nurse informaticist and team members within the selected organization
  
• analyze the structure, culture, and dynamics of the organization including power, decision making, problem solving, communication channels, and information systems
  
• develop and implement a specific project based on needs assessment and organizational data and information
  

The guidelines for this project are purposefully flexible to allow students to create an experience that is meaningful for them and provides an opportunity to apply informatics knowledge and skills acquired throughout the program to actual situations. This experience should also be beneficial to the participating health care organization.

Specific information and guidelines for the following areas can be found in the informatics project addendum:

• Roles and responsibilities of the student
  
• Criteria for selecting a health care organization
  
• Preceptor Criteria
  
• Role of the preceptor
  
• Roles and responsibilities of the faculty/Excelsior College
  
• Guidelines for proposal development for the Project
  
• Guidelines for project selection
  
• Grading guidelines for the Informatics Project
  

Students prepare a proposal (FORM B) outlining the details of the experience. The proposal will include:

• goals and objectives of the experience and work plan to achieve them
  
• timelines of the experience and deliverables
  
• the student's project role in the organization
  
• learning experiences necessary to meet the goals
  
• a description of the informatics project in which the student can participate
  

The ideal project is one that has value for both student and organization, allows the student to demonstrate independence and has a scope that is consistent with the project time frame. The informatics preceptor, who typically will be a nurse and has agreed to serve as resource, will identify a project need within the organization.

Excelsior College faculty serves as a resource throughout the project and is available to guide students.

During the project, students spend an average of one day per week in the organization, in addition to the time spent on project activities. By mutual agreement between the student and the preceptor, the required hours can be done in a concentrated time period or spread out. The project can begin as soon as all the required Capstone forms are submitted and approved and the student is registered for the Capstone. At least 20% of the project must be completed before the online seminar begins. The expectation is that the project component is completed by the end of the online seminar component; however under extraordinary circumstances an exception may be permitted.

Online Seminar

The online seminar component of the Capstone Experience is 15 weeks and is designed to:

• allow students to synthesize program content by engaging in structured dialogue about areas such as ethical, legal, financial and socio-political as they relate to informatics
  
• critically examine the nurse informaticist role and evaluate the role elements
  
• identify strategies that can be used to manage change, strategic initiatives, and performance improvement within a clinical setting
  
• provide students with the support and guidance of faculty and peers while they are completing the informatics project
  
• provide a modeling experience in professional networking
  

The online seminar component of the Capstone focuses on each student's project presentation and focused topic discussions. Participation in these in-depth discussions is time sensitive, requiring students to address and respond to the presentations and focused topic discussions during specified time frames.

In order to be successful in the online seminar component of the Capstone, student will need to address and respond during the designated time frames for each project and discussion topic. The scoring rubric for the online seminar component of the Capstone contains the scoring parameters that will be used to determine online seminar grade.

Prior to the end of the online seminar, each student will develop and submit (to the college) an abstract that relates to his/her project. Students will follow the specific submission criteria described in a conference or journal that relates to the student's area of specialization (Nursing Informatics). The abstract can be submitted via the web- based online seminar portion of the Capstone and will be shared with faculty and colleagues during the retreat.

Informatics Leadership Retreat

The Leadership Retreat is the culminating component of the Capstone experience. This two-day retreat allows students to interact with colleagues and faculty and demonstrate synthesis of their graduate program coursework. During the Retreat students will present an overview of their project. This presentation will be graded using the Capstone Presentation Rubric. During the Retreat, students will interact in a dynamic manner, receiving feedback for incorporation into the larger learning experience. In addition, students will share a prepared abstract related to their project.

The Leadership Retreat is designed to provide students with an opportunity to:

• participate in active learning and evaluation strategies with a faculty and peer group
  
• demonstrate role elements of the leader including communication and presentation skill
  
• conduct a self-assessment of leadership skills and the use of power and influence
  
• formulate a plan for self improvement and career development
  
• incorporate the use of power, communication, conflict management and negotiation strategies in organizational problem solving
  

During the retreat, students will interact in a dynamic manner, receiving feedback for incorporation into the larger learning experience.

Evaluation

Scoring rubrics and evaluations will be used to determine the grade for each component of the Capstone which includes the project, the online seminar, and the Leadership Retreat. You must receive an A or a B for each component of the Capstone in order to successfully complete the course.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

moved for improved response

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

I highly suggest joining a local Nursing informatics group and participate in listserve discussions. Many have member lists to reach out for assistance. Alliance for Nursing Informatics lists many informatic groups.

[Info(RN)matics]

moved for improved response

Thank you Esme12 =)

Pretty sure there are Masters prepared RNs involved in Informatics in NY... no reponses yet... fingers crossed!

[stephenfnielsen]

Can't help you out, but how did you like the program? Do you currently work in informatics?

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

I'll be looking for the same thing around the same time ... I'm taking NUR 521 and NUR 551 this coming session, will take NUR 680 starting in May, and then it's on to the capstone. You are smart to be starting this early! Have you formulated a final project idea?

[Info(RN)matics]

Can't help you out, but how did you like the program? Do you currently work in informatics?

Hi stephenfnielsen,

I have completed the general courses so far - they were OK - lots of self-study, discussions, assignments, and papers. I still have to do the courses specific to nursing informatics. I'm hoping they will be more engaging and more interesting.

I was a Med-Surg floor up to this past June, and then started as a 'Nursing Application Analyst' at a small Cerner hospital. Lots of self-learning there too since the position was vacant for a long time before I filled it and I am the only person responsible for my applications.

[Info(RN)matics]

I'll be looking for the same thing around the same time ... I'm taking NUR 521 and NUR 551 this coming session, will take NUR 680 starting in May, and then it's on to the capstone. You are smart to be starting this early! Have you formulated a final project idea?

Hi LunahRN,

I am also planning my MSN more or less along the same time-frame - I think we might be in some of the same classes.

Just looking for a preceptor since that seems to be the hardest thing to find. Where are you based?

Are you kidding about the final project idea? I haven't even bought my textbooks for the classes starting Monday - January 7, 2012. However, if you have more than one idea, I'll take one =)

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

LOL! Well, you're already working in the field ... thought you might have a leg up on that one! I'm in the Savannah area, I'm in the Army. Finding a preceptor in my own facility will likely be a stretch!

[Info(RN)matics]

I highly suggest joining a local Nursing informatics group and participate in listserve discussions. Many have member lists to reach out for assistance. Alliance for Nursing Informatics lists many informatic groups.

Thank you NRSKarenRN! I will try that Alliance for Nursing Informatics link you shared soon!

[Info(RN)matics]

LOL! Well, you're already working in the field ... thought you might have a leg up on that one! I'm in the Savannah area, I'm in the Army. Finding a preceptor in my own facility will likely be a stretch!

Same here LunahRN - none of the RNs working in informatics have an MSN where I am emplyed =(

[Info(RN)matics]

Hi LunahRN,

I think the preceptor could be any Master's prepared RN - not necessarily an Master's in Nursing Informatics or even a Master's in Nursing - have you inquired abut this?

They have only said that it has to be a Master's prepared RN.

Although the criteria does not mention that the preceptor has to be working in the area of 'Nursing Informatics,' it makes sense that it would only be possible to do the Capstone Project if the preceptor is working in the same area.