Does DCN require disscussion and chat? and more ?'s

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Melissa,

DCN online classes do include WEBCHAT, usually one to or two times per week depending on the class. They are ususally scheduled for one hour in the evenings. Some of these WEBCHATS are required and part of your participation points, others are optional (your instructor defines this in the syllabus).

There is also a WEBBOARD component for each class. A place to share and post questions, websites, and notes. Some instructors have weekly webboard assignments that are part of your participation points, i.e. sharing experiences, answering questions, etc.

Your clinical time with your preceptor is your time to learn and practice skills. Of course your instructor provides you with DCN's expectations and "how to" correctly perform these skills, but your should use your time with your preceptor wisely. Ask questions, observe, participate, and assist in skills opportunities that comes your way (within DCN and facility policy).

As far as doing your clinicals during nightshift, I do not know that there is a policy regarding this. Here is the verbage from the clinical form we sign for our clinicals:

"These hours are to be completed in a time framework agreeable to the nurse preceptor and student." - Taken from DCN Nurse-Preceptor/Student Commitment form

I do know that you are expected to work at least a regular 8 hour shift at a time...you cannot come for clinical mid-shift.

During semester 2, I had to complete 36 hours of Maternal Child Nursing of which 12 hours had to be in L & D. Then I had to complete 36 hours of Peds time. I did this in 8, 8 hour shifts, one each Sunday and then did a 12 hour day in L & D on a weekday.

Right now I am working on semeter 3 and I have 216 hours of Med/Surg experience to complete. I am doing 18, 12 hour days, one each Sunday. I will have to work in a handful of weekdays to have all my hours before validation starts on Dec 8th...Wheeew...I have 4 out of the 18 days completed so far...and I have already learned more than I could have imagined possible.

Hope this is helpful!

Cheri :)

WOW! 18 12's - that's a lot more than the nursing program in my town require!!!! I guess I would just have to do 2 12's in a row so I can do Friday night and Saturday night. That's good though because we get more time to practice. I need to be able to do weekends. CONGRATS on making it all the way to semester 3!!! What day did you start this semester? I have a few more questions if you have the time to take I look. I understand if you don't and greatly appreciate what you've already told me.

I'm a little confused on the skills though. If we have a nurse prececptor who isn't even affiliated with Deaconess how will we learn the skills the way our DCN instructor wants? I mean won't we actually be learning them from our preceptor? I'm nervous that by learning them from one person one way when we go for validation it will be wrong according to our instructor. Have your preceptors been really good about letting you practice your skills?

One more question. Do you have to find a new preceptor by yourself with each clinical (like for L&D, peds., med surge) or does the Nursing Director of Education (after you have a contract with the hospital) do this for you?

I will have all of my pre-reqs done here for the nursing program I was planning to go to, but when I heard about Deaconess I was so excited because it would fit into my families lives MUCH better! I may have to retake speech and psy. though since they probably aren't the same as the ones I already have. :-(

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for any advice and suggestions. Oh and by the way, did I say THANK YOU?!!! hehehe

Melissa