Presentation Title: A New Way To Do Clinicals: Immersion Practicums

Lead Presenter: Stephany Villacres, BSN, RN-BC

Measurable Learning Outcomes of Sessions

1. Participants will be able to identify key difference between the traditional clinical model and an
immersion practicum.
2. Participants will be able to discuss the impact immersion practicums have on undergraduate
nursing students transitioning into practice.

Instructional Methods
 Power Point Presentation
 Handouts
 Articles
 Video testimonial from students

Identified Gap
For undergraduate nursing schools, clinicals are an important aspect of the curriculum. Each
state designates the number of hours nursing students need to graduate from the program and become
licensed. However, there are no set standards as to how these hours should be completed. Traditionally,
undergraduate programs pair multiple students with a preceptor for their clinical experiences.
Unfortunately, the literature demonstrates that although valuable experiences are gained, students are
still not prepared for the transition into practice. Newly revised undergraduate nursing school
curriculums have begun to incorporate immersion practicums into their course of study. An immersion
practicum involves the nursing student following one preceptor throughout their traditional work
schedule without any academia involvement. In this way the student is able to focus better on learning
more about the practice without the responsibilities of a course. The purpose of this study is to identify
whether an immersion clinical experience would be more beneficial compared to traditional
clinicals for undergraduate nursing students. Are students better prepared when participating in an
immersion practicum?

Nurse Education Focus: Curriculum Development (Clinical Immersion)

Abstract
The traditional clinical experience as compared to the immersion clinical experience will be
reviewed in depth. A gap in the literature was identified regarding which comprehensive clinical
experience would be best for undergraduate nursing students. A qualitative research study was
conducted by interviewing students who have experienced either traditional clinicals or immersion
practicums. Three topics consistently came up throughout the interviews with the students, competency,
comfortability, and ease of transition. Students that had experienced the immersion practicum felt more
competent than their counterparts when transitioning into practice. Students who participated in the
traditional clinic model felt more uncomfortable for longer periods of time during their site visits as
compared to the students who participated in the immersion practicum. Students who experienced the
immersion practicum felt they transitioned effortlessly into practice; a few students even began their
nursing career on the unit where their practicum took place. The testimonials from students concluded
that the immersion practicum bettered prepared nurses to practice in complex healthcare environments.
Limitations of this study included students not being able to experience both types of clinical models and
communicate the differences among each. The participants were also from different nursing schools with
differing clinical placements and instructors. Additional quantitative research may be needed to further
substantiate this research’s conclusions. Undergraduate nursing programs have a responsibility to
graduate competent professional nurses into practice. A curriculum change is essential to be able to fully
equip future nursing students with the capabilities needed in such an evolving profession.