A CENTRALIZED, COMPUTERIZED, AND RELATIONAL DATA-BASE FOR STUDENT CLINICAL PLACEMENTS

Quality clinical experiences are a critical component of advanced prac tice nursing (APN) curricula. Historically, nursing instructors coordi nated both the didactic and clinical components of a course. Increasin gly, course coordinators organize the didactic component, and external preceptors working in the clinical setting function as practicuum tea chers. Both scenarios involve labor-intensive processes, and neither f acilitate the scheduling of clinical experiences that build on progres sive learning across the student's curriculum. A centralized, computer ized, relational data base for efficient management of APN preceptors and students across the curriculum was designed. One master's-prepared clinical coordinator maintains the data base and performs all related functions. This system offers numerous benefits to students, precepto rs, faculty and nursing school, including balanced and progressively c omplex clinical learning experiences for students from competent prece ptors; consistent interface with students and preceptors; faculty reli ef from time-consuming tasks; rapid generation of a variety of tables, rosters, and reports; consistent tracking of preceptor evaluations; t imely acknowledgment of preceptor assistance; and efficient communicat ion among students, preceptors, faculty, and school administration. Co pyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.