Section 5.5, Page 2
UTHSCSA School of Nursing Faculty/Staff Handbook
Chapter 5: Curriculum Related Information / Effective:Section 5.5 Clinical Skills Laboratory / Revised/Reviewed: Jan 2011
Responsibility: Director of Clinical Skills
Page/s 1 - 2
CLINICAL SKILLS LABORATORY
Purpose
The Clinical Skills Laboratory provides a setting in which clinical competencies can be practiced and demonstrated. The laboratory, as an extension of the classroom, provides an area where students can put into practice principles and techniques essential for quality nursing care.
It is anticipated that students will leave the laboratory with an understanding of principles of how to perform the nursing care. It is not expected that the student will have perfected techniques. Perfection will be achieved by repetitive practice which the student will accomplish by practicing on his or her own and with guidance from the faculty in the clinical area.
Laboratory Policies
1. Students of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Nursing (UTHSCSASON) in Semesters I, II, III and IV may practice only those skills they have previously attended in regular Learning Lab classes.
2. Graduate students, undergraduate students and faculty of the UTHSCSASON may schedule practice labs with the Director of Clinical Skills.
3. Arrangements for lab space and supplies for practice sessions are to be made with the Director of Skills at least two days in advance. Scheduling of sessions is dependent upon availability of space, supplies and supervision.
4. All intrusive procedures requiring needles, syringes and intravenous supplies must be done in the Learning Lab under the supervision of the Clinical Instructor or Director of Clinical Skills. Arrangements for supervision by the Clinical Instructor is the responsibility of the student.
5. Practice sessions not requiring supervision still need to be scheduled with the Director of Clinical Skills to ensure availability of space and supplies.
6. There are no make-up labs offered. Students absent from a lab are responsible for submitting a plan to their Clinical Instructor on how they will achieve the skill content.
7. Individuals who are not students at the UTHSCSASON may not attend lab sessions.
8. Supplies and models are not available for use by faculty or students for activities not related directly to student learning.
Responsibilities of Director of Clinical Skills
The Director of Clinical Skills is responsible for the coordination and monitoring of the teaching of clinical skills in the learning lab. The Director works directly with course liaison faculty and course coordinators to facilitate implementation of learning lab activities.
The hiring, firing, and scheduling of the Teaching Associates/faculty extenders is the Director's responsibility and they are directly responsible to the Director of Clinical Skills. The Director assists T.A.'s with strategies to be used in facilitating student achievement of learning lab objectives. The Director meets weekly with T.A.'s and the course liaison faculty to plan lab activities.
The hiring and scheduling of Student Assistants is the responsibility of the Director. The Director plans for and prepares and maintains equipment and supplies for the learning labs with assistance of Student Assistants and an Assistant Instructor.
Responsibilities of Faculty
Faculty responsible for the course in which the laboratory is an integral part are responsible for defining and implementing the competency content. This involves preparing objectives, identifying references and clinical skill content, and criteria for competency performance. Faculty are assigned to teach and evaluate student performance in the lab setting.
Evaluation of the lab experience is a joint responsibility for the course faculty and the Director of Clinical Skills. An evaluation form may be jointly constructed and used. The process of obtaining the evaluation from students is the responsibility of the course faculty. Distribution and discussion of evaluation outcomes with T.A.'s is the responsibility of the Director of Clinical Skills.
The conduct of the students in the lab is indirectly the responsibility of the Director of Clinical Skills.
Responsibilities of Faculty Liaison
The faculty should be present at all planning meetings concerning their course and clarify competency content and objectives. If clinical skills testing is a part of the course, the person is responsible for the planning and implementation of the testing process. The faculty is responsible for developing and revising as needed in collaboration with Teaching Associates..
Responsibilities of Teaching Assistants/Assistant Instructors
The T.A.'s aid faculty by working directly with undergraduate students in the learning laboratory. T.A.'s are expected to:
1. Assist undergraduate students in meeting the learning laboratory objectives.
2. Prepare for each learning lab class. Preparation includes reading the objectives and references and viewing videotapes assigned to students, and being prepared to demonstrate the skill.
3. Guide students in the laboratory.
4. Provide feedback to the student regarding their skill performance and behavior.
5. Maintain decorum in the learning lab.
6. Obtain student attendance at each lab.
7. Participate in evaluation of student performance during clinical skills testing.
8. Discuss with Director of Clinical Skills student performance and conduct.
9. Participate in orientation and weekly planning sessions.