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Indiana University

Continuing Education

Professional Certificate Programs

Nursing Informatics Professional Certificate Program

Nursing Informatics Practicum

August 20 - December 15, 2008 (last date to register for contact hours: Wednesday, August 6, 2008)
Cost: $750
Contact hours: 45
Faculty: Anna M. McDaniel, DNS, RN, FAAN
Prerequisites: Introduction to Nursing Informatics, Clinical Information Systems, and Consumer Health Informatics

Nursing informatics is a nursing specialty that draws from computer science, information science, cognitive and decision sciences, and nursing science. You will gain knowledge and skills to enhance patient-care delivery, promote consumer health, utilize nursing research, and provide education through information technology.

The course will include assigned and independent reading, informed class participation (online format), organizational assessment, and guided clinical experience.You must complete 15 practicum hours per week for 15 weeks, or a total of 225 hours. Practicum hours include planning and preparation time as well as on-site hours.

To avoid role conflict, we ask that you do not complete your practicum with your own employer.

Course Information

To receive contact hours or academic credit all course requirements must be successfully completed within the timeframe of the course. The course is asynchronous and fully online.

If you are pursuing an academic graduate certificate or wish to take this course for academic credit go to the following website for information. Academic Graduate Certificate

Required Textbooks
  1. Englebardt, S. P., & Nelson, R. (2002). Health care informatics: An interdisciplinary approach. St. Louis: Mosby.
  2. Shortliffe, E. H., & Perreault, L .E. (2002). Medical informatics: Computer applications in health care and biomedicine (2nd ed.). Heidelberg: Springer Verlag.
Student's Role
  • Develop goals and objectives that reflect your personal learning needs, with input from a faculty member, by the end of the first week of the semester.
  • Identify a potential site and preceptor, in consultation with faculty.
  • Schedule and complete an interview with potential preceptor.
  • Negotiate details for a final learning contract with your preceptor, including:
    1. Prioritize objectives;
    2. Approximate the number of hours needed to complete each objective;
    3. Make changes in objectives based on specific needs, resources, and constraints of the organization and the preceptor;
    4. Identify the resources you will need from the preceptor or agency for each objective (meeting times for discussion, assistance in accessing site resources, introduction to key members of the organization, etc.);
  • Determine the evaluation method for each objective (student discussion with preceptor, student diaries or written reports, student presentations to nursing staff and/or preceptor, etc.).
  • Participate weekly in online seminar discussions.
  • Complete a project in collaboration with your preceptor, including a formal presentation and a written analysis of the project.
  • Implement and complete a student learning contract that includes a passing evaluation by preceptor and faculty;
  • Notify faculty of problems related to completion of learning goals, with possible solutions or alternatives.
Faculty's Role
  • Review the student's initial goals and objectives.
  • Discuss potential placement sites with students.
  • Provide syllabus and role expectation information to students and preceptors throughout practicum.
  • Assist in practicum placements in conjunction with students.
  • Verify the site contracts if appropriate.
  • Review learning contracts and objectives during the first week of the semester.
  • Facilitate seminars with students.
  • Visit sites and maintain contact with the preceptor concerning the student's progress and visit sites.
  • Problem-solve student/preceptor issues as appropriate.
  • Identify formal online presentation dates and formats.
  • Collect and review final student projects.
  • Collect evaluation forms from preceptors.
Preceptor's Role
  • Interview the potential student preceptor.
  • Review the student's goals and objectives and revise as necessary to fit the needs, capabilities, and constraints of the organization.
  • Negotiate the type of activity you will provide for the student concerning each objective (example: discussion of project or role for teaching or analysis; coordination to direct them to proper resources, supervision in terms of approving or guiding student's work).
  • Negotiate the evaluation method, i.e., how the student will demonstrate competency (through regular discussion with preceptor, formal presentation to group, written report, etc.).
  • Complete written learning contract with student.
  • Serve as role model, resource, and guide to learning experiences for the student.
  • Negotiate student's schedule for completion of practicum.
  • Evaluate student.
  • Communicate with course faculty regarding student's performance during the practicum.
  • Provide ongoing feedback to student on progress toward completion of learning objectives.
  • Notify course faculty of any problems or concerns.
  • Provide a written grade of Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory for each student objective. (Note: If organizational barriers have prevented the student from completing one or more objectives, comments to that effect will be helpful.)
  • Complete preceptor's evaluation forms and return to course faculty.
Evaluation Methods
Learning activity Percentage of grade
Participate in online practicum seminar 20
Written organizational assessment 30
Clinical project with written summary and analysis 50
Total 100
Costs and Fees

Indiana University School of Nursing alumni qualify for a 10 percent discount registration.  To receive this discount, contact the Office of Lifelong Learning at (317) 274-7779 or by e-mail at censg [at] iupui [dot] edu.

Cost for contact hours is $750 for an individual registration.

For group discounts information, contact the Office of Lifelong Learning (317) 274-7779 or by e-mail to censg [at] iupui [dot] edu .

Only one discount will apply.

Refund Policy

Registration fee less a $60 administrative fee is refundable according to the refund schedule below.

  • 100 percent refundable through the last day of the first full week of the course minus the $60 administrative fee.
  • 75 percent refundable through the last day of the second full week of the course minus the $60 administrative fee.
  • 50 percent refundable through the last day of the third full week of the course minus the $60 administrative fee.
  • 25 percent refundable through the last day of the fourth full week of the course minus the $60 administrative fee
Transfer Fee

A $75 transfer fee will be charged when a request to transfer from the currently scheduled course to the next scheduled course is received and approved.

The refund policy will still apply if participant later decides to drop the course.

To request a transfer, contact the Office of Lifelong Learning by email at censg [at] iupui [dot] edu or phone at (317) 274-7779.

The transfer fee and refund policies apply to individuals and groups taking the course for continuing nursing education.

Those persons successfully completing all four courses in the Nursing Informatics Professional Certificate Program will receive a certificate of completion.

The Indiana University School of Nursing Office of Lifelong Learning is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission of Accreditation.

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