COURSE SYLLABUS ADDENDUM

Instructor:
Course Code:
Course Name:

Dr. Burks
NU 609
Health Assessment

Semester:

Summer 2016, C Term

Written Assignments: There are nine graded SOAP Notes required. See the schedule below for due
dates. Written assignment must be submitted by 11:59 PM CST on the assigned date. If the assignment is
not received, the student will be assigned a score of zero (0) for the assignment.
SOAP Notes: You will have 50 point each SOAP Note Assignments in Unit 1 through Unit 6. It is
expected that you do each of these to get practice on assessing each physical area. Your four (4) SOAP
Notes and 2 reviews scores will be graded. No scores will be dropped
Discussion Boards: There are 15 units for this course. Each unit discussion will be graded using the
MSN grading rubrics. The Unitly assignments will be reflective of the course objectives, outline, and the
assigned readings. Be sure to use the grading rubrics to guide your posting. If you need help using
Blackboard, please go back and review the online orientation that you completed at the beginning of the
course of contact technical support. Use the discussion questions, the objectives of the course and the
objectives at the beginning of each chapter/unit to direct your discussion. Include new and outside
references (not just online references) to support your posting to ensure the posting is substantive.
The online discussion is intended to give students the opportunity for a scholarly dialogue and to assist
you in understanding of the topics. The discussions are asynchronous communication. Each student can
post and respond to his/her classmates at any hour of the day. This method of communication makes it
convenient for the working or non-working student in any time zone to access the class at any time. The
instructor oversees and facilitates discussion using the discussion questions, the lesson, and course
objectives. The student is ultimately responsible for meeting the expectations for the course as outlined in
the grading rubrics and discussion assignments. Participation in the course is required with a minimum of
three (2) substantive postings Unitly, 1 original posting (200-250 words) and 2 (100 words each) response
postings.
Original postings should be 200-250 words, double spaced, and include a minimum of two outside journal
or professional guideline citations. Response postings should be a minimum of one full page. Students
may compare the comments or findings in their two references articles to the findings in the peer posting.
All postings should be engaging, have depth, demonstrate critical thinking, and be clearly focused on the
question. Great idea, I agree or Good point do not qualify as substantive responses and will not be
graded. Students should carefully review the criteria in the Discussion Threads Grading Rubric found in
the syllabus when preparing their postings.
Class Participation: At Herzing University Online Campus, we are committed to helping you succeed
and encourage you to actively participate in your classes to get the most from your educational experience
and investment. Here are suggested best student practices for your online classroom participation and
attendance:
It is strongly recommended that you login and participate three to four times per Unit on different days to
post to the discussion boards, check announcements, review the syllabus, and complete written

assignments, quizzes, and exams. These guidelines are based on academic success rates at Herzing
University and other universities that use the online format.
Participation is tracked in all online classes. Participation is tracked when a student submits a graded
item, such as a discussion board, assignment, or assessment. Watching a lecture, checking a grade, or
contacting an instructor through the message board while all important parts of your class no not
register as participation in their system. Students who do not participate in their classes for an extended
period will receive follow up from Student Services, and if a student does not participate in all of their
courses (online or on ground) for 14 days straight, they risk being withdrawn from enrollment. Being
withdrawn from enrollment can have serious academic and financial consequences.
For most classes, 25% or more of your grade is based on your participation in online discussions. Many
instructors evaluate your posts to the discussion board based on frequency, timeliness, and quality of
content. While many of you have busy full-time work schedules, it is recommended that you log in both
during the Unit and on the Unitend to fulfill the requirements and deadlines for discussion questions.
Instructors post class announcements about important deadlines, assignments, and other pertinent
information for your class. It is highly recommended that you regularly check the internal messages
section, announcements, and within the classroom for any updated information. If you have any doubts
about deadlines for assignments, email or call your instructor so you don't miss the deadlines.
Late Assignments: All assignments quizzes, tests, papers and projects are to be submitted on the due
date. The due date is the end of the Unit, on Sunday night, midnight CST. The initial discussion post is
due by Wednesday of each Unit. Subsequent responses must be made by Sunday, midnight CST.
Discussion posts made after this time period are not graded. Late work submitted after the specified due
date is subject to a 10% reduction in the original grade assigned. Late work can be accepted up to one
Unit past the due date, excluding discussion posts. AT THE INSTRUCTORS DISCRETION,

LATE PENALTIES MAY BE WAIVED IF ADVANCE NOTICE IS GIVEN TO THE

INSTRUCTOR, EXCLUDING LATE DISCUSSION POSTS. NO WORK WILL BE
ACCEPTED PAST THE LAST DAY OF CLASS.
Clinical Participation; This course requires successful completion of a minimum of 135 hours of clinical
in a setting where clients receive primary care. A valid agreement with a preceptor and facility must be in
force during the time frame of the course. In order to complete this course, and receive a grade, the
clinical evaluation tool, and evaluation of preceptor and facility must be submitted as directed by the
clinical coordinator. All clinical hours must be documented and recorded in the Typhon program, as
directed by the clinical coordinator.
CLINICAL POLICIES:
Tina Jones: This is a required simulation experience. Students will engage with Tina Jones and learn
how to develop entry level advanced nursing skills related to health history and objective exam. All
students are required to participate in the digital clinical experience to help gain competency in history
and assessment skills. The digital clinical experience does not take the place of hands-on experience
with patients, but is meant to complement ongoing learning and feedback can be gained from faculty
input.
Clinical Participation: This course requires successful completion of a minimum of 135 hours of clinical
in a setting where students will have the tools to perform a comprehensive assessment across the
population of focus
Contracts: A clinical site contract and a preceptor agreement form must be in place before students may
begin a clinical experience.

Cell phones: Cell phones are a distraction in the clinical learning environment. Cell phones are not to be
brought into exam rooms during the students clinical practicums. Students may have a cell phone but it is
to remain on vibrate and outside of the exam room. Your patient anticipates and expects that your
attention is on their needs, not on what call is coming from your cell phone. In the event that there is an
extenuating circumstance, please discuss with your preceptor your need to have your cell phone in your
lab coat. However, the phone must remain on vibrate while you are in the exam room. You must also
receive permission from your preceptor and there must be an extenuating circumstance.
Required hours: MSN 609 Advanced Health Assessment requires a minimum of 135 documented
clinical hours completed. Students should develop a schedule with their mentor and submit to the
faculty. Students are expected to develop a schedule in consultation with their mentor and are expected to
complete clinical hours Unitly, preferably on the same day each Unit. If your mentor is only available for
half day, please try to schedule the two half days consecutively to allow follow-up. Students should
inquire specifically about dates the mentor will not be available. For those dates, the student should
schedule hours on a different day in the same Unit if possible. In order to complete the required 135
hours, students should be prepared to begin clinical in Unit 2 of the semester and schedule a
minimum of 10 hours per Unit. All clinical hours must be completed by Sunday of Unit 15 at 11:59 pm
CST and uploaded to the clinical verification forms folder- assignment drop box. Students must also
submit their verification hours e-mail at MSNClinicals@herzing.edu.
Students are expected to engage in clinical experiences throughout the entire semester. Students may not
bank hours from one course to the next nor accumulate hours during a course to finish clinical
experiences early. Any changes to the submitted clinical schedule must be approved by course faculty.
Students may schedule clinical hours on Unitdays, Unitends, or during any hours that the mentor is
available.
Clinical dress: Students should follow the dress code of the clinical site. If the mentor wears a lab coat,
the student should wear a white lab coat over professional clothing (no blue jeans, no flip flops, no
dangling earrings, no breast revealed, no short skirt, no high heels). If the mentor wears scrubs, the
student may wear scrubs and the white lab coat. The student should wear the university provided name
tag at all times in the clinical site. Please review the FNP clinical guide for the complete dress code
rules.
Clinical documentation: Students are required to enter all patient encounters in TYPHON, the
Advanced Practice Clinical Log Documenting System. The system is web-based and may be accessed
without downloading software. Students are required to enter all clinical data by Sunday of each clinical
Unit. Faculty will review and provide comment in order to direct student learning and future clinical
experiences. Students should respond to faculty questions about clinical entries within 48 hours. Each
student will be assigned a user name and password which will be used throughout the curriculum to
record patient encounters in the clinical courses. New students will not receive access to TYPHON, until
their third Unit of class.
.
Clinical evaluation: Mentor evaluation of student: A midterm informal evaluation should be
scheduled with the mentor during Unit 7 of the course. The evaluation will be reviewed by faculty and
student and a conference call with the mentor scheduled to review identified learning needs. Mentors will
be required to complete a formative evaluation of the student progress at the end of the semester. The
clinical evaluation form for MSN 609 is included in the syllabus.
Clinical evaluation: Student self-evaluation: Students will submit a reflective self-evaluation at the
conclusion of the course.

Clinical evaluation: Student evaluation of mentor: Students will submit an evaluation the mentor(s) at
the conclusion of the course.