College of Nursing Holds Year’s First Clinical Immersion
(From left) Erin McMahon, EdD, CNM, FACNM, nurse-midwifery specialty coordinator, is handed a newborn baby manikin for skin-to-skin contact by nurse-midwifery students Julia Chan and Annie Giang. Dr. McMahon was wearing a birth simulator and Giang was “catching” the birth while Chan assisted.
The University of Arizona College of Nursing held the first of three yearly clinical immersion sessions for its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students in early January. About 120 students from all DNP specialties participated in the immersion over five days. Many of the hands-on skill focused sessions were held at the Arizona Simulation Technology and Education Center (ASTEC) and with standardized patients in the Objective Structured Clinical Examination center.
Clinical immersions are designed to help DNP students develop specialty-specific clinical skills. College of Nursing faculty from all DNP specialties support the workshops, which are designed to develop essential clinical skill competencies. “Upon completion of the clinical immersions students are prepared to continue to enhance clinical skills under the supervision of preceptors in clinical environments,” said Hyewon Shin, DNP program coordinator.
“Clinical immersions are critical to the program success,” said Erin McMahon, EdD, CNM, FACNM, director of the nurse-midwifery program for UArizona Health Sciences and specialty coordinator for the College of Nursing. “Students come to campus and are able to develop skills and professional communication that they can bring to the clinical setting. The use of simulation allows us to send a stronger student out to our preceptors and clinical settings.”
DNP nurse-midwifery student Annie Giang, RN, said the experience was helpful in preparing her for upcoming clinical rotations. “Having the simulations in ASTEC really helped me engage in my learning. I thought it was very helpful to have standardized patients to simulate a patient visit in the office. I am looking forward to the next clinical immersion,” Giang said.
