Standard 3 Aspect B

3b. Develops and Implements quality clinical experiences, where appropriate, in the context of documented and effective partnerships with K-12 schools and districts.

The Fresno State SNSC program provides candidates with a broad range of hands-on school nurse field experiences in a variety of settings.  The fieldwork courses are designed to give the candidate an opportunity to work side by side with an experienced School Nurse Preceptor in areas that require hands-on skill and putting theory into practice.  Fresno State candidates take two 135-hour practicum courses under the supervision of a qualified preceptor.   The first occurs in the Fall semester to give candidates the opportunity to apply their learning in a semester-long school nurse practicum experience in the elementary school setting.  The second practicum occurs in the Spring semester to give candidates the opportunity to work in the secondary middle and high school setting. This experience is developed in partnership with the CSU Fresno and K-12 school districts in the area where candidates already reside.  

University Affiliation Agreement - A University Affiliation Agreement must be signed by the approved authority in the district where the candidate will obtain their clinical hours. This process is begun at the beginning of the semester, initiated by the candidate.  CSUF sends the agreement to the district for approval and signatures, then the agreement is returned and approved by the Director of Procurement and Support Services. Once all signatures are obtained the candidate begins their clinical hours.

• (Affiliation Agreement Form)

Preceptors - Mentoring and supervision of candidates during the field experience is done by volunteer experienced preceptors. Candidates select their placement and select a preceptor who meets the program’s criteria. The program recommends candidates spend their field experience working under the direct supervision of a qualified school nurse preceptor in an area different from their usual place of employment, thus providing a broader perspective on school nursing. Preceptors are required to have their clear credential with a minimum of five years of school nursing experience and submit a curriculum vitae or resume.  The preceptor’s immediate supervisor gives signed permission for the preceptor to work with a candidate.  The preceptor and the candidate sign a preceptor/student clinical contract providing the program with demographics and schedule of the schools that will be a part of the practicum, and is signed off by candidate, preceptor and instructor indicating all parties understand their individual responsibilities.

• (Preceptor vitae form)

Site Placement - All of our candidates are already employed by their school districts. Typically, school nurses are responsible for the provision of a comprehensive health and wellness program at multiple school sites.  Therefore, the SNSC program has little control over district and/or site placement.  A school nurse in California typically has responsibility for 3-4 school sites; each site with multiple grades, Preschool to Grade 12, diverse cultures and languages, and various economic and health challenges.  Our candidates come from throughout California but especially from Central California, which is largely an agricultural area with high migrant populations and few health care options.  Because candidates come from all over the state they share their experience of the social challenges and diversity situations of their school sites in online program Discussion Boards, adding a wealth of hands-on knowledge to the program. In the past three years we have had partnerships with 62 districts.

• Demographic Data from California Healthline 
• (Affiliation Agreement Form)

Partnership Table Cohort 2019, 2020 and 2021

• (CCTC Data chart)
• (CCTC Credential Program Survey Data 2018-2019)

Summary of Findings 3b
School nurses entering the program already have two to five years of school nurse employment completed, work at multiple school sites and are experienced Registered Nurses.  The SNSC program is effective in the ability to polish those existing skills while broadening the knowledge base of candidates to better understand the role of the school nurse in the academic setting as evidenced by candidate CCTC survey findings and candidate evaluation of the preceptor experience.

Aspect C →