Clinical Education

Clinical Rotations &
Hospital Training

Everything you need to know about your clinical hours, placement process, performance standards, and professional conduct during hospital rotations.

At a Glance

Clinical Program Overview

25%

of Final Grade

Clinical Settings

Pass/Fail

Safety Standard

Clinical education is the cornerstone of nursing practice. Your rotations take place across three settings: the Skills Laboratory, Simulation Center, and Hospital Clinical. Each setting builds competency in a different dimension of nursing care.

Hours & Scheduling

Clinical Hours Requirements

All clinical hours are mandatory. Absences from clinical rotations follow the same attendance policy as didactic courses and may result in administrative removal.

Setting	Format	Evaluation Method
Skills Lab	Weekly scheduled sessions	Competency check-offs
Simulation	Scheduled by course	Faculty observation & debriefing
Hospital Clinical	Scheduled rotations by semester	Clinical evaluation tool (CET)

Clinical schedules are published at the start of each semester. Notify your clinical faculty immediately if you cannot attend a scheduled rotation.

Placement

Hospital Placement Process

Hospital placements are arranged by the college in partnership with affiliate clinical sites. Students do not select their own placements.

Clearance Requirements

Before entering any clinical site, students must have on file:

Current CPR/BLS certification (American Heart Association)
Up-to-date immunization records (MMR, Varicella, Hep B, TB/PPD, Flu shot)
Signed clinical site compliance documents
Current health clearance and physical examination
Background check and drug screening clearance
Student ID badge and uniform compliance

Students who have not completed clearance requirements will not be permitted to attend clinical rotations and may be dropped from the course.

Clinical Site Partners

ACNHS partners with accredited hospitals and healthcare facilities in the region. Specific site assignments are communicated by the clinical coordinator at the start of each semester.

Assessment

OSCE & Competency Check-Offs

Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and competency check-offs are formal evaluations of your psychomotor and clinical reasoning skills.

How Check-Offs Work

Faculty observe the student performing a specific clinical skill
A standardized checklist is used to assess each step
Students must achieve a passing score to demonstrate competency
Students who do not pass on the first attempt may have one additional attempt

Common Check-Off Skills

Sterile technique and aseptic wound care
Peripheral IV insertion and maintenance
Urinary catheter insertion
Medication administration (oral, IM, IV, SC)
Patient assessment and documentation
Nasogastric tube insertion and care
Oxygen therapy and airway management

Practice open lab hours are available throughout the semester for skill rehearsal. Check the academic calendar for open lab times.

Safety

Clinical Safety Standards

Patient safety is the absolute standard of all clinical practice. Any behavior that endangers a patient's safety will result in immediate clinical failure and may result in program dismissal.

Unsafe Clinical Behaviors Include:

Medication errors — wrong patient, wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong route, or wrong time
Failure to perform hand hygiene or use standard precautions
Performing a skill without faculty supervision when not yet cleared to do so
Falsification of clinical documentation
Abandoning a patient without proper handoff
Reporting to clinical under the influence of any substance

A clinical safety failure overrides all other grade components. The course grade will be recorded as Fail regardless of scores in exams, assignments, or attendance.

Professional Standards

Uniform & Professional Conduct

Uniform Requirements

ACNHS-issued navy blue scrubs (top and bottom)
White undershirt (plain, no logos)
Clean, closed-toe non-slip shoes (white or black)
Hair secured away from face
Nails short and unpolished (no acrylic nails)
Minimal jewelry — no dangling earrings, no rings except plain band
ACNHS student ID badge worn at all times

Professional Conduct Expectations

Arrive on time — tardiness of more than 15 minutes may count as an absence
Maintain patient confidentiality (HIPAA) at all times
Never use personal cell phones at the bedside
Address all patients, families, and staff respectfully
Report any unsafe situation or concern to your clinical faculty immediately

Violations of professional conduct standards are documented and may affect your clinical grade, academic standing, or continuation in the program.

Evaluation

Clinical Evaluation Process

Your hospital clinical performance is formally evaluated by your assigned clinical faculty using the Clinical Evaluation Tool (CET). The CET is completed at the midpoint and end of each rotation.

Evaluation Domains

Domain	What Is Assessed
Safe Practice	Adherence to safety standards, medication administration, infection control
Clinical Judgment	Assessment, prioritization, critical thinking, care planning
Communication	Patient education, SBAR reporting, documentation accuracy
Professionalism	Accountability, punctuality, uniform, ethical behavior
Collaboration	Teamwork with nurses, interdisciplinary team interaction

Clinical Unsatisfactory (CU) Notice

If performance falls below expectations, you may receive a Clinical Unsatisfactory (CU) notice. A CU notice is a formal warning and triggers a remediation plan. A second CU notice in the same rotation results in clinical failure.

You have the right to review your CET with your clinical faculty. If you have concerns about your evaluation, speak with your faculty first, then the program director.

Clinical Rotations &Hospital Training