Safety Nurse Clinical Learning Activity
Overview
The Safety Nurse Clinical Learning Activity is designed to help entry-level students meet Domain 5 - Quality and Safety competencies through the following:
- Pre-clinical work
- Participation in quality and safety initiatives on their assigned unit
- Debrief during post-conference
- Completion of a reflective log
How to Use
The Safety Nurse Clinical Learning Activity can be used as a clinical activity in various clinical settings throughout the student’s program. Assign a student to be the Safety Nurse. The student will do prep work prior to their assigned clinical day. At the discretion of the clinical instructor, the student will spend all or part of their day in the Safety Nurse role. At the conclusion of the clinical day, the student will process/reflect on their day in post-conference with the instructor, who will pose debriefing questions to the student. Finally, the student will complete a reflective log using the prompts provided. Please refer to the “Safety Nurse Clinical Learning Activity Sheet.”
Integrative Learning Strategies
The strategies serve as an example of clinical learning activities that can be included to prepare students for the expected quality and safety competencies and sub-competencies. The student will utilize the “Safety Nurse Clinical Learning Activity Sheet” to guide their experience. The clinical instructor should provide clarification as needed.
Assessment Strategies
- Formative:
- Presentation at post-conference on the clinical day that student is assigned as the Safety Nurse
- Debrief/Answer the guiding questions during post-conference
- Reflective journal
- Summative:
Exemplars
Download Word Document - Safety Nurse Clinical Learning Activity Instructor’s Copy
Possible Courses
Any clinical practice course such as:
- Medical Surgical Nursing Clinical
- Geriatric Nursing Clinical
- Mental Health Nursing Clinical
- Pediatric Nursing Clinical
- Maternity Nursing Clinical
- Population Health Nursing Clinical
Additional Resources/Publications
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. 2021. “The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education.” https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/AcademicNursing/pdf/Essentials-2021.pdf
Audrey Beauvais and Kathryn Phillips, “Incorporating Future of Nursing Competencies into a Clinical and Simulation Assessment Tool: Validating the ClinSimCAT.” Nursing Education Perspectives 41, no. 5 (2020): 280-284. https://doi:org/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000709
Quality and Safety Education for Nurses. 2020. QSEN Institute competencies. https://www.qsen.org/competencies/pre-licensure-ksas
Elissa Wagner, “Engaging nursing students in quality improvement: Teaching safe medication administration.” Journal of Nursing Education 61, no 5 (May 1, 2022): 268-271. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20220303-01
Elisa Wagner et al. “Interruptions Then and Now: Impact on Nurses’ Clinical Reasoning, Emotions, and Medication Safety.” Journal for Nurses in Professional Development 36, no. 6 (2020): 338-344. https://doi.org/10.1097/NND.0000000000000667
Sub-competencies for entry-level professional nursing education:
- 5.1a Recognize nursing’s essential role in improving healthcare quality and safety.
- 5.1b Identify sources and applications of national safety and quality standards to guide nursing practice.
- 5.1d Interpret benchmark and unit outcome data to inform individual and microsystem practice.
- 5.1e Compare quality improvement methods in the delivery of patient care.
- 5.1f Identify strategies to improve outcomes of patient care in practice.
- 5.1g Participate in the implementation of a practice change.
- 5.1h Develop a plan for monitoring quality improvement change.
- 5.2a Describe the factors that create a culture of safety.
- 5.2b Articulate the nurse’s role within an interprofessional team in promoting safety and preventing errors and near misses.
- 5.2c Examine basic safety design principles to reduce risk of harm.
- 5.2d Assume accountability for reporting unsafe conditions, near misses, and errors to reduce harm.
- 5.2e Describe processes used in understanding causes of error.
- 5.2f Use national patient safety resources, initiatives, and regulations at the point of care.
- 5.3a Identify actual and potential level of risks to providers within the workplace.
- 5.3b Recognize how to prevent workplace violence and injury.
- 5.3c Promote policies for prevention of violence and risk mitigation.
- 5.3d Recognize one’s role in sustaining a just culture reflecting civility and respect.
Posted: April 23, 2024
Submitted by:
Audrey Beauvais, DNP, MSN, MBA, RN, Fairfield University
Karen Burrows, DNP, MAHSM, RN, C-EFM, CHSE, Fairfield University
John Brennan, MSN, RN, Yale New Haven Health System
David Depukat, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, Yale New Haven Hospital
Janice Holmes, MSN, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, CHSE, Fairfield University