Practice Experiences
The Practice Placement Coordinator arranges the practice experiences for nursing students in all four years of the BSN program. These experiences include clinical work at hospitals and health care agencies, visiting families, community projects, and practicum placements in acute care, extended care and community settings.
Overview of Practice Experiences in Program
YEAR 1
Semester 1 - N118 - Basic nursing skills in the Nursing Lab; community activities (observe nurses work; blood pressure clinics; interview elderly).
Family visits with resource family.
Semester 2 - N128 - Chronic Health Challenges (CHC).
Agency work in extended care settings. Family visits with CHC family.
CPE1 - N138 - Consolidated Practice Experience 1
Consolidation practicum in extended care setting (18 hr per wk x 4 wks)
YEAR 2
Semester 3 - N218 - Episodic acute care at Royal Inland Hospital
On medical or surgical ward (2 rotations of 2 shifts per wk for 6 wks).
Family visits with episodic family.
Semester 4 - N228 - Episodic acute care at Royal Inland Hospital
On medical or surgical or obstetrics (2 rotations of 2 shifts per wk for 6 wks).
Family visits with childbearing family.
CPE2 - N238 - Consolidated Practice Experience 2
Consolidation practicum at RIH (36 hr per wk for 4 wks) or 5 weeks outside Kamloops with a preceptor nurse (see policy E06 re placements outside Kamloops).
YEAR 3
Semester 5 - N318 - Focus on prevention
Nursing care of children and mental health
(2 rotations at RIH and/or community settings).
Semester 6 - N351 - Health promotion and community development project with a health program or agency in the community.
CPE3 - N338 - Consolidated Practice Experience 3
Consolidation practicum in acute or extended care setting with a preceptor nurse (36 hr per wk for 6 wks), at RIH or outside Kamloops (see policy E06 re placements outside Kamloops).
YEAR 4
Semester 7 - N431 - Nurses Influencing Change project with a health program or agency in the community.
N438 - Family in the Community practicum (vehicle recommended)
Semester 8 - Final practicum choice of focus:
N421 Episodic acute or N441 Community or N461 Gerontology
Practicum 36 hrs per wk for 6.5 weeks with preceptor nurse
BSN graduation!
Practicum Placements Outside Kamloops
The majority of practice experiences will occur in health agencies within or near the city of Kamloops. However, practicum placements outside of Kamloops provide a unique opportunity for students to practice health care in a variety of settings, including international ones. Most distance placements require the student to work directly with a preceptor nurse. The Practice Placement Coordinator and the Committee for Approval of Practice Placements Outside Kamloops will be available as resources for students interested in pursuing this option.
Further information can be found in Policy E06 “Practice Placements Outside Kamloops” in the Nursing Student Handbook:
Guidelines for Eligibility
Application Process
Committee for Approval of Practice Placements Outside Kamloops
The Practice Placement Coordinator for TRU School of Nursing is:
Tracy Christianson RN, BScN, MN
Office: S116
Phone: (250) 828-5478
Fax: (250) 828-5450
Email: tchristianson@tru.ca