FNP Survival Kit

BY
Class of 2015

Outline
Clinical Survival Kit
Introduction
Table of Contents
I.Preclinical
II.Study Tips
III.Q &A
IV.Clinical Sites

INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL SURVIVAL KIT

The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) graduating class of spring 2015
welcomes you as you have made an excellent decision to become a part of
the Coppin family. In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters
degree/Certificate of Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), we collectively made
the decision to create an orientation packet entitled, CLINICAL SURVIVAL
KIT for future students of this graduate program. Experience became our
motivation in the choice we made to complete this project. We desire to
leave a legacy and a positive imprint for upcoming students to follow to
achieve success in their academic endeavors. We hope that as we exit, the
FNP program at Coppin State University remains strong and meets the
needs of the student population it serves. We have prepared this
orientation packet to assist you in your academic journey experience
excellence. We the FNP Graduate Class of spring 2015 believe that
students come first at the Helene Fuld School of Nursing (HFSON);
therefore, we are creating a mentoring environment to encourage you to
reach your highest potential. We endeavor to present information you
need to know for preparation before clinical begins to ensure a smooth
transition into a successful clinical experience.

INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL SURVIVAL KIT

The purpose of the FNP Program is to prepare nurses to
provide advanced primary health care to underserved populations
in an urban setting. In order to support your goal of being able to
provide excellent primary health care that is culturally sensitive,
we have put together need to know clinical information and a list
of variety of settings for your practicum experiences to reduce
your anxiety and pressure in seeking clinical placements. Please
note that whether you are in the traditional MSN-FNP or Post
Masters Certificate track, there is an expectation that you
complete a minimum of 500 direct patient care clinical hours in
the preparation for the Nurse Practitioner role. These clinical
experiences vary and are distributed throughout the curriculum to
include exposures to primary health care of: children, women,
adult/older adults, and family. Each clinical component has a
specific number of hours assigned. Please refer to your
syllabus/student handbook for specifics.

INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL SURVIVAL KIT

We have put together important information you
need to know and complete before beginning clinical
rotations, as well as compiled a list of several clinical
sites we used for our practicum exposure. These
clinical sites have approved contract with HFSON (at
this time), however, we advise you to make contact
with potential preceptors as soon as you have
registered for the course. Note, that although we have
opened the door to these sites, other students from
other institutions utilize these practitioners and the
sites. It will be most beneficial to you to visit the sites
you chose and make face to face contact and secure
your clinical ahead of time. We wish you success on
your journey.

Clinical/Lab Supplies
These supplies will be needed in the simulation lab and in your clinical settings:
White lab coat/jacket - $10-30 (Alko, Uniform City, uniform stores, etc.)
School of Nursing shoulder patch w/ department emblem $5 (School uniform
company)
Royal/sapphire blue name tag with credentials & degrees $10-15 (Staples,
Office Depot)
High-quality Stethoscope w/ diaphragm & bell or bell function - $30-200
(Amazon, EBay, uniform stores, etc.)
Blood pressure cuff - $10-40 (Alko, Amazon, uniform city, etc.)
Percussion hammer $3-20 (Alko, Amazon, uniform store, etc.)
Penlight (Alko, Amazon, uniform store, etc.)
Tuning fork -$3-5 (Amazon)
Otoscope/Ophthalmoscope - $50-100 (EBay for dual attachment set)
Watch w/ second hand $5-(Walmart, etc.)
Tape measure w/ inches & centimeters (Amazon, uniform store)
Pocket notepad or electronic notebook
Pocket or electronic medication reference

Clinical/Lab Supplies
CertifiedBackground.com or CertifiedProfile.com
Cost- $117.00
Coppin log-in Code- CQ52
Contains access to:
Background Check
Urine Drug Screen information
**All forms, immunization records, etc. will need to be faxed or uploaded
to your Certified Background profile each clinical school year. It is
advisable that you keep a folder or flash drive with these items in it, so
that they may be easily updated and retrieved.**
***This information is solely intended to serve as a guide to help you
prepare for clinicals. It is not intended to be an authoritative or final
source on clinical or program requirements. Please refer to your Student
Handbook, course syllabi and departmental/course faculty for official
information.***

Pre-Clinical Requirements
Background Check
Requirements

Other Requirements

Clinical requirements include:

1. Physical Examination (renew every year)

2. Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR) titers
3. Varicella (Chicken Pox) titers
4. Hepatitis B titers
5. Tetanus Vaccine or proof of vaccination in last 10 years
6. Proof of negative TB Test or Chest X-ray
7. Yearly Influenza vaccination
8. Current adult, child & infant CPR Certification
9. Current RN License
10. Signed Confidentiality Statement
11. School Honor Code (refer to student handbook)
12. Release of Information form
13. Video and Photo Release form
14. HIPAA Certification (copy may be able to be obtained through current
employer)
15. OSHA Certification (copy may be able to be obtained through current
employer)

Tips
1. Purchase a nurse practitioner certification review book at the
beginning of the program. This can be utilized throughout the
program and will give you exposure to answering questions the way
they are asked on the board certification exminations and possibly
on exams throughout the program. Even purchasing an older edition
of the book will give you access to body systems and disease
process overview, as well as practice questions while you are in a
particular specialty course. At the end of your program when you are
ready to study for your certification exam, you can purchase a newer
version or the current edition. Check Amazon & Ebay for less
expensive copies or even used copies.
-Recommended Nurse Practitioner Certification Examination and
Practice Preparation by Margaret Fitgerald
2. Don't forget to utilize of all of your "outside" resources such as
YouTube and the internet for difficult to understand procedures and
concepts. There are many videos that can "break down" a topic that
you may have trouble grasping from textbook readings.

Tips

3. Formulate study groups early on in the program.

Don't always study with people you are are friends
with. You all may think alike or be strong in the
subject area. Search out people who have expertise
in other areas that you are not as strong in. They may
have the answer to your problem and you are much
les likely to get sidetracked in the process. At the
very least, you may make a new friend...
4. Make "friends" with people in your work area or in
your doctor's office. They may have insight into
places you can go for clinical or jobs once you
graduate.
5. If APA format is not your friend or a strength of
yours, purchase a program that automatically
formats your papers in APA format like PERRLA. It

Tips
Study tip for the Nurse Practitioner
program

Pay attention to the

professors teaching style, as
it may give good insight on
how to study for the exam.

Get as much exposure to the

topic as possible such as
listening to tegrity, review
power point, read selected
chapter and do practice
questions.

Do not try to cram

information the night
before the exam.

Take good notes in

class and pay
attention to areas
emphasized by the
professor

Nursing 600 and Nursing 640

Resources
Youtube for head to toe assessment: Videos
under BMEDINAGO and others are
included on Youtube.
Review books: Margaret Fitzgerald,
Pathophysiology for dummies, or any
other basic pathophysiology book. Most
textbooks include online illustrations, test
questions, and discussions for in-depth
understanding and rationale, register for these
programs.
Take advantage of the schools simulation labs

FAQs:
1. Do I need to buy the required health
assessment equipments?
Yes, you will find it useful for practice and
the open sessions
2. Does the school place students into
clinical sites?
No! The student is responsible for finding
their clinical site and moving forward you
will need to provide your clinical site
before you can be given the code to
register for any clinical course.
3. How should one dress for clinicals?
Professional attire and lab coat with the

FAQs:
4. Can one use Thanksgiving or Spring
break or any holiday to catch up on clinical
hours? No, whenever school is closed be it
for break, holiday, or inclement weather,
the student is not to go for clinical and the
school will not be liable should something
go wrong.
5. what if I my clinical site is not a good
fit?
Clinical is the only practice you will get
before becoming an NP so, if you realize
that your preceptor or the clinical setting
is not a good fit for you, inform your

Resources
6. How do I transition from non-degree
seeking to degree seeking?
Apply for degree seeking, meet the
necessary requirements, and also consult
your assigned faculty adviser for further
instructions.
7. How do I obtain a code to register for
classes?
Email your clinical site information to
the faculty /clinical coordinator to obtain a
code.

Resources continued
The use of the schools Writing center, located
in the Grace Jacob Building can be helpful when
writing your papers. Prior knowledge of APA
formatting in critical in developing your papers.
The purchase of the most recent APA book or
online APA programs like OWL are helpful when
properly formatting papers.
PERRLA a program that can be downloaded to
your computer, can also be used to help format
your papers in APA style. The cost of this
program is ~$39.99
The use of Writecheck.com or Turnitin are used
to identify plagiarized work. The programs work
the same and identifies your papers similarity
index. The cost for writecheck.com is ~$30.00.
and the school currently uses Turnitin for
written submissions.

Study tips:
Study in small groups instead of
individually. This gives you the
opportunity to learn from other nurses
experiences and actively engages you in
the learning process; helping you retain
the information.
As previously mentioned in the use of
review books can provided you with
simple, less complex rational for
understanding covered material.
The use of flashcards can also be helpful.
It also may be helpful to use index cards

Course Requirements
NURS 600 requires 40 hours of clinical
hours, in addition to a graded head-totoe physical performed on a classmate.
NURS 660 requires 120 clinical hours.
The purchase some medical tools
including a pen light, reflex
hammer, Otoscope, and
ophthalmoscope, etc. may be needed for
your
final head-to-toe assessment. The tools
can also be used for at home

Clinical Sites Suggestions

Pediatric Location Site
Harbor Pediatrics
Dr. John Irwin
3001 S. Hanover St. suite 302
Baltimore, MD 21225
(410) 350-2173

Family Practice (Adult)

Dr. Daniel Howard
405 N. Paca Street
Baltimore Md. 21201
(410) 779-9609

PEDS
Dr. Nicholas Donkor
10910 Little Patuxent Pkwy
Columbia, MD 21044

Adult Practice
Dr. Richard Akoto
344 University Blvd W # 326
Silver Spring, MD 20901

Thesis v.s. Non-Thesis

Students have to complete

all six chapters of research
Three faculty
Thesis
members
have to serve on the Thesis
committee
Student has to defend
research topic
Student does not have to
sit for comprehensive
exam
Called Research due to
student carrying out the
entire research

Only first three chapters are

completed by student
Committees
not used for
Non-are
Thesis
non-thesis. Two reader
minimum is required
Oral presentation on clinical
project is required
Comprehensive examination
is an requirement for nonthesis project
Called Clinical Project,
research is not carried out in
its entirety

Thesis v.s Non-thesis

Course Description
Non-Thesis Research Project

This course provides opportunities to develop, implement, and

evaluate a research project. The project, designed in collaboration
with a clinical faculty/preceptor, will reflect analysis, synthesis, and
integration in exploring a topic related to advance nursing practice.

Masters Thesis Guidelines

This course provides opportunities to develop, and write a Masters
Thesis. The thesis
is written in collaboration with a faculty member will reflect analysis,
synthesis, and integration in exploring.

Clinical sites: Assessment

& Adult
Dr. Richard Akoto
344 University Blvd W # 326
Silver Spring, MD 20901
Daniel Howard

402 N Paca Street

Baltimore Md 21201
410-779-9609

Assessment &
Adult

Clinical sites:

Medstar Hospitals
-Harbor
-Franklin Square
-Good Samaritan

Clinical Sites Suggestions

Womens Health

Adult & GYN

Daniel Howard
402 N Paca Street
Baltimore Md 21201
410-779-9609

Stella Jeffiries, CRNP

Affordable Health Care Nurse Practitioner
Clinic
11120 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring,
MD 20904
301-593-8300
1615 Rhode Island Ave, NE. Wahsington,
DC, 20018

Peds Clinical
William C. Dash, MD
Harbor Pediatrics
3001 south Hanover Street #302
Baltimore, MD 21225
410-350-2173

Clinical Sites: Assessment &

Adult

Lakewood Family Health

Center
Beltsville, MD
United Healthcare

Clinical Sites Suggestions

Womens Health
Dr. Nasreen Kango, MD - Internist in
Takoma Park
7701 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
(301) 270-7606
Peds
Dr. Juliet Anadu
7500 Hanover Pkwy
Ste 202
Greenbelt, MD 20770
(301 318 7259)
http://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Juli
et_Anadu.html#ixzz3VVU9uE63

Women's Health
Dr. Nancy P. Youssefi, MD
7350 Van Dusen Rd Laurel,
MD 20707
(301) 317-6281
Peds
Naldo Juliet MD
7411 Riggs Rd # 314
Hyattsville, MD 20783
(301) 434-0924

Clinical Sites Suggestions

Lakewood family
health center
Beltsville md
Medstar Health

Franklin Square
Good Sam
Union Memorial
Harbor Hospital
Washington Hospital
Center

VA Hospital
Mercy Medical Center
Overlea Personal
Physicians

Womens Health
Ellenor Chance, Christiana Ikome, Samantha
Kite,
Honorine Mumah, & Amanda Rothenbecker

PRECEPTORS
Stella Jeffiries, CRNP
Affordable Health Care Nurse Practitioner Clinic
11120 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20904
301-593-8300
1615 Rhode Island Ave, NE. Washington, DC, 20018
Dr. Nancy P. Youssefi, MD
7350 Van Dusen Rd Laurel, MD 20707
(301) 317-6281

PRECEPTORS
Franklin Square OB- Cheryl Giese CRNP, dual
certification Womens/Adults
9000 Franklin Square Drive. Baltimore, MD
21239
Mercy Medical Center-Certified Nurse Midwife as
preceptor (they do lots of in office women's health
Dr. Nasreen Kango, MD - Internist
7701 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
(301) 270-7606

STUDY TIPS
Lecture/Didactic
Pay close attention to information reviewed during
lectures.
Join a study group.
Review basic pathophysiology of the menstrual cycle
and understand the function of hormones, pay close
attention to negative feedback loops. Understanding
these fundamental concepts will help you to
understand many conditions associated with womens
health.

STUDY TIPS

Lecture/ Didactic
Review anatomy & physiology of the pregnant
female
Review your category classification
Case studies make sure to really
understanding the healthy pregnancy first, next
AMA( advance for maternal age), then
pathology in pregnancy

STUDY TIPS
Clinical/ Practicum
Bring you index cards filled with most
common medications used
Know trimester (1-3) management including
the prenatal work up due for each semesterAgain use your index cards
Be open to with you preceptor Practice!
Practice! Practice makes perfect

STUDY TIPS
Clinical/ Practicum
Gyn exams takes practice, so the more you do
the more comfortable you will be at pelvic exams
Measuring fundus- Practice! Practice! Again ,
palpating the fundus and measuring correctly
takes practice, again do
Finding the FHR via Doppler- Again this takes
practice, do it as much and as often

FAQS

Is the course difficult?

This course is not necessarily difficult but it is a
lot information given in a short period of time.
Be proactive with reading assignments and dont
allow yourself to fall behind.

FAQS

How many clinical hours do I need?

You are responsible for 120 clinical hours.
Do not delay!!!
You will need at least 16-24 practicum hours a
week to complete the hours on time.

FAQs
What should I do to be successful in the course?

Read Chapters/ Review Power Points/Listen

to Tegrity.
**Pay attention to repetition
Complete practicum hours ASAP !!!
Complete clinical logs weekly
Use additional resources (NP review books)

Resources
CDC mobile app for diagnosis and treatment
of STDs
CDC mobile app for antibiotic use
CDC mobile app for contraceptive use

Ellenor Chance, Christiana Ikome,

Samantha Kite,
Honorine Mumah, & Amanda
Rothenbecker

PEDS

PRECEPTORS
Baltimore City Schools (school based
health centers)
Mercy Medical Center/Family Health
Centers of Baltimore
Dr. Neelkantam Kamakshi
2108 Emmorton Park Dr.
Edgewood MD 21040

PRECEPTORS
Dr. Juliet Anadu
7500 Hanover Pkwy
Ste 202
Greenbelt, MD 20770
(301-318 -7259)
Harbor Pediatrics, Dr. John Irwin
3001 S. Hanover St. suite 302
Baltimore, MD 21225
(410) 350-2173

STUDY TIPS

Join a study group

Do not ignore any document that was posted
under your course
Print the immunization and catch up schedules
(shrink and laminate for quick pocket
reference for class/clincals)

STUDY TIPS
Be sure to understand A& P of all the
systems. This will help you identify abnormal
functioning, symptoms you would expect to
find, diagnose with proper differentials, and
treat.
Know common diseases that occur in the
different age groups.
Complete the case studies

FAQs
How many clinical hours do I need for this class
120 hours
What clinical sites are available to me?
See clinical list provided. Start contacting clinical
sites during your break before your class starts.
You may need to sign a contract for a clinical cite
that is new to the school. This process can take
months before approval is obtained.

FAQS

What if I do not find a clinical site?

Notify the school and your instructor
immediately. Continue to look and ask
classmates if you can pair.

RESOURCES
CDC mobile app for immunization schedule
Heart Murmur Pro Mobile APP (Murmurs are
common in PEDS, it is important to
distinguish normal from abnormal).
Lab Reference Values Mobile APP
American Academy of Pediatrics

Nursing 700

Nursing 700

Nursing 700 Q&A

Do you have to pass the Comprehensive
Exam to qualify for graduation?
Yes, a passing grade on both sections of
the comprehensive is an requirement
before one can qualify to graduate

How is the Comprehensive Exam

graded?
There are 3 readers for the
comprehensive exam. Two of the three
readers have to pass the student, before
the patient is considered successful on
passing the comprehensive. There is a
checklist, that the readers use to score
the exam

What are the total number of

hours for Practicum clinical?
The total number of hours
are 180 clinical hours

Can clinical sites be

combined?
Yes, clinical sites can be
combined, but no more than
40 hours in specialty areas.
Specialty areas include:
pediatrics and women health

Portfolio for Nursing 700

The portfolio is a representation of student academic
achievements. The portfolio is to be submitted in a
binder with the following sections:

Resume
Licensure
Education
Copies of CEUs
Papers
Clinical Sites
Presentations

FAQs:
What is a DEA number?
A DEA number (DEA Registration Number) is
a number assigned to a health care provider
(such as a medical practitioner, dentist, or
veterinarian) by the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration allowing them to write
prescriptions for controlled substances.
Legally, the DEA number is solely to be used
for tracking controlled substances.

FAQs:
What is a DEA number?
A DEA number (DEA Registration Number) is
a number assigned to a health care provider
(such as a medical practitioner, dentist, or
veterinarian) by the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration allowing them to write
prescriptions for controlled substances.
Legally, the DEA number is solely to be used
for tracking controlled substances.

Nursing 700 Study Tips

For Non-thesis students- it is
important to start studying for
comps after the fall semsester. This
will prepare the student to do well
and increase ones chances in
passing both sections of the
Comprehensive Exam.

Non-thesis students should

practice writing and rewriting daily
to prepare for the Comprehensive
Exam. Practicing writing will
decrease chances of error when
taken the actually Exam.

Students should time

themselves when practicing
for the Comprehensive Exam.
The actual exam is timed, this
will decrease anxiety on exam
day.

Dont be nervous, and know

that you have the information.
Eat a healthy balanced
breakfast before the exam.
Take deep breaths and relax.

NURS 700 PRIMARY HEALTH CARE OF FAMILY

PRACTICUM
SPRING 2nd YEAR
Nurse Practitiopner Review Courses and Material
1.
Fitzgerald Health Education Associations
Check www.fhea.com for NP certification exam review
Courses dates and locations.
Review book: Nurse Practitioner Certification
Examination and Practice Prepartion Third Edition. ( I
suggest buying this book day one of the program and
start reading it and practicing questions)
2. Barkley & Associates , www.npcourses.com
3. Necessary Workshops ( Marye Dorsey Kellerman)
https://www.necessaryworkshops.com
This is a three day local course (towson) Day 1 & 2 8am
to 6 pm, day 3 7:30 to 1 pm. It cost $475 , and allows
you to retake course again prior to your test for $100.

NURS 700 PRIMARY

HEALTH CARE OF
FAMILY PRACTICUM
SPRING 2nd YEAR
NP certification exam

Credential Awarded: FNP-BC

The ANCC Family Nurse Practitioner board
certification examination is a competency
based examination that provides a valid and
reliable assessment of the entry-level clinical
knowledge and skills of nurse practitioners. This
certification aligns with the Consensus Model for
APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation,
Certification and Education. Once you complete
eligibility requirements to take the certification
examination and successfully pass the exam,
you are awarded the credential: Family Nurse
Practitioner-Board Certified (FNP-BC). This
credential is valid for 5 years. You can continue
to use this credential by maintaining your
license to practice and meeting the renewal
requirements in place at the time of your
certification renewal.

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC),

American Nurses Association (ANA)

http://www.nurse
credentialing.org

a subsidiary of the

NURS 700 PRIMARY

HEALTH CARE OF
FAMILY PRACTICUM
SPRING 2nd YEAR
NP certification
exam

American
Academy of Nurse
Practitioners
Certification
Program
http://www.aanpce
rt.org

The certification
examinations each
consist of 150 multiplechoice items, which
include 15 pretest
questions that are not
counted in the
candidate's score

NURS 700 PRIMARY HEALTH CARE OF FAMILY

PRACTICUM
SPRING 2nd YEAR

You must have

Nurse Service Organization
malpractice insurance.
NSO's Professional Liability Insurance for Nurse
Practitioners
It can costs an
http://www.nso.com
estimated $2500 to
$2800 a year , some
employers may pay for
this.

Things to Consider Before

Taking a NP Job
Schedule

will it be M-F, 8a 5p,

no weekends no call.
Anticipated patient
volume will it be 20-25
ppd.

Salary
will be $85-120k with a
comprehensive benefit
package
including 4 wks vacation,
malpractice, health
insurance, retirement,
and 1 wk paid CME.
Relocation assistance and
possible sign on bonus.
Salary vs. Hourly

APRN Consensus Model:

APRN Report.pdf
Maryland Board of
Nursing Agreement:
np_agreement.pdf
American Academy of
Nurse Practitioner Site:
AANPCMS2
ANCC:
http://www.nursecredent
ialing.org
/

Angies Words of wisdom

Choose your track early, thesis vs. non-thesis
Always , always remain professional and dont
forget that you are a RN already.
Keep communication open with your professor,
they teach because they love what they do, they
are in our corner, our biggest supporters.
Make friends with your classmates immediately,
stick together and keep each other on track.
Part time vs full time, it doesnt matter just as long
as you make the commitment to do it, whatever
is going to work best for your life.

Best of luck from

the Class of 2015