Practice information
About practice placements
Nursing practice experiences (practicum) in health agencies are an integral part of the BSN program. You'll work with practica coordinators to arrange practice experiences to assist you in meeting course requirements, enhance integration of theory and practice, and foster your career interests.
Practice experience gives you the opportunity to put theory into practice. You'll get a sense of the real-world responsibilities you'll face after graduation, and find the perfect niche within your field.
Placement planning
Our practica coordinators will contact you four to six months before your practice course. You'll discuss placement ideas/options to balance your learning needs and interests with program requirements, practice agency availability and nursing regulatory requirements.
In all practice courses, you must arrange your own transportation and bear any costs related to travel or accommodation.
Students at the Victoria campus complete four full-time consolidation experiences (NURS 370, NURS 470, NURS 475, NURS 491) and a community experience (NURS 456) prior to graduation.
BSN Practicum Site Development
If your organization is interested in hosting practicum students please complete this site proposal form and a member of our practica coordination team will contact you.
Lindsay McDonald-Haight, Practica Coordinator
Phone: 250-721-6191
Email: nurspc@uvic
Sarah Yee, Practica Coordinator
Phone: 250-472-4608
Email: nurspc@uvic
Jasmine Fern, Administrative Assistant
Phone: 250-721-8502
Email: nursprac@uvic.ca
You are responsible for knowing the nursing practice requirements and expectations in advance of your practice experiences.
See the School of Nursing Practice Requirements for details on:
- current basic life support certification
- personal respirators/masks
- code of ethics and standards of practice
- criminal record reviews
- health insurance coverage
- immunizations
- oath of confidentiality
See the Faculty of Human and Social Development regulations concerning practica.
How does the placement process unfold?
- Practica Coordinators place requests on HSPnet (Health Science Placement Network) four to eight months in advance and negotiate placements with each agency. All schools submit requests at the same time.
- During your orientation in January we'll give you information on the placement process and upcoming placements.
- PLEASE do not look for your own placements OR your own preceptor.
- You cannot have a placement on the same floor while working as an ESN/LPN. You also cannot have a placement on the same ward where a family member works.
- You can be on the same unit more than once except for N370/470 and again for N475/491. For example, if you were on 3R while at Camosun College, you could return there while at UVic.
- We'll assess your previous placements and determine if there are populations of interest that you have not yet experienced.
- You are being prepared for generalist practice and for the CRNBC New Grad Competencies.
- Please check your UVic email regularly because we will only communicate with you through this email address.
What is the student placement form?
- We'll give you this form in December to be completed in January. It will help Practica Coordinators in arrange your placements.
- We take into consideration previous placements, learning needs, areas of interest, and long-term goals. We're interested in the population of focus you would like to work with, i.e.: child and family, acute, community, mental health, older adult, etc. and not the specific unit.
- You cannot choose your placement location.
When is N370/470 and what do they involve?
May - August semester
- The placement includes 192 hours for NURS 370 plus an additional 192 hours for NURS 470 in a CLU (Collaborative Learning Unit) setting or with a preceptor (where you'll follow the RN's schedule), or other models of practice
- Your placement starts after the required CPE N370 workshop, labs, and/or other orientations. Your start date is based on legal coverage by hospitals and agencies.
- Your shifts will include days, evenings, weekends, and nights. Shifts may be 8 or 12 hours, depending on the rotation of the unit.
- We look at the past placements and we determine where you still need to practice to graduate as a generalist nurse.
See the preceptor handbook for student, preceptor, and instructor roles and responsibilities. It is your responsibility to review this document thoroughly before entering practice.
When is N475/491 and what do they involve?
January – April semester
- Typically, you'll do two six week placements in the same location, although it's possible there may be two locations over the 12 weeks.
- The placement includes 192 hours for N475 and another 192 hours for N491.
- Your practicum starts after the required CPE N475 workshop, labs, and/or other orientations. Your start date is based on legal coverage by hospitals and agencies. There will be a mandatory CPE N491 workshop before starting the practice course.
- Your shifts may include days, evenings, weekends, and nights. Shifts may be 8 or 12 hours, depending on the rotation of the unit.
- We look at the past placements to determine where you still need to practice to graduate as a generalist nurse.
See the preceptor handbook for student, preceptor, and instructor roles and responsibilities. It is your responsibility to review this document thoroughly prior to entering practice
When do off-sites occur and what do they involve?
- Off-sites are placements outside of the Victoria (Island Health) area for NURS 491 or NURS 475 and NURS 491 combined. At this time, individual off-sites are for national placements only.
- A detailed application is required. Details are emailed to students when the application is released.
Accomodation in practice?
If you need accomodation, please contact the student advisor (nursbsnadvisor@uvic.ca), student advisor, sooner rather than later.
- Requests for accommodation regarding practice courses and placements will only be considered for health, disability, or other exceptional circumstances. Some accommodations require a formal request to the Progression Committee.
- Accommodation can not be granted for childcare issues.
- We recommended you contact the Single Parent Resource Centre of Victoria and the University of Victoria Family Centre to look into day and overnight care for your child or children.
Forms
Practice Documents
- Field guide handbook
- Practicum handbook
- Decision-making for BSN student activities
- Student and patient adverse event reporting and learning form
This form is for all Camosun/UVic nursing students in their practice experiences to record two categories of incidents: those that happen to the student (e.g., fall/needle stick injury) and those in which the student’s actions may have impacted or caused harm to a patient (e.g., medication error). See the UVic practicum/field guide handbook for details on how to manage incident reporting according to protocols and ensure you've met the agency’s policies following an incident. - AcuDose information sheet
- Collaborative learning units model of practice education for nursing: a summary
- Criteria and process for selection of preceptor of the year
- Guidelines for negotiating hours for alternate learning experiences
- Insurance explanation
- Proximity access card (Camosun transfer students
- Worksafe BC form 7