NMT-264 Clinical Practicum IV

Spring 2002 Semester - 15 credits

Louis M. Izzo, Program Director - Course Coordinator

version: November 5, 2001

INTRODUCTION

NMT-264 is a clinical internship course for senior Nuclear Medicine Technology students.

CALENDAR

NOTE: The start and finish dates for the clinic sessions, as well as "vacation" time will be according to the UVM academic calendar. If an affiliate celebrates a holiday that is not on the UVM calendar, the student can take that day off with the permission of the clinical affiliate student coordinator.

UVM PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES

COMMUNICATIONS - The Program Director will contact students weekly, either via e-mail, telephone, teleconferencing, or an on-site visit, and will maintain a record of each communication.

GRADING - The Program Director will compute the course grade based on the grading system below:

Daily clinical reports MUST be e-mailed to the Program Director.

missing clinical reports	points subtracted from final grade
0 - 7	0
8 - 15	10
16 - 30	20

NOTE: students have the option to give less frequent reports but all work days must be reported.

FINAL COURSE GRADE

points	final grade
90 - 100	A
80 - 89	B
70 - 79	C
< 70	F

After consultation with the clinical student supervisor, "+" or "-" may be attached to the final grade.

REGISTRY REVIEW - The Program Director will conduct a required review session at the end of the semester to assist students to prepare for the national certifying examinations. The length of the review session will be 2 - 3 days sometime between May 6 - 9.

Failure to attend the registry review session will lower the final grade by one letter.

RADIATION MONITORS - The UVM Radiation Safety Office (RSO) will provide students with monthly whole body and ring monitors. Students will be responsible for their prompt return to the UVM RSO.

CLINICAL AFFILIATE RESPONSIBILITIES

CLINIC ACCESS - The affiliate will allow students to gain access to all areas of the Nuclear Medicine Department, and will provide supervision by certified and/or registered technologists.

ROTATIONS - affiliates will set up a rotation schedule for each student, and will send a copy to the Program Director for approval. Any changes in the schedule will be communicated to the Program Director.

The first week will usually be for orientation and the final week should be used for an "elective" rotation. That leaves ~12 actual weeks for six two-week rotations during which the students must be tested for clinical competency.

Students are required to experience "on call" situations by wearing a pager for at least 15 assigned times or until actually experiencing and responding to one emergency call (whichever comes first). Compensatory time off should be given when the student is actually called in.

ORIENTATION - The affiliate will orient the students to the department and hospital in the first week of the assignment, including informing the student as to specific departmental policies and procedures.

STUDENT EVALUATION - the clinic will evaluate students using the evaluation forms provided by the University. The affiliate will fax the completed form to the Program Director so that the program Director can monitor student progress.

a. 5 Personal and Professional Evaluation (1 every three weeks).

b. 10 different clinical competencies.

In addition, students must cmplete a written project with an oral presentation to the NM technical and medical staff at the end of the assigned period.

COMPUTERS - the clinic will make internet-connencted computers available so that students can access their UVM e-mail account to conduct program-related business.

COMMUNICATIONS - the clinic's student coordinator will communicate with the Program Director as soon as possible when an emergency or clinical problem occurs.

EXPENSES - Affiliates are strongly encouraged, but not required, to provide meal tickets, parking permits, stipends, etc. to students.

IDENTIFICATION BADGES - students will be prepared to wear their UVM/FAHC identification badge unless the affiliate provides an identification badge for their hospital.

Click here for summary of each clinical affiliate

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

DRESS CODE - Students will adhere to the dress code set by the University, to include wearing a full-length lab coat and whole body monitor and ring badge. Any changes must be approved by the Program Director.

Students are expected to promptly return the monitor and ring badge to the UVM RSO each month.

ATTENDANCE - students will be in attendance for 8 hours/day, 40 hours per week for the entire semester except for University recesses and holidays. Any changes must be approved by the Program Director.

TIME OFF - students are allowed a total of 3 days off during the affiliation period. These days can be used for sick days, personal days, vacation, job interviews, or professional meetings. If students are ill, they must call the department prior to the scheduled start of work. Any missed time in excess of the 3 days indicated above must be made up in order to complete the course and to graduate. Any changes must be approved by the Program Director.

DAILY CLINICAL REPORTS - Students must send a DAILY web-based report to the program Director via the internet. NOTE: students have the option to give less frequent reports but all work days must be reported.

ATTEND REGISTRY REVIEW - Students are required to attend a three-day review session at the end of the semester to help them prepare for the national certifying examinations. Failure to attend the registry review session will lower the final grade by one letter.

PROJECT - Students are required to do a final project which will be presented to the affiliate stduent coordinator and the clinical staff. The project will be on a topic approved by the affiliate coordinator, and will consist of 5 - 10 typewritten double-spaced pages and an oral presentation of at least 15 minutes.

HEALTH INSURANCE - students must have their own health insurance to cover any hospital and physician expenses which might occur while on affiliation.

EXPENSES - students are responsible for their own housing, meals, transportation, lab coats, and personal expenses.

CPR - all students must have a current American Red Cross CPR certification at the time of the clinical assignment.

PHYSICAL EXAMS - prior to the start of the affiliation, the student must check with Universty Student Health to ensure that he/she is current with all vaccinations.

CLINICAL COMPETENCIES - 10 competencies must be achieved during the ~15 week assignment. Students should plan on completing a competency on the average of one every 1 - 2 weeks so that there will not be a large number of competencies to be achieved at the end of the assignment. Waiting until the end will put an undue burden on the clinical affiliate.

COMMUNICATIONS - contact the Program Director as soon as possible when an emergency or clinical problem occurs.

FORMS

All clinical evaluations forms can be obtained in PDF format as follows:

Personal and Professional Growth Evaluation form

Clinical Imaging Competency form

On-Call Competency form

Radiopharmacy Competency form

Special Lab Procedures Competency form