Learning Objective #1: Describe the elements of the VUSN clinical log for Nurse Practitioner students

Learning Objective #2: Discuss uses of the data contained in the clinical log for tracking student progress

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The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) has advanced practice nursing students in clinical experiences across the USA who are required to provide written documentation on their encounters. Our typical clinical log had open-ended questions in a notebook or closed-ended questions on optical scan sheets submitted at the end of the academic term as proof of experience. This approach was inefficient because the data analysis occurred after the semester was over.

The faculty at VUSN wanted a more contemporary environment that would allow students to collect their clinical log data at their point of care and enter that data into an online database. VUSN informatics staff developed a web/PDA based clinical log with a user friendly interface that can be used by students, faculty, and clinical preceptors. The Clinical Log consisted of a combination of closed-ended questions with checklists, drop down menus, and short fill in the blank forms. The log also allowed for students, faculty and preceptors to add open-ended comments to a given record. The data gathered correlated with professionally recognized program standards.

The clinical log was customized for each specialty. Faculty can filter the available records by student name, academic program, or date and can export the data into a spreadsheet. Students can edit their data online and view their individual or aggregate records and export their log to a spreadsheet. Data was secured in that the students only accessed their own data yet the faculty member had access to their entire class of data.This presentation will show the uses of the clinical log for tracking student progress in various specialties and discuss HIPAA considerations.