The Professional Capstone and Practicum course includes various assignments that aim to develop and enhance students’ knowledge and skills in leadership and inquiry. One such assignment is the weekly reflection and scholarly activities.
Throughout the course, students are required to engage in weekly reflection and maintain reflective narratives. These reflections should focus on the personal knowledge and skills gained during the course. The specific content of each reflection may vary depending on the practice immersion clinical experiences encountered in a given week. However, in the final, culminating submission in Topic 10, all areas should be addressed.
The purpose of these weekly reflections is to allow students to integrate leadership and inquiry into their current practice. By reflecting on their experiences and learning, students can identify their strengths and weaknesses, discover additional resources and abilities that could be introduced to influence optimal outcomes, and evaluate how they have met competencies and course objectives.
It is important to note that the weekly reflective journals and scholarly activities will not be submitted each week in the LoudCloud platform. Instead, there will be a final submission in Topic 10 that combines all the weekly reflections into a course-long reflective journal.
In addition to the reflective journals, students are also required to participate in scholarly activities outside of clinical or professional practice. Such activities may include attending conferences, seminars, journal clubs, grand rounds, morbidity and mortality meetings, interdisciplinary committees, quality improvement committees, and other opportunities available at their site, community, or nationally.
The purpose of these scholarly activities is to expose students to current research and best practices in their field. By participating in these activities, students can stay updated on the latest developments and contribute to the advancement of their profession. Students are required to document at least one scholarly activity during their BSN program, and this documentation should be completed by the end of the course.
Furthermore, students are encouraged to be involved in interdisciplinary initiatives regularly. This means participating and contributing to collaborative efforts that involve professionals from different disciplines and specialties. By collaborating with others, students can gain a broader perspective and develop a greater understanding of how different disciplines contribute to patient care and overall healthcare outcomes.
In Topic 10, students will submit a summary report of their scholarly activity. To assist with this assignment, students may use the “Scholarly Activity Summary” resource. This summary report should provide a detailed account of the scholarly activity, including the objectives, methods, findings, and implications for practice.
Overall, the weekly reflection and scholarly activities in the Professional Capstone and Practicum course aim to foster students’ professional growth and development. By reflecting on their experiences and engaging in scholarly activities, students can deepen their understanding of leadership and inquiry in healthcare and contribute to evidence-based practice in their field.
