Clinical Scholar Program

The Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence Clinical Scholar Program was created to support the professional development of experienced nurses focused on supporting nursing students in the clinical setting.

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Clinical Scholar Program - Register Now

  • February 24-28, 2024
  • $2010 Per Student
  • Nursing Contact Hours Available

New In 2024 - Group Coaching

The Center is excited to offer our Clinical Scholars the opportunity to participate in group coaching.

This optional 3 session (1 per month) virtual Group Coaching will be offered following the Clinical Scholar workshop and will provide ongoing peer-learning and support integrating the skills learned in class. Coaching groups will have a maximum of 10 per group and facilitated by an experienced International Coaching Federation (ICF) trained Coach and Clinical Scholar faculty member.

This optional coaching is only $650 for 3 sessions.

Contact Michelle Cheuvront for more information: Michelle@ColoradoNursingCenter.org

Looking for the Region 8 Clinical Faculty & Preceptor Academy?
Click Here for More Information and to Register

What is a Clinical Scholar?

A Clinical Scholar is an experienced registered nurse (BSN or higher) who works with schools of nursing to instruct nursing students in a clinical setting and has completed the Center’s Clinical Scholar Program. Clinical Scholars assist with the valuable, hands-on instruction that can only be provided by skilled, expert nurses. Clinical Scholars are “real” nurses that provide expert guidance and mentoring to novice student nurses. 

  • How do you organize the clinical day for students?
  • What are the best approaches for dealing with “difficult” students?
  • How do I evaluate student competency and ensure they are safe with patients?
  • What support do students need to be successful?
  • What are your legal and ethical responsibilities to the students?

The skills needed to lead a diverse group of nursing students in a clinical rotation are not inherent, even for the most experienced nurses. It takes specific preparation to ensure you are meeting the individual needs of the students.

Who Should Attend

Participants range from staff nurses to unit educators in the clinical setting, as well as clinical instructors and new clinical faculty from the academic setting.  Nurses from across the continuum of care can attend, not just acute care.  Attendees should:

  • Have at least a BSN
  • Be available to Lead Clinical Rotations
  • Be available to Actively Participate in the 40-hour Workshop

More Information

  • For Logistics and Scheduling: Michelle Cheuvront, Senior Project Coordinator
  • For Content or Program Outcomes: Deborah Center, Chief Program Officer and Clinical Scholar Facilitator

Program Background

There are two main barriers to reducing the nursing shortages; the lack of clinical placements and lack of clinical faculty needed to support nursing student education. The Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence has been leading a statewide initiative since 2005 focused on increasing the number and aptitude of nurses working with nursing students in the clinical setting. This program originated with a Colorado Department of Labor and Employment grant to train 45 Scholars. We now offer this program three times a year and we have trained over 1800 CNE Clinical Scholars.

The Center conducts regular rapid cycle process improvement to ensure the curriculum includes the best practices and evidenced-based strategies for educating students in the clinical environment and expanding nurses’ clinical judgement. Program outcomes demonstrate significant improvement in student learning with increases in quality and safety of patient care, improved satisfaction of staff nurses working with students, improved patient satisfaction, and improved nurse satisfaction and retention making the program a standard of practice for many schools and clinical agencies across Colorado.

The content aligns to the National League for Nursing’s (NLN) Clinical Nurse Educator Competencies, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s (NCSBN) Clinical Judgment Model and state Scopes of Practice, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials and Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education, the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) Standards and ensures the promotion and appreciation of diversity, equity, and inclusion aligned to the Future of Nursing Report and the National Commission on Racism in Nursing’s findings.

As the result of the pandemic, in 2020 the Center shifted the delivery of this five-day program to virtual making this invaluable program easier to attend for those outside of the Denver area and beyond Colorado. We now offer both virtual and in-person options throughout the year.  Watch for announcements for our workshop schedule.

Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Colorado Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

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