Policy No. 412
Administrative Policies Affecting the School of Nursing

Clinical Hours for Prelicensure Courses

Date Effective
May 2000
Date Reviewed / Revised
August 2025
Program Level
Administrative

POLICY: 

Faculty will schedule students for the number of clinical hours required as determined by the number of clinical credits. If students are absent on these days, refer to Policy 45, Attendance.

PROCEDURE:

Faculty will schedule a maximum of one (1) clinical day for end-of-rotation evaluations.

Faculty will schedule a maximum of one (1) clinical day for orientation to the clinical unit unless there are circumstances that require a longer orientation period. When these circumstances exist, faculty will notify the Department Chair in writing of the total amount of time to be used for orientation and rationale for this need.

The total number of required clinical hours will be designated on the course syllabus. See below:

Traditional Prelicensure *class 2021 and after

CourseClinical HoursCredits
NUR 0090 Foundations of Nursing Practice 1 Clinical451.0
NUR 0092 Nur Mgt Adult w/Acute/Chronic Illness Clin157.53.5
NUR 1057 Nur Care of Mothers, Newborns & Fam Clin902.0
NUR 1042 Nursing Care of Children & Families Clin902.0
NUR 1066 Nursing Care of Clients w/Psych MH Clin902.0
NUR 1020 Adv Nur Mgt Adult w/Acute Complex Clin902.0
NUR 1121C Adv Clinical Problem Solving Clinical902.0
NUR 1138 Community Health Nursing Clinical902.0
NUR 1135 Transitions into Prof Nursing Clinical202.54.5
TOTAL945 

Accelerated 2nd Degree BSN Program *beginning term 2197

CourseClinical HoursCredits
NUR 1282C Nur Mgt Adult w/Acute/Chronic Clinical2103.5
NUR 1250C Nur Care of Mothers, Newborns & Fam Clin601.0
NUR 1252C Nur Care of Children & Families Clinical601.0
NUR 1260C Nur Care of Clients w/Psych MH Clinical901.5
NUR 1020C Adv Nur Mgt Adult w/Acute/Complex Clin1202.0
NUR 1221C Adv Clinical Problem Solving Clinical601.0
NUR 1228C Community Health Nursing Clinical300.5
NUR 1234C Transition into Prof Nursing Practice Clinical1803.0
TOTAL810 

The number of required clinical hours is calculated as follows:
No. of clinical credits x ratio x 15 = total required hours. This number is then divided by the number of clinical weeks that will be scheduled during the term. The ratio is 1:3 for students in the Traditional Prelicensure Program and 1:4 for students in the Accelerated 2nd Degree BSN Program.

For example:
Traditional Prelicensure: the calculation for NUR 1057 - 2 clinical credits, would be:
(2 credits x 3 (ratio) x 15 weeks) = 90 / 14 weeks = 6.4 hrs/day over 14 weeks

Accelerated 2nd Degree: the calculation for NUR 1260C - 1.5 clinical credits, would be:
(1.5 credits x 4 (ratio) x 15 weeks) = 90 / 14 weeks = 6.4 hrs/day over 14 weeks

The number of weeks each term that are available for clinical will vary depending on the University calendar. Faculty will account for variability in term length by adjusting the number of hours assigned each day to achieve the total number of hours designated in the above table.

Simulation: Traditional clinical can be substituted by 30% of simulation per course: