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Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS: Clinical Field Observation I

Course Title: Department: Instructor:

NH764 - Clinical Field Observation I Naturopathic Medicine and Health Care Barry A. Broughton, NMD, Ph.D. E-Mail | Vita Naturopathic Physician

Instructor Contact Information: I would prefer to be contacted via email at nmdphd@canyoncollege.edu If you would like to speak via telephone please email me and we will arrange a time that is convenient for you to call.

Remember to include your name, student ID number and course name and number (NH764) when communicating.

Course Overview: This is five-semester hour course in which the student must complete 75 hours of clinical observation within the ten-week course time.

Prerequisite: Students must have completed NH705 through NH760 of the Naturopathic degree program at Canyon College prior to enrolling in this course.

Introduction: Welcome to “Clinical Field Observation I”, a required course for the Doctor of Naturopathy Degree in the School of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Care at Canyon College. This exciting course is designed to provide you with information and clinical observation experience in a natural healthcare environment. Students must complete 75 hours of actual clinical observation within the ten-week enrollment period for this course. Clinical observation hours do not include time for travel, lunch, breaks, etc. The student will be required to secure their own practicum/clinical observation site within their own community or location to which they are willing to travel at their own expense. The clinic site must provide natural healthcare services such as naturopathy/ naturopathic medicine, integrative/complementary/alternative/functional medicine, chiropractic, homeopathic, Chinese medicine, etc.; with an approved holistic practitioner such as ND, NMD, DC, DO, MD, OMD, or related professional with a doctorate level degree. Preceptors will not receive any monetary compensation or fringe benefits from Canyon College in exchange for this service. Most healthcare providers are honored when asked to be a preceptor, and are excited to aid in the education of other practitioners.

Students are encouraged to begin seeking a clinical observation site and speak with practitioners in regards to their willingness to serve as their preceptor prior to enrolling in this course. Upon enrolling in this course, the student will be able to download the Preceptor Agreement Letter, Clinical Field Observation (CFO) Timesheet, and Student Evaluation forms from the “classroom”. The CFO Timesheet and Preceptor Agreement Letter must be signed by the potential preceptor and submitted for approval, prior to beginning any clinical observation. If you desire, you may select two separate practitioners as your preceptors, however both sites and practitioners must be approved prior to beginning any clinical observation.

Previous clinic experience or practicum/observation hours can not count towards the required hours for this course. The clinical field observation hours will not count until the Preceptor Agreement Letter has been submitted and approved. If you currently work at a qualifying natural/holistic health type practice and are not a clinician/practitioner, you may use your current work place if the supervising practitioner is approved as a preceptor. If you are currently working as a clinician/practitioner, you are encouraged to seek out another qualifying practitioner (either in your current group/practice or elsewhere) with whom to spend your observation hours. Preferably someone with a different area of expertise. The idea is to gain the experience of and exposure to, other practitioners.

Course objectives:

• Learn how to apply newly acquired cognitive skills to daily clinical practice.
• Recognize the manner in which the practitioner/preceptor interacts with patients/clients, and ancillary staff.
• Observe and develop interviewing and psychosocial skills essential to the practitioner-client relationship, such as:
  - Obtaining a health history
  - Interviewing clients regarding their primary health concern
  - Providing appropriate education to patients/clients related to each health issue, lifestyle changes, recommended treatment plans, etc.
• Observe differing approaches to performing assessments such as:
  - Evaluating the chief complaint from a holistic approach.
  - Performing any physical assessments appropriate to each client/patient.
• Ask the preceptor to suggest specific readings on cases and topics that are presented during the Clinical Field Observation

Required References:
There are no specific required textbooks for this course, however the books used in previous courses will be of benefit. You will want to review and research the healthcare issues you are exposed to during your clinical rotation.

Recommended References: Online Bookstore

Bates's Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking. Seventh Edition. By Lynn S. Bickley. Philadelphia; Lippincott:1999. ISBN: 0781716551

This text has a section of the content of a comprehensive history that you will need when submitting your case presentations for this course.

Examinations:
There are no formal written exams for this course.

Grading:
Your final course grade will be determined by evaluation of your case presentations submitted during this course and by the preceptor’s Student Evaluation.

90-100% 80-89% 70-79% 69% and below

= = = =

A B C Fail

A passing score of 70% is required.

Upon registering for the course, contact me via email and provide me with some information about yourself. I know that you may have provided this information to me in previous courses, however it is difficult to remember the details of each student in every class that is taught. Please include:

1) Contact information including e-mail address and student ID number.
2) Your experience, if any, in the health care field.
3) Your academic background.
4) Your personal and professional goals upon completion of this course and the ND program at Canyon College.

Assignments:

Week 1

1. Once you have received confirmation of your enrollment in this course, go to the Assignments page in the “classroom” to download the Preceptor Agreement Letter and Clinical Field Observation Timesheet.

2. If not already accomplished; locate a natural/holistic health practitioner with whom you can complete the required 75 hours of clinical observation.

3. Have the potential preceptor sign the Preceptor Agreement Letter and send a copy of the signed letter to me via email attachment (nmdphd@canyoncollege.edu) or fax to 716 373-2257.

4. Along with the signed agreement letter, also submit the Clinical Field Observation Timesheet with a tentative schedule of when you plan to perform your clinical field observation. Your preceptor must sign the proposed schedule. Keep a copy of this form to document the actual hours completed. Your preceptor will need to sign the form a second time after you have fully completed all 75 hours.

Week 1-5

1. Go to the Lectures section of the “classroom” to read the Guidelines for Clinical Field Observation.

2. Go to the Assignments page of the “classroom” to review the assignments to be completed during your clinical field observation.

Week 5

1. Submit a copy of your Clinical Field Observation Timesheet documenting the number of hours you have completed.

2. Turn in assignments/case presentations by the end of week five via email attachment or fax.

Week 6-10

1. Continue clinical observation.

2. Work on remaining assignments.

Week 10

By the end of week 10, you must submit the following:

1. Final assignments/case presentations

2. Clinical Field Observation Timesheet signed by your preceptor documenting the completion of 75 hours of clinical observation.

3. Student Evaluation Form, completed and signed by your preceptor.