To prepare for this course’s Practicum experience, address the following in your Practicum journal:

•Explain what most excites and/or concerns you about pediatric clinical experiences. Include a description of your strengths and weaknesses in terms of working with children and how these strengths anda weaknesses might impact your Practicum experience.

•Select and explain a nursing theory to guide your practice with pediatric patients.

•Based on your strengths, weaknesses, and theory of nursing practice, develop goals and objectives for the Practicum experience in this course. Be sure to consider the NAPNAP Position Statement on Age Parameters for Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Practice from this week’s Learning Resources.

•Create a timeline of Practicum activities based on your Practicum requirements.

Practicum: Journal Entry wk2

Reflect on a patient who presented with a growth and development or psychosocial issue during your Practicum experience. Describe your experience in assessing and managing the patient and his or her family. Include details of your “aha” moment in identifying the patient’s growth and development or psychosocial issue. Then, explain how the experience connected your classroom studies to the real-world clinical setting. If you have not yet been placed at a Practicum site, please contact the course Instructor.

Practicum: Journal Entry wk4

Reflect on a patient who presented with a behavioral or mental health issue during your Practicum experience. Describe your experience in assessing and managing the patient and his or her family. Include details of your “aha” moment in identifying the patient’s behavioral or mental health issue. Then, explain how the experience connected your classroom studies to the real-world clinical setting. If you did not have an opportunity to evaluate a patient with this background during the last 4 weeks, you may select a related case study from a reputable source or reflect on previous clinical experiences.