Week 1 Journal Entry

As a future advanced practice nurse, it is important that you are able to connect your classroom experience to your practicum experience. By applying the concepts you study in the classroom to clinical settings, you enhance your professional competency. Each week, you complete an Assignment that prompts you to reflect on your practicum experiences and relate them to the material presented in the classroom. This week, you begin documenting your practicum experiences in your Practicum Journal.

Note: Be sure to use the Practicum Journal Template, located in this week’s Learning Resources.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze nursing and counseling theories to guide practice in psychotherapy*
• Summarize goals and objectives for personal practicum experiences*
• Produce timelines for practicum activities*

* The Assignment related to this Learning Objective is introduced this week and submitted in Week 3.

In preparation for this course’s practicum experience, address the following in your Practicum Journal:

• Select one nursing theory and one counseling theory to best guide your practice in psychotherapy.
  Note: For guidance on nursing and counseling theories, refer to this week’s Learning Resources.
• Explain why you selected these theories. Support your approach with evidence-based literature.
• Develop at least three goals and at least three objectives for the practicum experience in this course.
• Create a timeline of practicum activities based on your practicum requirements.

By Day 7 of Week 4

Submit your Assignment.

Making Connections

Now that you have:

• Explored legal and ethical considerations for group and family therapy
• Prepared for your practicum experience by examining counseling theories and developing goals to guide your practice
• Psychotherapy with groups and families essay assignment papers and exams.

Next week, you will:

• Explore family assessment and therapy as you assess client families presenting for psychotherapy
• Develop diagnoses for clients receiving family psychotherapy and consider legal and ethical implications of counseling these clients

Looking Ahead 1: Didactic Assignments

Week 3 Discussion: In a 3- to 5-minute Kaltura video, you will discuss a client family you have observed and/or counseled during your practicum experience. Be sure to make arrangements with your preceptor so you can fulfill the requirements of the Discussion. Refer to the Week 3 Discussion for additional guidance.

Week 10 Discussion: In a 3- to 5-minute Kaltura video, you will discuss a child or adolescent group you have observed and/or counseled during your practicum experience. Be sure to make arrangements with your preceptor so you can fulfill the requirements of the Discussion. Refer to the Week 10 Discussion for additional guidance. Psychotherapy with groups and families essay assignment papers and exams.

Week 11 Discussion: In a standard Discussion thread, you will discuss an older adult group you have observed and/or counseled during your practicum experience. Be sure to make arrangements with your preceptor so you can fulfill the requirements of the Discussion. Refer to the Week 11 Discussion for additional guidance.