There are 3 clinical courses in the program (NUR1 434, NUR1 431, and NUR1 432). Please see the description of your course of study to see when these courses are delivered.
Timing of clinical courses:
- Summer semester: intensive clinical in one summer semester (either community or critical care, depending on the course of study). Student must be able to follow the preceptor’s schedule on Day/Evening/Night shifts Monday through Sunday. Availability required: May 1st to mid-June.
- Fall semester: Critical care or community health clinical is spaced throughout the semester. Student must be able to follow the preceptor’s schedule on Day/Evening/Night shifts Monday through Sunday. Most students do 1-2 shifts per week.
- Winter semester: The Community-Based Organization project is spaced throughout the semester. Students must provide availability on one day of the week for community visits and half a day for group meetings. This clinical does not generally include any weekend or night shifts.
Please note that students must ensure that all clinical pre-requisites are complete before going to their clinical course AND that they are registered in the course by the required deadline. Students are not admitted to a clinical course if any elements on the pre-requisite list are missing by the due date. Students are also not admitted to a clinical course if they do not register by the required deadline. Please refer to the Clinical Requirements Site for a full list of requirements and due dates.
Information about clinical placements
The Clinical Partnerships Office (CPO) ensures fair and equitable assignment of all students to clinical placements.
Some important information to know about clinical courses in the BNI Program:
- Students must possess a valid and active OIIQ/CEPI license before starting their clinical rotation.
- Students must consult the clinical requirements web page, upload the required documentation to the Student Portal and ensure that their requirements are marked as ‘complete/approved’ prior to every clinical course.
- Students must check their emails frequently (we recommend once every 24-48 hours) as the CPO and the student affairs office will send important updates and communications regarding any missing clinical requirements.
- All clinical placements are organized and overseen by the CPO (students may not organize their own placements).
- One clinical course must be taken in the Summer semester (first Summer for Full-time students or second Summer for Part-time students).
- The Summer clinical course starts in the beginning of May and finishes at the end of June. Students must be available for the duration of the clinical course. Students will follow their preceptor’s schedule and must be available for the shifts assigned.
- The Summer clinical schedule is intensive, and it is strongly recommended that students consider taking time off work if needed (signed letters to support a study leave can be obtained from the Nursing Student Affairs Office).
- Students must promptly respond to communications, surveys, and queries from the CPO – this allows the office to organize placements that best fit the student's situation.
Clinical placement location and considerations:
- Students are assigned to clinical placements based on several considerations:
- Availability of clinical sites
- Availability of preceptors
- Learning objectives of the clinical course
- Student’s geographical location
- Student’s current employment, if applicable
- Students residing within the Greater Montreal Area, which includes the communities within Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the North Shore, and the South Shore, will be assigned to clinical placements within Montreal, or possibly with their current employer.
- All students who are not employed are assigned to a clinical site based on their geographical location.
Accommodations in clinical courses
If a student requires an accommodation in a clinical course, all accommodation requests are made to the Student Accessibility & Achievement (SAA) office. An advisor from SAA meets with the student confidentially to discuss their accommodation need. This need is then assessed by a committee consisting of the student advisor (from SAA) and a CPO representative. The decision on accommodations in clinical courses depends on the nature of the accommodation needed, and on the demands and possibilities of the clinical environment/clinical institution.
Note: Students who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or require an accommodation related to a medical condition (including CNESST) should refer to the section on student attendance in clinical studies and accommodations in the Undergraduate Student Handbook for the most up-to-date information and guidelines.