| Course | NU 617 The Nurse Educator Roles |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 4 |
| Paper type | Learning contract for remediation |
| Length | About 610 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Herzing University |
| Program | MSN Nurse Educator |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for NU 617 Unit 4
Learning Contract for Student B: Medication Verification and Reporting of Changes in Condition, February 24 to March 24
Student Name
Department of Nursing, Herzing University
NU 617: The Nurse Educator Roles
Instructor Name
March 3, 2026
Learning Contract for Student B: Medication Verification and Reporting of Changes in Condition, February 24 to March 24
Purpose
This contract follows the midterm decision record for Student B in the senior medical-surgical practicum. It sets out what Student B will do, what faculty will provide, when, and what evidence will show that each concern is resolved. It is an agreement between Student B and the clinical instructor, reviewed by the course coordinator, and it is intended to help the student succeed, not to prepare for failure. Remediation that is structured, specific, and supported gives students at risk of clinical failure the best chance of improving (Gallant et al., 2006).
The Deficiencies, Stated Narrowly
Deficiency 1, competency 1.2: omission of required verification steps before medication administration. On February 3, insulin was prepared without checking the pre-meal glucose. On February 17, the patient's wristband was not compared with the medication record before an oral dose was offered.
Deficiency 2, competency 3.1: failure to report a change in patient condition in a timely manner. On February 10, an oxygen saturation of 88% was documented but not reported for nearly two hours.
The contract does not address other areas of Student B's practice, which are satisfactory.
Student Actions and Faculty Obligations
Obligations run in both directions, with dates.
| What | Who | By when |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the skills lab module on medication administration safety and pass the checkoff with the lab coordinator, including verbalizing every verification step | Student B | February 28 |
| Provide the checkoff time and give feedback within 24 hours | Lab coordinator | February 28 |
| Before each clinical day, write the reporting parameters for each assigned patient (for example, oxygen saturation below 92%, systolic pressure below 90) on the care plan | Student B | Every clinical day, from March 3 |
| Review the parameters with the student at the start of each shift and correct them if needed | Clinical instructor | Every clinical day |
| Every medication administration directly observed by the instructor, with the student stating each verification step aloud | Student B and instructor | March 3 to March 24 |
| Weekly 20-minute meeting to review progress against this contract, with written notes signed by both | Instructor and Student B | March 6, 13, 20 |
| Written reflection after each clinical week on one near miss or reporting decision | Student B | Each Friday |
| Final review of the contract and decision | Instructor and course coordinator | March 24 |
Evidence That Will Count as Resolved
Deficiency 1 is resolved if, over the six clinical days from March 3 to March 24, every observed medication administration includes all required verification steps without prompting, with a minimum of 30 observed administrations. Deficiency 2 is resolved if, over the same period, Student B reports every change meeting the written reporting parameters to the primary nurse or instructor within 15 minutes of recognizing it, as confirmed by the instructor's observation and the primary nurse's feedback. Both criteria are stated now, before the period begins, so that neither the student nor the instructor has to guess what success looks like.
Consequences
If both deficiencies are resolved by March 24, direct observation of medication administration will step down to observation of one administration per shift, and competencies 1.2 and 3.1 will be rated satisfactory if performance continues through the final evaluation. If either deficiency is not resolved, or if at any point a required medication verification step is omitted or a change meeting the parameters is not reported, Student B will receive an unsatisfactory rating for the competency and will not pass the course, as stated in the midterm decision record. Student B may still appeal any rating through the program's grievance process.
Support Available
Student B mentioned working night shifts before some clinical days. The instructor has referred her to the program's student success advisor to discuss her schedule, and has confirmed that the program policy allowing a student to swap one clinical day per term applies. The contract does not require Student B to change her employment, but fatigue is a known contributor to errors, and the instructor has asked her to consider it.
Why a Written Contract
Clinical educators sometimes place students on learning contracts based on a sense that something is wrong before they can name it (El Hussein & Fast, 2020). This contract is written to avoid that problem: it names the behaviors, the dates, and the evidence. A written plan also protects both parties, since the student knows exactly what is required and the instructor's later decision can be checked against what was agreed (Oermann et al., 2018).
Signatures
Student B, clinical instructor, and course coordinator sign and date the contract. Student B's signature indicates that she has read and understood it, not that she agrees with every observation; she may attach a written response.
References
El Hussein, M. T., & Fast, O. (2020). Gut feeling: A grounded theory study to identify clinical educators' reasoning processes in putting students on a learning contract. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 29(1-2), 75-84. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15058
Gallant, M., MacDonald, J.-A., & Smith Higuchi, K. A. (2006). A remediation process for nursing students at risk for clinical failure. Nurse Educator, 31(5), 223-227. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006223-200609000-00010
Oermann, M. H., Shellenbarger, T., & Gaberson, K. B. (2018). Clinical teaching strategies in nursing (5th ed.). Springer Publishing.
The Herzing NU 617 Unit 4 instructions
In Unit 4 you write a remediation plan or learning contract for a student who is not meeting standards. Expect to state the purpose, define deficiencies precisely, list student actions and faculty obligations with dates, set criteria for resolution, state consequences and identify support resources. Many versions ask you to cite literature on learning contracts or remediation. Check whether your section wants a plan that follows from your Unit 3 record. A plan with narrowly stated deficiencies is fairer and easier to evaluate than one that lists broad concerns. Include what faculty will do, not only what the student must do. Signatures confirm the student has read the plan, not that the student agrees with every finding.
How the NU 617 Unit 4 example is put together
The contract opens with its purpose and links to the midterm decision. Deficiencies are stated narrowly with the competency number and the events behind each. A table pairs each student action with a faculty obligation and a date, showing that the plan places duties on both sides. The resolution section defines exactly what evidence will count, over a set number of clinical days. Consequences are stated for both outcomes, so the student knows what happens either way. The support section addresses a factor the student raised, night shift work, with a specific referral. A short section explains the value of a written contract. The signature section states what signing means, which protects the student and the instructor.
Where the points sit in the NU 617 Unit 4 rubric
Herzing's rubric for a remediation plan generally covers the clarity of deficiencies, measurable objectives and actions, faculty responsibilities, resolution criteria, consequences, support and professional writing. Deficiency points reward narrow, specific statements tied to competency numbers and to the events behind them. Action criteria look for dated, observable tasks the student can complete. Faculty responsibility points go to obligations that make success possible, such as scheduled observation and written feedback after each clinical day. Resolution criteria often decide the grade: graders want the evidence of success fixed before the plan starts, not judged afterward. Consequences must be clear for both outcomes and consistent with program policy. Gallant and colleagues on learning contracts and Oermann's clinical teaching text support the plan in APA 7.
NU 617 Unit 4 help before you submit
Remediation plans in Unit 4 commonly lose points through broad deficiencies, such as unsafe practice, that the student cannot work on in a month. Another frequent problem is listing only student duties, as if faculty had none. Students often leave out dates or the evidence that will count as resolved. Consequences are vague or missing, so the student cannot tell what happens on March 24. Support resources are generic lists rather than a referral linked to the student's situation. Plans sometimes extend beyond the course timeline. Signatures are misdescribed as agreement. Finally, keep the tone supportive and factual, because the plan's purpose is to give the student a fair chance, and graders look for language a student could read without feeling the outcome was already decided.
Get a NU 617 Unit 4 example written to your instructions
Send the Unit 4 instructions and the rubric from your NU 617 classroom, plus the kind of deficiency the plan has to address and any template your program uses. We write a custom example with the concern narrowly defined, obligations assigned on both sides, dates fixed, closing evidence specified and consequences stated, returned in 24 to 48 hours. The first custom sample is free.
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NU 617 Unit 4 questions, answered
How long should a remediation period run?
Long enough for the student to do something different and short enough that the result can be judged before the term closes. The plan should also say what happens if the timeline is disrupted by illness or by a placement change. Where your program sets standard periods for this, use them and note anywhere this plan departs from the usual arrangement.
Who else should know about the plan?
That is a policy question rather than a matter of judgment, and the plan should name the answer it follows. Program directors and clinical coordinators commonly need to know; a clinical site may need something narrower; other faculty teaching the student may or may not, depending on the institution. Record who received a copy, because that list becomes part of the file.
Does a remediation plan have to be signed?
Most programs require it, and a signature acknowledging receipt rather than agreement is the usual form. Where a student declines to sign, the plan does not evaporate: note the refusal, the date, and that a copy was provided. An unsigned and unrecorded plan is very difficult to rely on if the student later says the expectations were never made clear.
Where can I find a free NU 617 Unit 4 sample paper?
The complete NU 617 Unit 4 learning contract is on this page free of charge, deficiencies, dated actions, resolution criteria and consequences. A custom remediation plan can follow from your own clinical decision record.
What should a nursing student learning contract include?
Narrowly stated deficiencies, dated student actions and faculty obligations, evidence that will count as resolved, consequences for both outcomes, support resources and signatures. This sample covers each for a senior BSN student over one month.