• Think about the professional role changes you have undergone or that you may undertake following completion of this MSN program.
• Review the information related to professional development and role change in the Learning Resources, and conduct additional research as necessary to address any questions or concerns you may have.
• Consider the following questions:
  • What types of professional positions interest you? Are they significantly different from the types of positions you have held in the past? If so, how?
  • What challenges are you likely to encounter as you transition into a new role?
  • What resources could help you to manage this change? Consider your inner resources (e.g., drawing on previous experiences, stress management), resources available to you through your relationships with others, and institutional supports.
• Consider how you could use this practicum experience to apply what you have learned and enhance or acquire specialization skills and knowledge, regardless of whether you intend to change roles or stay in your current position for the time being.
• Review the NURS 6600 Course Outcomes listed in the Syllabus. Determine how your experiences in the practicum could help you to achieve one or more of these outcomes.
• Review the information on the Field Experience website, including the Practicum Manual, as necessary to ensure you have a clear understanding of the practicum requirements.
• Review the suggestions for developing effective learning objectives provided in the Learning Resources.
• Think of two or three objectives that could help guide your professional development during your practicum. These objectives, referred to as your practicum professional development objectives, must be:
  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Attainable
  • Results focused
  • Time focused
  • Reflective of the higher order domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy (i.e., Application level and above)
• Select one or more practicum professional development objectives to focus on for this Discussion. (You may continue to hone these objectives as you work on the Week 2 Assignment.)
• Reflect on how you could achieve each objective through your practicum experience.

Post an explanation of your professional aspirations and how you intend to use the practicum experience to promote career change and/or enhance your performance. Describe at least one objective to facilitate your professional growth, and explain the steps you could take to achieve the objective(s) during your practicum experience. Support your response with examples from the literature.