HEB Undergrad Practicum

The practicum is designed to provide practical field experience for Health Education majors. Students will maintain a part-time workload in a community health or wellness setting for 10 hours per week. It is meant to be a time of service and innovation to the agency as well as a significant learning opportunity for the student. It is through practical experience that efficient application of knowledge, ideas, and skills in a realistic work setting can begin to formulate. With this, both the student and the agency should benefit immeasurably.

The practicum experience is offered in the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. The practicum will commence with the first official day of classes at the University and will end on the last day of classes of any given semester. This will allow the student to work a minimum of 15 weeks (13 weeks in the summer); the student is required to work a total of 150 hours during the practicum (10 hours/week in the Fall/Spring; 12.5 hours/week in the Summer). Distribution of these hours may be determined by the student and supervisor and based on the activities and projects assigned.

The major objectives for the practicum experience are to enable the student to...

• Complete tasks required of a professional in the health education field;
• Apply the knowledge and skills attained during course studies to practical community health and/or wellness issues;
• Develop skills and increase knowledge in areas of interest within their specialization; and
• Contribute significantly to the activities, events, and projects of the internship agency.

The practicum experience includes, but it not limited to, those agencies which employ health educators in a community, public health or worksite health promotion and wellness setting (public health units, voluntary health agencies, hospitals/clinics, hospital and corporate wellness centers, area health education centers, nonprofit health agencies). Practicum job duties are determined by the student and the agency supervisor, and will be based on the strengths, needs, and interests of the student and the agency. The goals, objectives, and specific activities will be communicated to the university supervisor via the Verification of Placement form and student reports. It is important to note, however, the job duties must encompass the Responsibilities & Competencies of Entry-level Health Educators (NCHEC, 2016).

Common job duties include, but are not limited to...

• Designing and producing (health) educational materials and media (Diabetes; Hypertension)
• Planning and implementing health programs (Teen pregnancy prevention programs; Smoking prevention program)
• Planning and implementing health fairs
• Evaluating health programs
• Data Analysis
• Employee in-service trainings
• Hospital staff in-service trainings
• Grant writing
• Research and literature reviews
• Public relations (public service announcements)
• Individual/group counseling (Prenatal and postnatal counseling; HIV/AIDS education and counseling)
• Health risk appraisals
• Fitness testing
• Body composition analysis
• Blood glucose screening
• Behavior risk identification and modification
• Plan and conduct fitness classes
• Assistance/involvement in physical rehabilitation

Special Notes:

• The Practicum (HSC4813) is graded as S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory).
• Practicum students must submit the Verification of Placement form to FLG-6 in order to be registered for HSC4813. This form is available in FLG-6.
• Practicum students must submit proof of Adult/Child/Infant CPR/AED & First Aid certification prior to registration. Certification man be obtained from the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association (online certification is not permitted), and the certification must run through the end of the practicum. Cards that expire during the practicum will not be accepted. Students will not be registered for the practicum until this documentation is received.
• Practicum students must submit proof of Professional Liability Insurance coverage. This insurance is designed to cover you in the event that someone other than yourself is harmed through the performance of your assigned duties. Professional Liability Insurance must be purchased through Lockton’s Professional Liability Insurance for Allied Healthcare Professionals for approximately $20 for 1-year of coverage. You may apply for coverage by completing their online application at http://www.ahc.lockton-ins.com/pl. Make sure to apply as a “student”, for the “health and safety educator” occupation, and select “1 million / 3 million” for limits of liability. Upon completion of the online application, you will receive an email confirmation from the company with a lengthy PDF file (30+ pages); I only need a copy of page 2. Students will not be registered for the practicum until this documentation is received.
• The agency supervisor and practicum student will receive all necessary forms and instructions from the university supervisor prior to the beginning of the practicum experience.