INTRODUCTION:

Overall plan of rotation of all students in a particular educational institution, showing the placement of the students belonging to total programme (4 years in B.Sc. Nursing) includes both theory and practice denoting the study block, partial block, placement of student in clinical blocks, team nursing, examinations, preparation time/ week ,vacation, co-curricular activities etc. It is prepared well in advance for the whole year so that, it gives a complete and clear picture about student’s clinical and field placement during the academic session. Also, the master rotation plan for each year, i.e. I, II, III, IV year can be prepared separately and then put up in a combined chart, so that all teachers are aware about the student’s placement.

DEFINITION:

· Master rotation plan is systematically arranged overall plan which shows rotation of all the students in a particular educational institution.

· It shows the placement of the students belonging to various groups/ classes in a clinical nursing as well as community.

· It denotes duration of the placement that includes theoretical (teaching) block, partial block (half clinical and half theory) and clinical block.

PURPOSES OF MASTER ROTATION PLAN:

· Availability of an advance plan before implementation of curricular activity during an academic year, for the entire programme.

· All concerned are aware of the placement of students in clinical fields.

· Co-ordination becomes more effective when theory, practice correlates and integrity exits.

· Helps the students and teachers to prepare themselves for working in the areas.

· Effective co-ordination can be made for smooth running of organizational activities between the faculty and service staff.

· Evaluation of the programme is more effective.

· It helps to make tentative advance plans for leave or vacation.

· The faculty members and nursing service staff are in a position to make tentative advance plans for their leave or vacation without jeopardizing the teaching-leaning activities.

· It gives tentative advance plans about vacation and examination.

PRINCIPLES OF MASTER ROTATION PLAN:

· The rotation plan must be made in advance.

· There should be at least one instructor who is well prepared in her field – available to students at least 1:4 or prescribed by the INC and according the type of patient nursed.

· While planning consider the maxims of teaching;

o Simple to complex.

o Specific to general.

o Synthetic to analytic.

o Concrete to abstract.

· The teaching staff should be involved whenever feasible and must be familiar with the rotation plan.

· Plan in accordance with the curriculum plan for entire course / programme.

· Plan in advance for each students in the class for all years.

· Plan the activities by following maxims of teaching.

· Post the students based on their background preparation and the extent of guidance available.

· Theoretical instruction should precede as closely as possible the clinical experience, ward classes, clinical care presentations should be held simultaneously.

· Continuity of experience, which is considered essential must be maintained.

· Selection of areas of experience should proceed from simple to complex.

· Select areas that can provide expected learning experience.

· Plan to build on pervious experiences.

· Acquaint the clinical staff/clinical supervisor with clinical objectives and rotation plan.

· Provide each clinical experience of same duration to all the students.

· Rotate each student through each learning experience or block.

· Plan for all students to enter and leave at same time schedule.

· Over lapping should be avoided.

FEATURES OF MASTER ROTATION PLAN:

· It shows the relationship between classroom teaching and experience.

· Each area of clinical experience is indicated by a code to which a guide is attached.

· The period of clinical experience vary in length each year but total duration of such experience is the same for all students.

· Students of one class are divided into group and rotated through same clinical areas.

· It is prepared in advance for the whole year.

· It gives complete and clear picture about the students.

· It must include period of vacation, teaching block, preparation time, examination and vacation.

· The teacher should be aware of the Overlapping particular area or shortage in particular area can be noted.

· The teacher should follow Indian Nursing Council and University syllabus.

· The teacher should consider all three domains. (cognitive, affective and psychomotor)

· Master rotation plan for each year can be prepared separately than putting up combined chart.

DOMAINS USED IN PLANNING:

· Cognitive domain: It includes knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

· Affective domain: It includes receiving, responding valuing organization and characterization.

· Psychomotor domain: It includes imitation, manipulation precision, articulation and naturalism.

FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED

· Standard, policies, philosophy and objectives of the organization.

· Number of students in the class.

· Number of department or areas.

· Size of the department e.g.: Surgical ward, Male Surgical ward, Female Surgical ward and postoperative ward.

· Duration of experiences.

· Number of persons available for supervision

· Indian Nursing Council/ University requirements.

· Teacher student ratio.

ADVANTAGES OF MASTER ROTATION PLAN:

· Availability of advance plan helps to plan for various curricular and co-curricular activities.

· It informs all the faculty members of the student placement in various clinical and community areas and also the theory hours so as to enable them to work cooperatively

· Students are aware of their academic programme in advance. This helps them to prepare themselves for working in various settings

· Evaluation of the programme is more effective

· Nursing service staff and faculty members are in a position to make tentative advance plans for their vacation, etc. without disturbing the teaching-leaning activities.

RESPONSIBILITY OF TEACHING STAFF

· Correlate theory and practice.

· Participate in teaching, supervision and evaluation.

· Prepare the students in theory block before they enter the clinical block.

· Maintain adequate and regular attendance at both the class room and clinical areas.

· Report to the principal or concerned person for the any change or modification.

· Plan for regular meeting to evaluate the effectiveness of a plan

· Domain of educational objective should be followed.

SAMPLE OF MASTER ROTATION PLAN B.Sc. NURSING (4YEARS)

(Based on Ayush and Health Science University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh)

THEORY HOURS

PRACTICAL HOURS

Theory block

Clinical block

Partial block

(Both theory and clinical)

B.Sc. NURSING 1^ST YEAR

FROM	TO	DURATION	BLOCK	THEORY- HOURS	PRACTICAL - HOURS
15-SEP	15-JAN	4 month	TB	528	-
16-JAN	15-MAY	4 month	PB	208	400
16-MAY	15-JUL	2 month	TB	264	-
16-JUL	15-AUG	41month	PB	52	100
CALCULATED HOURS				1052	500
INC/UNIVERSITY RECOMMENDED HOURS				930	450
16 AUG--25 AUG MODEL EXAM			03-Sep	16-Sep	UNIVERSITY EXAM
26 AUG – 2 SEP STUDY LEAVE			16-Sep	16-Oct	VACATION-4WEEK

B.SC. NURSING 2^ND YEAR

FROM	TO	DURATION	BLOCK	THEORY- HOURS	PRACTICAL - HOURS
16 OCT 16 N OV 16 JULY	15 NOV 15 JULY 15 AUG	1 month 8 month 1 month	TB PB PB	132 416 52	- 800 100
CALCULATED HOURS				600	900
INC/UNIVERSITY RECOMMENDED HOURS				540	855
16 AUG--25 AUG MODEL EXAM 26 AUG – 2 SEP STUDY LEAVE			3 SEP 16 SEP	16 SEP 16 OCT	UNIVERSITY EXAM VACATION-4WEEK

B.Sc. NURSING 3^RD YEAR

FROM	TO	DURATION	BLOCK	THEORY- HOURS	PRACTICAL – HOURS
16 OCT 16 N OV 16 MAR 16 JULY	15 NOV 15 MAR 15 JULY 15 AUG	1 month 4 month 4 month 1 month	TB PB CB PB	132 208 5	- 400 578 100
CALCULATED HOURS				392	1076
INC/UNIVERSITY RECOMMENDED HOURS				390	990
16 AUG--25 AUG MODEL EXAM 26 AUG – 2 SEP STUDY LEAVE			SEP 16 SEP	16 SEP 16 OCT	UNIVERSITY EXAM VACATION-4WEEK

B.Sc. NURSING 4^TH YEAR

FROM

DURATION

BLOCK

THEORY- HOURS

PRACTICAL – HOURS

16 OCT

16 N OV

16 FEB

15 NOV

15 FEB

15 AUG

1 month

3 month

6 month

(Intern ship 8 hours)

132

156

300

1152

CALCULATED HOURS

INC / UNIVERSITY RECOMMENDED HOURS

288

225

1452

1465

16 AUG--25 AUG MODEL EXAM

26 AUG – 2 SEP STUDY LEAVE

3 SEP

16 SEP

16 OCT

UNIVERSITY EXAM

VACATION-4 WEEK

Instructions:

· Theory block (TB)=No. hrs/day (6) x Per/ Week (5) x per/month (4) + 4 = Saturday (3x4)=120 + 12 = 132 Hrs/ month.

· Partial Block (PB) Clinical (6am-1pm) = No. Hrs/day (5) Per/ Week (5) x per/ month (4) =100 Hrs/Month.

· Theory Block (TB) (2pm -4pm) = No. Hrs/day (2) x Per/ Week (5) ) x per/ month (4) + 4 Saturday (3x4=12)= 40 + 12 = 52 Hrs/ Month.

· Clinical Block (CB) =No. Hrs /day (6) x Per/ Week (6) ) x per/ month(4)=144 Hrs./Month. For 4^th year internship =No. Hrs /day (8) x Per/ Week (6) ) x per/ month(4)=192 Hrs./Month.

· Saturday: Half day (3Hrs.) in theory and full day (6 Hrs.) in Clinical Block.

CONCLUSION:

It is prepared well in advance for the whole year so that it gives complete and clear picture about student’s placement either in theory or field during an academic session. For each year, it can be prepared separately and or total programme one can be prepared so that every faculty will be aware of students' placements, Thus is helps both the students and teachers to prepare themselves for working in their consecutive areas.

REFERENCES:

1. WHO: Guide for Schools of Nursing In India, World Health Organization, Regional Office for South- East Asia, New Delhi.

2. Indian Nursing Council syllabus.

3. Basavanthappa B T, Nursing Education, India, 2009; 2^nd edition, page-939

4. Neeraja K P, Textbook of Nursing Education, 2005; 242

5. Nursing infoline.com, an encyclopedia for nurses, nursesinfoline.com/masterrotation-plan-2

6. Nurses of India, Master Rotation Plan for Effective Nursing Education, April 2005, pp 10, 11, 12

Received on 09.11.2013 Modified on 16.11.2013

Int. J. Nur. Edu. and Research 1(1): Oct.- Dec., 2013; Page 18-21