Clinical Practice Experiences
All health sciences programs include clinical practice experiences. The purpose of these experiences is to give students the opportunity to perform discipline-related skills in a healthcare setting while supervised by a clinical instructor. For some programs, a variety of clinical facilities are used in an effort to increase exposure to all aspects of the discipline.
Students are not exempt from participating in the clinical practice experiences. Students are expected to have reliable transportation to and from the clinical facilities, dress in appropriate clinical attire (uniforms and additional supplies may be required), and comply with all policies and procedures of the clinical facilities.
Students enrolled in Associate Degree Nursing, Echocardiography, Medical Sonography, Nuclear Medicine Technology Associate Degree, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Polysomnography, Radiography, Respiratory Therapy, and Therapeutic Massage will be required to attend clinical practice assignents in clinical facilities located outside the Pitt County area.
Clinical Schedules
Clinical practice experiences may be scheduled during the day, evening, night, or weekends. Students are provided clinical schedules at the start of each semester.
Medical Form
All students admitted to a health sciences program are required to have a physical examination and submit a completed medical form. No student will be allowed to participate in clinical practice experiences without a physical examination and proper completion of the medical form.
The physical examination and medical form should not be completed until a student is formally accepted into a health sciences program.
Clinical Facility Requirements
Clinical facilities may require criminal background checks, drug screenings, credit checks, professional license checks, and/or proof of US citizenship prior to or during participation in the clinical portion of a program. Any expenses associated with these requirements are the responsibility of the student. Pending the outcome, clinical facilities may deny a student the opportunity to complete the clinical portion of a program. A student who is unable to complete the clinical portion of a program will not be able to graduate.
Criminal background checks, drug screenings, credit checks, professional license checks, and/or proof of US citizenship may also be required after graduation by examination boards, state licensing boards, and employing agencies. Pending the outcome, a graduate may be disqualified from examination eligibility, state licensure, and/or employment.
PCC faculty and staff cannot provide students information on whether or not they will receive clearance for clinical practice based on criminal history. The decision is solely the responsibility of the clinical facilities.
