Nursing Graduate Student Project at UW Health with a Sponsor

  • These steps are for nursing graduate students interested in conducting a student project at UW Health for academic credit with a sponsor. Go here to determine the process for additional tracks for nursing student projects or rotations.
  • All nursing graduate students (regardless of UW Health employment status) who would like to complete a student project with a UW Health sponsor for academic credit must follow the steps listed below.
  • The steps outlined here are requirements for UW Health. There may be additional requirements from the student’s academic institution. It is the student’s responsibility to find out about additional requirements from their academic institution.
  • It is recommended that the following steps be complete at least 8 weeks before the planned start of the student project.

All the steps must be completed before the nursing student can begin their project, with their sponsor. These steps ensure the student is onboarded and has completed required competencies.

Step 1.    Student notifies their academic institution’s Clinical Placement Coordinator

  • The nursing student needs to start this process by notifying their academic institution’s Clinical Placement Coordinator to let them know of their desire to complete the student project at UW Health.
  • The academic institution’s Clinical Placement Coordinator will ensure that an Affiliation Agreement is in place between the student’s academic institution and UW Health. If an Affiliation Agreement is not in place, it is the responsibility of the academic institution’s Clinical Placement Coordinator to complete this process. For additional guidance with this process, the school’s Clinical Placement Coordinator should reach out to NursingStudentsProjectsRotations@uwhealth.org.
    • Affiliation Agreements may take up to 6 months to be completed. It is strongly recommended that the student inquire about this detail early in the process.
    • Signing a new Affiliation Agreement is at the discretion of UW Health.

Step 2.    Student identifies UW Health sponsor and nursing project

  • Once the nursing student receives verification that there is an Affiliation Agreement between the academic institution and UW Health, the student should then find a sponsor and nursing project.
  • The nursing student must identify a UW Health employee as their sponsor for their project.
  • The student and sponsor should discuss the role of the sponsor and the students project to ensure expectations will be met from both parties.
    • Students should provide a copy of their syllabus and/or project toolkit from their university to their sponsor.
    • An initial meeting between the student, their sponsor, and the students’ academic project chair is recommended. It is the student’s responsibility to contact their academic project chair and set up this meeting. The meeting can provide:
      1. Fully understand the project requirements.
      2. Negotiate adjustments to the project to ensure alignment with UW Health’s structures, resources, and goals.
      3. Make sure everyone has a shared understanding and agrees with the project plan.
      4. Review project timeline. 
      5. Understand required deliverables. 

Carefully read the following

Requirements of a Sponsor

Sponsors oversee student projects while students are in the walls of UW Health.  Although requirements of all academic institutions may vary, a sponsor at UW Health must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • A bachelor’s degree in nursing
  • Must be in a title that requires being a nurse

Restrictions for Students who are UW Health Employees

  • The UW Health sponsor cannot be the employee’s paid supervisor or manager.
  • The employees’ nursing project cannot take place at the same location where they are a paid employee.
  • The employees cannot work on their project during work hours; the employees student work must be completed on unpaid time.
  • The employee must be onboarded as a student and use the student access for schoolwork (e.g., Health Link student access).

Step 3.    Sponsor signs Sponsor Form

  • After the student and the sponsor agree on the project, the sponsor must review and sign the UW Health sponsor form.

Step 4.    Student and Sponsor Complete the Nursing Students Academic Project Submission Form

  • Together, the student and sponsor complete and submit a Nursing Students Academic Project Submission Form.
  • To complete the submission the signed UW Health sponsor form will need to be uploaded with the submission form.  
  • Once the student submits this form it will be reviewed by departments with nursing oversight for approval.

Step 5.    Student notifies their academic institution’s Clinical Placement Coordinator

  • Once Steps 1 thru 4 are complete, the student must notify their academic institution’s Clinical Placement Coordinator of completion. At this time the student should ask their academic institution’s Clinical Placement Coordinator to enter a rotation request in myClinicalExchange.

Step 6.    Student uploads documents on myClinicalExchange

  • Once the student’s project has been entered and approved, the student will receive an email prompting them to pay and register for an account if they don’t already have one and complete the compliance requirements.
  • Student will upload the required documentation to be compliant with the student requirements.
  • Students will see a green thumbs up in the myClinicalExchange system when they are compliant.

Step 7.    Student obtains appropriate UW Health access

  • UWH Clinical Placement Office will notify the student via email when approvals are in place.
    • Students should follow the directions received in the email to get a UW Health student ID badge.
    • If additional access has been requested (such as Health Link), follow the directions and verify appropriate access.
  • When the student receives the email notification prompting the student ID and other appropriate access, this is the final step of this process and indicates that the student on-boarding process is complete. With ongoing support for the project by the UW Health sponsor, the student may begin their project work.

Student questions should be directed to their academic institution’s Clinical Placement Coordinator.