APN/Scholar Fellowship – B
In order to obtain the de Souza APN Designation, a 150 hour clinical component (Part A) must be completed within the first 6 months of the clinical fellowship. A research/evaluation project (Part B) is required in addition to the 150 hours of clinical components. Below are the steps in order to obtain a clinical fellowship.
Part B – Evaluation / Research Project
Step 1: Submit a proposal.
As part of the Designation, you will carry out an evaluation/research project and will need to include this component as part of your designation proposal. This research/evaluation project may or may not be directly related to the clinical fellowship described in Part A. You will need to outline goals and objectives for the research/evaluation project, the proposed research method, a description of measurement tools, as well as the implementation plan.
Step 2: Identify a mentor.
You will identify a mentor who may or may not be the same mentor for your clinical placement. The mentor will help you to develop an evaluation focus across the spectrum of oncology care from prevention to end of life. The focus of the evaluation/research project can include, but is not limited to:
- Clinical program evaluation
- Clinical trial of an intervention
- Pilot testing of an application in a clinical setting with evaluation
- Translating evidence into practice – implementing an evidence-based practice in a clinical setting and evaluating its uptake
- Qualitative research project
- Educational Research – developing curriculum and evaluating its delivery and impact
During the project period, advisors from the de Souza Institute (e.g. mentorship program) will provide regular support and will determine support strategies with individual applicants.
Step 3: Obtain a confirmation letter.
You are encouraged to seek support from leadership to develop the project in order to ensure implementation and sustainability. The design and completion of the project must have relevance to oncology or palliative care. Your employer (manager or director) must write a letter of support for your project.
Step 4: Participation in research/evaluation project.
The evaluation component of the fellowship should be completed within 6 months from the completion of the clinical fellowship.
Step 5: Do the Completion Requirements.
Research/Evaluation final report. Once you have completed the research/evaluation component, you must submit a final report. This must be done within two weeks of completion of your research project. The report does not have to confine to a fixed format, but should include literature review on knowledge gap, methods, results and discussions.
Scholarly work. You are required to complete scholarly work which includes, but is not limited to, preparing and delivering a presentation at local setting or at a de Souza event, or drafting evidenced based guidelines. Scholarly work will be discussed and agreed upon by the relevant stakeholders (fellow, employer, de Souza Institute representative) and must be completed within the fellowship timeline.
Final Step: Apply for your Designation
Once the reports from Part A and B have been approved, You will receive your de Souza Nurse Designation in the mail.