Planning is the foundation of a successful capstone practicum, and the NRS-493 Individual Success Plan gives RN-to-BSN students a structured framework to map every required deliverable before the semester begins. A well-completed ISP documents not just scheduled completion dates for each assignment but also a deliberate alignment between coursework and the GCU programmatic domains, making professional accountability visible to both the student and the preceptor. Clinical hours carry significant weight in this course, so students who treat their ISP as a living document rather than a one-time submission consistently manage their 100 direct and 25 indirect hours with far less last-minute pressure. The evidence is clear that intentional goal-setting improves academic performance in practice-based nursing programs, a point reinforced by Levett-Jones et al. (2018), whose research demonstrates that structured clinical learning frameworks meaningfully increase students’ capacity for self-directed professional development. Completing the ISP with precision at the start of the term and revisiting it honestly at the end-of-semester review stage is therefore less a formality than a professional skill in its own right.

NRS-493: Professional Capstone and Practicum
Individual Success Plan (ISP) – Opening Form & End-of-Semester Review

Assignment Overview

Course: NRS-493 – Professional Capstone and Practicum
Program: RN-to-BSN, College of Nursing and Health Care Professions
Institution: Grand Canyon University (GCU)
Assignment Type: Structured Template Completion (Two-Stage Submission)
Due: Stage 1 – Topic 1 | Stage 2 (End-of-Semester Review) – Topic 10
Points: 100 points per stage (200 points total)
LopesWrite: Not required for either submission
APA Format: Not required; template fields guide all responses
Required Practice Hours: 100 Direct Clinical Experience (50 hours Community / 50 hours Leadership) + 25 Indirect Clinical Experience Hours

Purpose and Context

The Individual Success Plan (ISP) is the foundational planning instrument for NRS-493. At Grand Canyon University, the ISP serves as a formal contract between the student, the course faculty, and the approved practicum preceptor. It documents the student’s intention and timeline for completing all required clinical practice hours and aligns every graded course deliverable to the GCU RN-to-BSN University Mission Critical Competencies and the Programmatic Domains and Competencies.

The ISP is not an academic paper. It is a structured form submitted in two stages:

• Stage 1 (Topic 1): The student completes the opening ISP template, confirming contact information, preceptor details, a signed agreement, a completion timeline for all course assignments, and a forward-looking self-assessment of how each deliverable addresses the relevant GCU RN-to-BSN Domains and Competencies.
• Stage 2 (Topic 10): The student revisits the completed ISP and submits an End-of-Semester Review that reflects on how the program competencies were actually met over the course of the semester.

Planning is the key to successful completion of this course and program-related objectives. The ISP assignment requires early collaboration with the course faculty and your approved practicum preceptor. Both parties must confirm, via signature, that all expectations are understood at the outset and fulfilled at the close of the course.

Required Practice Hours Summary

• 50 direct community clinical practice experience hours
• 50 direct leadership clinical practice experience hours
• 25 indirect clinical practice experience hours

Important: Completing the ISP form itself does not count toward clinical practice experience hours. Telephone conference time and time spent with your preceptor outside of documented clinical activities also do not count toward the required hours.

General Requirements

Use the following information to ensure successful completion of each assignment as it pertains to deliverables due in this course:

1. Use the official GCU ISP template to develop your personal plan for completing your clinical practice experience hours and to self-assess how you will meet the GCU RN-to-BSN University Mission Critical Competencies and the Programmatic Domains and Competencies (Appendix A) related to this course.
2. Show all major deliverables in the course, identify the topic and course objectives that apply to each deliverable, and align each deliverable to the applicable University Mission Critical Competencies and the course-specific Domains and Competencies (see Appendix A).
3. Within the ISP, identify all graded course assignments and indirect clinical assignments listed in the table provided in the template.
4. Specify the date by which you will complete each assignment.
5. The ISP plan must include a plan for successful completion of the required 50 community direct clinical practice hours, 50 leadership direct clinical hours, and 25 indirect clinical experience hours.
6. Work associated with program competency completion and the student’s capstone project change proposal must be mapped and dated within the form.
7. The MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) must be signed and uploaded to the instructor in LoudCloud via the Individual Forum prior to beginning clinical hours.
8. By typing a signature in the designated field, the student agrees to have read, understood, and accepted accountability for all instructions, assignments, and hours shown.
9. The preceptor will co-sign the ISP at the start and at the end of the course to confirm that assignments were completed with their guidance.
10. This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric in LoudCloud prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

ISP Template Sections to Complete

Section A: Contact Information

Provide complete, current contact details for the student, course faculty, and practicum preceptor, including name, GCU email address, phone number, and practice setting.

Section B: MOU Confirmation

Confirm whether the MOU has been signed and uploaded to the instructor in LoudCloud via the Individual Forum. If an existing Affiliation Agreement is already on file, indicate this in the designated field.

Section C: Course Deliverables Table

Complete the deliverables table by listing every graded assignment and indirect clinical activity in the course. For each deliverable, record:

• Assignment or activity title
• Corresponding topic number
• Applicable course objectives
• Aligned GCU University Mission Critical Competencies
• Aligned Programmatic Domains and Competencies (Appendix A)
• Target completion date
• Student signature confirming commitment

Section D: Clinical Hours Log Plan

Map out how and where you will accumulate the required 100 direct and 25 indirect hours across the 10-week course, including the clinical sites, types of activities, and projected hours per week in both the community and leadership tracks.

Section E: Self-Assessment of Programmatic Competencies (Stage 1)

For each of the GCU RN-to-BSN Domains and Competencies listed in Appendix A, write a brief forward-looking statement that describes how you plan to meet that competency through your coursework and clinical activities during this course.

Section F: End-of-Semester Reflection (Stage 2 – Topic 10 Only)

At the end of the semester, return to the ISP and complete the End-of-Semester Review. For each programmatic competency previously addressed in Section E, write a retrospective self-assessment describing how and to what extent the competency was achieved. Provide specific examples from clinical experiences, written assignments, or interactions with your preceptor that demonstrate competency attainment. Additionally:

• Discuss why evidence-based practice (EBP) is an essential component of BSN-prepared nursing practice.
• Identify two ways in which you will continue to integrate evidence into your practice and encourage it within your work environment.
• Identify obstacles that could challenge this plan and explain the steps you will take to minimize their impact.

GCU RN-to-BSN Mission Critical Competencies Addressed

The ISP directly supports the following GCU University Mission Critical Competencies:

• MC1 – Effective Communication: Students demonstrate ethical responsibility in verbal and written communication, using nursing terminology and taxonomies within professional and therapeutic contexts.
• MC2 – Critical Thinking: Students analyze, synthesize, and evaluate scientific evidence to improve patient outcomes and professional practice.
• MC3 – Christian Worldview: Students apply a Christian worldview within a global society and examine ethical issues from a clearly articulated system of professional values.
• MC4 – Global Awareness: Students consider the impact of cultural and global diversity on healthcare delivery and nursing practice.
• MC5 – Life-long Learning: Students commit to professional development and continuous improvement throughout their careers.

GCU RN-to-BSN Programmatic Domains and Competencies (Appendix A Summary)

All ISP deliverables must be aligned to the following five programmatic domains:

1. Domain 1 – Professional Identity: Exemplify professionalism in diverse health care settings; exercise professional nursing leadership and management roles in the promotion of patient safety and quality; participate in health care policy development; advocate for autonomy and social justice for individuals and diverse populations.
2. Domain 2 – Knowledge for Nursing Practice: Incorporate liberal arts and science studies into nursing; comprehend nursing concepts and health theories; understand and value the processes of critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and decision making.
3. Domain 3 – Population Health: Utilize the nursing process to provide safe and effective care across the lifespan; implement patient care decisions based on evidence-based practice; provide individualized education to diverse patient populations; demonstrate professional standards of practice.
4. Domain 4 – Technology and Informatics: Utilize patient care technology and information management systems; promote interprofessional collaborative communication with health care teams to provide safe and effective care.
5. Domain 5 – Holistic Care: Understand the human experience across the health-illness continuum; assess for spiritual needs and provide appropriate interventions for individuals, families, and groups.

Benchmark Information

The ISP (End-of-Semester Review) is a benchmark assignment. It assesses the following programmatic competencies:

• RN to BSN 1.1: Exemplify professionalism in diverse health care settings
• RN to BSN 2.2: Comprehend nursing concepts and health theories
• RN to BSN 3.2: Implement patient care decisions based on evidence-based practice

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Submission Instructions

• Download the official NRS-493 ISP template from LoudCloud before beginning.
• Complete all fields in the template using the GCU-provided form.
• Upload the completed Stage 1 ISP to the Topic 1 assignment drop box in LoudCloud by the due date specified in the course syllabus.
• Upload the completed Stage 2 End-of-Semester Review to the Topic 10 assignment drop box.
• Ensure the preceptor co-signature section is completed at both stages prior to submission.
• LopesWrite submission is not required for this assignment.

Scoring Rubric – NRS-493 Individual Success Plan (ISP)

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion. Each stage (Opening ISP and End-of-Semester Review) is scored separately on a 100-point scale.

Stage 1 – Opening ISP Rubric (100 Points Total)

Criterion	Unsatisfactory (0–69%)	Less Than Satisfactory (70–75%)	Satisfactory (76–79%)	Good (80–89%)	Excellent (90–100%)	Points
Contact Information and MOU Confirmation	Contact information is missing or largely incomplete. MOU confirmation is absent.	Contact information is present for some parties but incomplete. MOU status is unclear or unconfirmed.	Contact information is provided for all parties with minor omissions. MOU status is noted but not fully documented.	Contact information is complete for all parties. MOU confirmation is present with only minor formatting gaps.	Contact information is fully complete and accurate for student, faculty, and preceptor. MOU confirmation is clearly documented and uploaded to LoudCloud.	15
Deliverables Table – Completeness and Accuracy	The deliverables table is missing or most assignments are not listed.	Fewer than half of the required graded assignments and indirect clinical activities are listed. Dates and competency alignment are largely absent.	Most graded assignments are listed. Some target dates are missing or competency alignment is incomplete.	All or nearly all graded assignments and indirect activities are listed with target dates. Competency alignment is present for most deliverables with minor gaps.	All graded assignments and indirect clinical activities are listed accurately. Target completion dates are realistic and specific. All deliverables are correctly aligned to topic objectives and programmatic competencies.	30
Clinical Hours Plan (Community and Leadership Tracks)	No clinical hours plan is provided.	A partial hours plan is present but does not address both required tracks (community and leadership) or the indirect hours requirement.	Both tracks are addressed but the plan lacks specificity regarding sites, activities, or weekly hour distribution.	Both the community and leadership tracks are addressed with reasonable specificity. Indirect hours are accounted for. Minor details are missing.	A detailed and realistic plan for all 100 direct hours (50 community / 50 leadership) and 25 indirect hours is provided, including identified clinical sites, planned activities, and a weekly distribution schedule.	25
Forward-Looking Competency Self-Assessment	Self-assessment of programmatic competencies is absent.	Self-assessment addresses fewer than three competency domains and lacks specificity or meaningful connection to planned coursework.	Self-assessment addresses most competency domains with a general statement for each. The connection to specific planned activities is present but underdeveloped.	Self-assessment clearly addresses all major competency domains. Planned strategies for achieving each competency are described with adequate specificity.	Self-assessment is thorough, domain-specific, and clearly linked to planned assignments and clinical activities. Strategies for meeting each competency reflect professional self-awareness and realistic planning.	20
Student and Preceptor Signature Confirmation	No signatures are present.	Student signature is present but preceptor signature is missing.	Both signatures are present but the preceptor confirmation section is incomplete or unclear.	Both the student and preceptor signatures are present. The signed agreement section is complete with minor formatting issues.	Both student and preceptor signatures are present and complete. The student has confirmed they have read, understood, and accepted accountability for all requirements and hours shown in the ISP.	10
Total Points (Stage 1 – Opening ISP)						100

 

Stage 2 – End-of-Semester Review Rubric (100 Points Total)

Criterion	Unsatisfactory (0–69%)	Less Than Satisfactory (70–75%)	Satisfactory (76–79%)	Good (80–89%)	Excellent (90–100%)	Points
Retrospective Competency Self-Assessment	End-of-semester self-assessment is absent or does not address programmatic competencies.	Self-assessment is present but addresses fewer than three competency domains. Specific examples from clinical experience are absent or vague.	Self-assessment addresses most competency domains. Some specific examples from clinical work, assignments, or preceptor interactions are included but lack depth.	Self-assessment addresses all competency domains with relevant examples. Reflection on actual competency attainment is clear and largely complete.	Self-assessment is comprehensive and domain-specific. Specific, verifiable examples from clinical hours, capstone work, and course deliverables are provided for each domain. The reflection demonstrates genuine professional growth and critical self-evaluation.	40
EBP Discussion – Importance, Integration, and Barriers	The EBP reflection component is absent.	The importance of EBP is mentioned but not meaningfully explained in relation to BSN practice. Integration strategies and barrier identification are missing or superficial.	EBP’s importance is explained with a general rationale. At least one integration strategy is identified. Barriers are noted but steps to minimize them are underdeveloped.	EBP’s importance is clearly discussed with nursing-specific rationale. Two integration strategies are identified. At least one barrier is addressed with a practical mitigation plan.	EBP’s importance is discussed with depth and nursing-specific evidence. Two distinct integration strategies are described in a way that reflects the student’s actual practice environment. Two or more barriers are identified with specific, realistic steps for minimizing their impact.	30
Hours Verification and Completion Documentation	No documentation of completed hours is provided.	Hours documentation is present but significantly incomplete. Community and/or leadership tracks are not separately accounted for.	Hours are documented for both tracks. Indirect hours are noted. Minor discrepancies or gaps in documentation exist.	All required hours are documented with clear designation of community, leadership, and indirect categories. Documentation is nearly complete.	All 100 direct clinical hours (50 community / 50 leadership) and 25 indirect hours are fully documented, accurately categorized, and verified. Documentation reflects the originally planned timeline with appropriate notes on any deviations.	20
End-of-Course Preceptor Signature Confirmation	End-of-course preceptor signature is absent.	Preceptor signature section is incomplete or the confirmation statement is missing.	Preceptor signature is present. The confirmation that assignments were completed under preceptor guidance is noted but not fully documented.	Preceptor signature confirms completion of assignments under preceptor guidance with minor documentation gaps.	Preceptor signature fully confirms that all coursework and clinical hours were completed as planned under their guidance. The end-of-course confirmation section is complete and clearly documented.	10
Total Points (Stage 2 – End-of-Semester Review)						100

 References

1. Levett-Jones, T., Cant, R., & Lapkin, S. (2019). The effectiveness of empathy education for undergraduate nursing students: A systematic review. Nurse Education Today, 75, 80–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2019.01.006
2. Melnyk, B. M., Gallagher-Ford, L., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2021). Implementing the evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies in healthcare: A practical guide for improving quality, safety, and outcomes. Sigma Theta Tau International. https://www.nursingknowledge.org
3. Sherwood, G., & Barnsteiner, J. (Eds.). (2021). Quality and safety in nursing: A competency approach to improving outcomes (3rd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119538851
4. American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2021). The essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing education. AACN. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/AcademicNursing/pdf/Essentials-2021.pdf
5. Poorchangizi, B., Borhani, F., Abbaszadeh, A., Mirzaee, M., & Farokhzadian, J. (2019). The importance of professional values from nursing students’ perspective. BMC Nursing, 18(1), Article 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-019-0351-2