How far in advance should we be setting up preceptors?

[megank5183]

Hi Everyone,

I am currently attending Drexel's PMHNP program. I will be starting clinicals at exactly this time next year. We are responsible for setting up our own clinicals....how far in advance should we be searching? I feel like trying to set them up this far in advance would be too early? Any thoughts from people who have set up their own clinicals? Should I just be cold-calling offices?

Thanks!!

[BostonFNP, APRN]

Thanks BostonFNP for your response. I understand completely. I just wanted insight since I am almost at the end of my ANP program online at a proven brick & mortar school in NY and I have had difficulty in general finding preceptors, but have not come across anyone that said no because they do not take online students.[/quote']

Hang in there!

The "find-your-own-preceptorship" in my opinion is a big mistake that AP nursing education is making. The clinical experiences are the most important aspect of training and schools giving up control of that because it is simply easier for them is discouraging. There is a local brick program here that we no longer take students from because of poor preparation and they continue to increase class sizes despite the fact that supposedly a third of their last class was unable to graduate d/t a lack of clinical hours.

[zoidberg, BSN, RN]

the major medical center in my city is the only APRN program for this part of the state (not possible to commute anywhere but this program) and it just switched to all online for NP programs. They are also very expensive, even in state. I am also not crazy about how the curriculum is set up. I will most likely use another online NP program for my FNP, and hope this will not make it difficult to find preceptors. I have lots of time until then, so just gotta network for a few years until then! I am hoping that If I prove myself reliable, hard-working, and intelligent, I will have some luck finding some preceptors!