Shortage of Nurse Practitioner Preceptors

Nursing Students NP Students

Published

  1. Are nurses still eating their young

    • 5
      Yes Nothing has changed
    • 1
      No, I think its getting better
    • 1
      It will never change
    • 0
      No, they is no such thing

7 members have participated

Is there a national shortage of Nurse Practitioners who are willing to precept? I am finding it very difficult to find a preceptor, MD's are very quick to offer what they have, unfortunately as a NP student I have to have a FNP/NP for at least 50% of my 704 hrs. As Nurses/NPs we are asking and fighting for autonomy but not willing to help train more NPs to fight this cause. It is so easy for PA's to have their rotations lined up for them but can not do that for nursing? I am seeing more and more schools (Not just online schools) shifting that responsibility onto students. I love my school, great state school; but this issue of finding preceptors on our own bothers me, and they tell you today, when school starts in 10 days. However, if we are unable to find one, then "the school will step in". I just don't get it! I taught undergrad was difficult with unreasonable demands, but graduate school too? Are nurses in a way still eating their young? or now they are just putting hot sauce on it!

I need a ANP preceptor. I am so frustrated, NP's are literally slamming doors in my face. I had a successful clinical from an MD that took me in Spring of '13 but she only promised me 1 semester. So I've been searching and searching. Every NP that I have approached in a 50 mile radius fas said no!. I live in theAtlanta Georgia area and there are plenty here but they don't want to be bothered. How are we supposed to finish if they won't precept us? I desperately need some help!!!!!. Attending classes with no clinical.

If you now of anyone in Atlanta willing to help in Ped's or Geriatric's please let me know. Thanks, Karen

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

I'm paying almost $20,000 tuition per year at a highly-ranked public university DNP program. We have to find our own preceptors. I think it's sad we've come to this. The universities should be providing preceptors of known quality, IMO.

I'm paying almost $20,000 tuition per year at a highly-ranked public university DNP program. We have to find our own preceptors. I think it's sad we've come to this. The universities should be providing preceptors of known quality, IMO.

Ridiculous. My NP program found preceptors for us. But my tuition was a lot more than $20,000 per year. I have seen students from other programs frantically looking for a preceptor as each new semester begins. I feel bad for them and the stress they are going through.

is there any preceptor from Dallas, TX for an Adult nurse practioner student?

Haven't read the whole thread so I don't know if this has been mentioned yet.

A family member of mine is a lawyer. She used to say how physicians, compared to lawyers, will never be in oversupply, since there's so much human power and equipment required to train them. For a lawyer, all you really really need is pretty much equivalent to what a standard liberal arts college student needs (building, books, maybe some law clinic placements but in a much less invasive way than medical students must have).

Now, since NP schools are NOT required to provide the complete clinical training, NP schools no longer benefit from the advantage of not being able to operate without all the sufficient human power and equipment needed to fully train a new NP. Therefore, NP schools can pop up all over the place... just like law schools. I think it highlights the importance of going to a good school-one that provides you preceptors-and not going into it for the money.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Float Pool, MICU, CTICU.

The programs that do provide preceptors, are they few and far between? Or is it just the accpeted norm that you are expected to find your own? Do the schools offer any type of assistance in aiding you on the search? Do you guys find certain types of NP preceptors (ACNP, FNP, NNP, etc) are more difficult to find than others?

I do not have plans to pursue a NP anytime soon, but perhaps later on in my career. Just curious of the current conditions are and how it may progess years from now.

A lot of programs provide preceptors - search for programs and call the ones that interest you to see if they guarantee all your clinical placements.

Also, this thread highlights that there still is some control on the growth of the field because students are taking a bet when they sign up for an educational program that does not necessarily provide the clinical experiences that will be required if they want to legally practice as NPs. You hear people here saying they needed to take a year off, etc, because they couldn't find preceptors. Market and legal forces are at play to keep the number of NPs lower than the number of lawyers, actually.

Students are the ones with the power here. As long as students settle for programs that do not provide preceptors, schools will have no incentive to change. Why would they? They are still getting paid and getting students while not providing what is arguably the most vital part of NP education. That's why it's hard for me to be empathetic with students who are struggling to find preceptors - they are making the choice to gamble and reinforcing the idea that NP training is something that can be farmed out.

When I am a NP I will only precept students through university-based programs that set things up, no cold calls from students or whatever. I believe NP education should be held to a higher standard and will do what little I can to enforce that idea. So you can be part of the effort to stop these practices by only applying to programs that set up students with preceptors. Just call when you apply and make sure. If more students did this and valued high quality clinical experiences (instead of flexibility or whatever), then maybe this problem wouldn't exist in the first place.

Specializes in Neuroscience, Cardiac Nursing.

I think students have not protested as much about finding our own preceptors ( myself included as I entered my program) for several reasons:

- many schools are moving toward this model, including brick and mortar schools

- there is a lot of movement into NP programs and many are anxious to get in whatever the price

- finding your own preceptors us put forth as a positive by many schools, making it look attractive to potential students in that they will be able to tailor their own experience. In a way I see this because I know people who are placed by their school into sites or preceptors which may be inappropriate based on the specialty (acute vs primary experience) or to sites in which the students are not being trained appropriately.

- one more way the "find your own preceptor" idea is made attractive is the statement I've heard by many " you are a nurses already so it should be easy to find a preceptor, especially with people you work with." Far from the truth because NPs you know may be outside you specialty, already have a stable of students to precept, have no time to precept or just don't want to precept.

I'm sorry to say I have found more resistance from NPs willing to train me than from MDs. When I become a np I will precept any student one from a place that arranges the experience and those who have to arrange their own because I understand how hard that is. I'm not here to be selective, but to make a difference.

Specializes in nephrology.

Maybe we should start a thread : success at finding preceptors / State they live in / area of expertise / NP volunteers - for those that have gone before

I see people desperate looking for help and know I will be in the same boat when I start. Please people that can help us find it in your heart to take the time to help. I know one NP in my area - nephrology in SC - she is great, but she doesnt really know me. She is in school for DNP now and may not have the time. She may help me with one assignment , but I am sure I need more.

May God send us the help we need.

Hello mellebelle! This is quite an old message but I am in search of a NC preceptor!! are you available???

Please contact me if so. I have lived in W-S, but also Raleigh.

neb0124!!

Oregon Health Sciences University finds clinical placements for their students. They are cheaper than Washington State University, which i a brick and mortar school that makes you whore around for your own clinical placements.

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