Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Preceptors... where are you?

[rethier]

Why is it so difficult to find NP preceptors? Shouldn't we all have an interest in helping our fellow colleagues? Once I become a Nurse Practitioner I would be delighted to preceptor a NP student.

I am in the Gerontology/Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program at Nova Southeastern University in South Florida. I'm looking for preceptors in the acute care area anywhere in South Florida. Would even consider taking time off from work to travel for clinicals.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

The teaching part of precepting students can be satisfying and the hours of precepting can be used towards recertification. But despite these benefits, many NP's refuse to precept for various reasons. It can be a thankless job as many are unpaid and the time devoted to teaching takes up time that may effect the NP's efficiency. Some practices also refuse to precept for the liability. I work in an academic facility that only prioritizes students from our own AGACNP program. Having said that, I find that finding acute care NP preceptors is actually easier than finding primary care NP preceptors. I would recommend attending a local NP association meeting to network with NP's in your locality.

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

I precept ACNP students. It is very tiring and exhausting, and makes my day take twice as long as I have to explain everything, check their notes and orders, examine their patients also to make sure they didn't miss anything, and educate on rounds and during the day. I am supposed to work 6a-4p, and I usually get out around 6:30pm on the days I have students.

I do it because overall I enjoy it, but it is not an insignificant commitment. The advantage to me is when we need to hire someone, we already know them when they graduate, and they know our unit and how it works. Plus I enjoy contributing to their education and it challenges my knowledge also to have questions from a fresh perspective and to have to communicate things in a clear enough way to teach someone else.

Agree - network. Join local NP society. If you want critical care for example, join AACN or SCCM as a student member. There are often Facebook pages for local NP groups where you can look for preceptors.

[RyzenRN, ASN, BSN, MSN]

I thought Nova SE offered preceptorships. NO? And how do you like Nova's program? considering it.