Another "Thrown to The Wolves" Preceptor Search

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Hello fellow nurses. I know, I know.... I "knew what I was getting into"...but honestly, I didn't know it would be this bad! I am attending a brick and mortar FNP program about half an hour from where I live. It's been around for many many years. I knew, based on the good ol grapevine, that it wouldn't be super easy finding clinical placements, but I also did not know it would borderline give me stress induced ulcers.

My instructors casually told us on the first day that it was probably too early to secure a clinical now, but to do it the semester before it starts. I am not sure how or why this is the advice they give because if they are that ignorant to the reality of it, I fear for us. I started calling a couple of weeks ago for the pediatric rotation that starts Spring 2020. I have now contacted (mostly phone, a few email) over 20 offices and clinics with no success. A few said they were booked with students until Fall 2020 (my expected graduation....)and majority that they do not take students. I guess the class size at my school has been increasing dramatically and we are the biggest FNP class to ever grace their halls, so yeah, we have officially outgrown the area.

I am hesitant to commit further if I am going to get to next spring and not have a placement and be forced to sit out/pay more money for unnecessary classes in order to stay matriculated while waiting. I emailed the clinical coordinator (who literally just sends paperwork to the sites after you find one) twice in the past week addressing the issues and asking for pointers with no response.

Sounds like this is very common and I am saddened, angered, and in disbelief that this is how the NP education is rolled out. What a joke....a totally not funny joke.

Any advice on how to secure something? Words of encouragement? A slap to my naive head? A pat on the back with a sympathetic "good luck"? If anything, thank you for "listening".

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I’m in the exact same situation down here in Florida. :(

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I hope it works out for you. The Sawyer Initiative that passsed recently gave us some hope of the schools finding clinical placement. Reality is I have called four different universities and all of them said they will not find clinical placement for their students. Online or brick and mortar, it is all the same. Schools do not respect the Sawyer Initiative. And they won't until entire classes start reporting them.

Students are forced to sit out semesters waiting to find a preceptor, any preceptor location they can beg thier way into. That or they break down and use a paid preceptor site. Personally, I would cut out the middle man, and donate nicely to have a quality NP precept me.

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As far as advise, I would definitely show up the the clinics in person. Have a nice letter that explains your program and what your objective is ( to find a quality preceptor). And as stated above, offer to financially compensate them for their time and experience. They deserve that and of course the schools should be there ones to be paying them. The times we are in are extremely competitive. Markets everywhere have a plethora of NP students. In my area, the NP jobs are few and far between. That, and many are offering less money than I make now as an RN. The market here is one of the worst from what I see.

I wouldn't give up until you have exhausted all your options and tried everything.

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Another thing is consider committing. I drove 2 hours away to finish my BSN every Friday for 3.5 years. It was totally worth it and would do the same to advance my education in the future.

Look at finding placement away from your area.

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On 2/5/2019 at 12:05 AM, bryanleo9 said:

As far as advise, I would definitely show up the the clinics in person. Have a nice letter that explains your program and what your objective is ( to find a quality preceptor). And as stated above, offer to financially compensate them for their time and experience. They deserve that and of course the schools should be there ones to be paying them. The times we are in are extremely competitive. Markets everywhere have a plethora of NP students. In my area, the NP jobs are few and far between. That, and many are offering less money than I make now as an RN. The market here is one of the worst from what I see.

I wouldn't give up until you have exhausted all your options and tried everything.

Thank you for your replies and suggestions. It's crazy to me that there is not a formal clinical experience embedded into NP programs. Crazy and maddening. But, I can sit her sulking and moaning all I want, that isn't doing me any good haha. I had read about the Sawyer Initiative and saw the addendum to the CCNE policies, but in my opinion, it's still pretty open to interpretation and doesn't sound entirely promising. At least not yet.

I have extended my search beyond my area to up to and hour and a half away, as I am unable to travel further than that due to life constrictions (mainly, kids). I had had contact with 3 more places today (pediatric and women's health) that are booked straight through until 2021! Yet, two other places told me that it's too early for me to be looking and they won't make commitments so far in advance. Hmm.

Your part about jobs is another ulcer inducing issues that's been gnawing at me ?. It seems this is common and is apparently an issue near me based on how many students are flooding these practices. I see 20 plus postings per day for RNs (mostly ones no one wants of course) and maybe one a day NP jobs. But, on the other end, everyone I know who has graduated locally has secured a job here.

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.
26 minutes ago, naptimeRN said:

I had read about the Sawyer Initiative and saw the addendum to the CCNE policies, but in my opinion, it's still pretty open to interpretation and doesn't sound entirely promising. At least not yet.

You need to file complaints to AACN for it to work. Inform your school about the new 2019 CCNE standard and tell them that if they do not place you, you will file a complaint.

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1 hour ago, umbdude said:

You need to file complaints to AACN for it to work. Inform your school about the new 2019 CCNE standard and tell them that if they do not place you, you will file a complaint.

Links saved. Papers printed. Locked and loaded.

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Can someone post links to these CCNE requirements? I am looking for clinical placement for my course starting Feb 2020 and am worried I won't be able to find anything. My school has made it extra difficult by adding stricter requirements on acceptable clinical sites--no specialty clinics, limited hours at urgent cares and retail clinics...basically only a general family practice will do ? Would like to have the official info as backup if I need to address it with my school and I'm having trouble finding it on my own.

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

Here is a summary of what changed (see standard II for clinical site):

https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/CCNE/PDF/Summary-Major-Revisions-to-2018-Standards.pdf

Here's the link to the entire CCNE accreditation standards:

https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/CCNE/PDF/Standards-Final-2018.pdf

I would also consider writing to AACN simultaneously to warn them that they do not take appropriate actions against the school, you will file complaint against the CCNE accreditation with the US Dept of Education. US DoE authorizes the CCNE accreditation, so when enough people complain, AACN will take this more seriously.

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17 hours ago, umbdude said:

Here is a summary of what changed (see standard II for clinical site):

https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/CCNE/PDF/Summary-Major-Revisions-to-2018-Standards.pdf

Here's the link to the entire CCNE accreditation standards:

https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/CCNE/PDF/Standards-Final-2018.pdf

I would also consider writing to AACN simultaneously to warn them that they do not take appropriate actions against the school, you will file complaint against the CCNE accreditation with the US Dept of Education. US DoE authorizes the CCNE accreditation, so when enough people complain, AACN will take this more seriously.

Thank you so much for this!

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Hello, I am currently attending Herzing University in their FNP program. I read about the sawyer initiative as well and reached out to Lori at the CCNE. She was very supportive and gave me a letter to share with my school reinforcing the CCNE standards which require the school to find clinical placement for the students. Once the school clinical placement coordinator found out that I was aware of the guidelines and had been in touch with the CCNE directly, they totally changed their tune. The lady claimed that they do follow the CCNE guidelines and that they never stated that they would not find me clinical placement. I was also notified that I would probably have to travel out of state. I am excited that they are finding me a clinical site but also feel anxious because I have no idea how I am going to pull off traveling to another state, I have no idea where they will be sending me.

I tried to share this information with the other students at herzing but I think they just thought that I was crazy. Lori at the CCNE encouraged me to share the email with my fellow students. May advice to you would be to reach out to the CCNE as there is also a formal complaint process that you can follow if they are not receptive.

Good luck.

Robyn

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