getting a clinical letter of recommendation from an APN - how?

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Specializes in adult psych, LTC/SNF, child psych.

I've wanted to apply to an FNP program for quite some time now, but am finally digging in and doing it. I'm finding the applications process pretty straight forward (aside from Georgetown's required video essay in lieu of an interview), but I've hit a bit of a road block in seeking my letters of recommendation. I just shadowed a FNP who taught me in undergrad and in my post-bac nursing ed certificate program yesterday morning. I didn't do anything clinical while with her, just watched her see and assess patients, asking appropriate questions and interacting with the patients too. I'm using her as my academic reference but I though that shadowing her as an APN would be a good opportunity. I asked her about writing me a "clinical" letter of recommendation and she said she couldn't, because she didn't observe my clinical skills. This makes sense but, when I talked to the recruiter at Georgetown, she (recruiter) encouraged me to prod the nurse I shadowed to talk about my "clinical" skills she observed, like "being intuitive".

I don't work with any APNs on a regular basis. We do have a consulting PMPNP but she's only in once a week and I haven't had too much interaction with her. I asked her if I could shadow her and she said she couldn't do it because her employer requires shadowees to be affiliated with a school, so that's out of the question. I work with an MD who I'm sure might be able to write me a letter of recommendation, but he's not a nurse!

Am I missing something? How did you manage to get a letter of recommendation from an APN?

I've only been at my new place of employment for 3 months now, so I'm not 100% comfortable asking all of my colleagues to help me with this. I was unemployed from July 2012-May 2013, taught high school CNA students from January 2012-May 2012 and was a nurse on an inpatient psych unit from July 2009-January 2012. I feel very comfortable getting a supervisory letter of recommendation as well as an academic recommendation, but the clinical one has me stumped.

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