Help NP clinical advice after hours

barcode120x, RN, NP · Apr 1

I've never heard of a primary care clinic doing overnight or after hours and I will doubt you will find anything like that. You need to plan for attending clinical hours to be during regular working hours, the typical M-F 9-5, etc. Saturday and Sunday daytime hours are possible, but I would imagine those clinics are very hard to come by in the primary care setting. Be prepared to have to find your own clinic and preceptors as most NP programs do not provide placement. Some offer assistance in finding placement, but it probably isn't anything guaranteed. This is a normal thing nowadays so just because a program doesn't offer clinical placement for you, I wouldn't deem it as untrustworthy.

My biggest advice is get started early in finding preceptors before you start your program as you don't want to fall behind (as I did) on clinical hours and have to extend an extra 1 or 2 semesters just to complete hours. It's also important to find and research reputable schools/NP programs first and look at the curriculum so you know how many hours you need for primary care, OB, peds, and any additional that may be required or accepted. It's also just as important to find preceptors for OB and peds early in addition to primary care.

Hope this helps.

AmandaPBSN · Apr 2

Thank you so very much for telling me! It has been a concern of mine to find a clinical location and preceptor. I'm very nervous about it. Thank you for informing me to secure clinical in advance!

I do hope you do not have to extend for two semesters. It is unfortunate it's become a norm for it to be difficult to get clinical hours accomplished; especially with the provider deficit we face in the US. Hopefully, things will improve!

Kind regards and best wishes to you on your journey!

FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP · Apr 2

I have never heard of a primary care clinic offering extended hours. There are some that are open on Saturdays.

An option might be Urgent Care, either a stand-alone center or one attached to a hospital. These are generally open Saturday, some on Sunday, and they usually are open until 8 to 10 pm.

Finally, a nursing home will need people 7 days a week. I don't know if they have an NP or MD working 24 hours a day, maybe some do.

Occuptional Health clinics might be open for extended hours or some weekend days.

Finally, look for doctor's weight loss centers - many employ NPs and they are usually open on evenings and Saturdays.

Good luck.

AmandaPBSN · Apr 3

Thank you so very much for the ideas! I had not thought about a weight loss clinic as a clinical location! It is worth a try! I have been in email communications with the clinical coordinator trying to figure out what would be deemed "acceptable”; and trying to get clarification on if the FNP program is possible for me! I have been wanting to become an NP for five years. I listened to my clinical instructors and professors in my BSN program; whom all told me to wait and develop "critical thinking" and "nurse brain" from having experience before going back to school. Now I am in a tough position with very little flexibility in my schedule due to my responsibilities.

Seemingly, I have good reason to be nervous as securing clinical locations and preceptors is a challenge from what I am reading and hearing.

Thank you for all of the kind suggestions!

Kind regards 🙏🏻

londonflo · Apr 11

AmandaPBSN said:

especially with the provider deficit we face in the US.

can you elaborate on this?