HELP! Women's Health Clinical Hours Needed in NJ!

KristinWW · Aug 9, 2016

Chris, you probably already know this, but many sites have contracts with surrounding schools and can only accept those students. Is your school local?

Editorial Team / Admin · Aug 9, 2016

Have you asked your school for resources or assistance? They may have a list of places where students have previously completed clinical hours that you can use for reference in finding your own preceptor.

Cmbccrn · Aug 9, 2016

I go to Monmouth Univ. About an hour-ish from me.

Cmbccrn · Aug 9, 2016

Yes- have asked them, no real connections, been working on this since Spring semester. Getting very frustrated.

Chris

matthdrn · Aug 15, 2016

I was an out of state student so I had to find all my own preceptors.

My advice is cold call and have a good script on what you are going to say. Be sure to grab an email and have an update resume to send them as well as have electronic package as I call of it of all potential documents you'd need to be at a clinical site (immunizations, PPD, malpractice, RN license copy, any documents from school like a preceptor welcome letter, agreement, expectations etc).

Google, google map practice sites. Don't forget not for profit or places that provide care to low income individuals. Some places love accepting students as it offers them some help as well as potential providers in the future.

Be persistent and make sure you follow up with emails and phone calls. Sometimes a phone call is more effective with first contact then follow up with your resume and what not.

If you are trying to get into a hospital system try calling HR and asking for someone that works with NP interns (sometimes director of nursing or education). Sometimes HR can match you up to someone in the hospital system.

psychiatricNPLV · Aug 16, 2016

Small world, I just graduated from my NP program and did a lot of clinical hours at one of the outpatient programs at Monmouth Medical Center. I found most of my preceptors by asking my current preceptor who introduced me to the next preceptor. For me, it literally went preceptor 1 introduced me to preceptor 2, preceptor 2 introduced me to preceptor 3. Have you tried asking your current preceptor at Monmouth or other hospitals you are at?

I don't think cold calling is a great idea because it takes forever to make a contract especially if you are in a time crunch. Focus on hospitals where your school already has a contract so you have a better way to introduce yourself and much less of a likelihood of being blown off.