I Can't Find A Preceptor!

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU.

Would you believe I cannot find a facility that can provide me with a preceptorship to get my license?

I can't tell you the frustrations I have had after moving from Wisconsin to Arizona. My WI license has been active and in good standing since 1989, and I stopped working in 2002, but I maintained my license "just in case". Last year I moved to Arizona (a compact state with WI), and let me tell you what a pain it has been to get an AZ license! Since I did not work (very loosely defined, as I did not have a paying job) 560 hours in the past 5 years, I could not get a license without taking a refresher course. I am now up to $800 in expenses (and so far cannot work in AZ without an AZ license) for a refresher course, fingerprints, the license fee itself, and am looking forward to at least another $300 in expenses for CPR certification, , and a fee for preceptorship.

Here is my big issue: I need to have 120 clinical hours with a preceptor after I finish my refresher course before I can get my permanent license, but I can't find a facility willing to do this. Each place I have called has been filled with new hires. I am not even being picky about where I go, as long as I can do my hours and be done. I have over 20 years experience in Neonatal ICU, so it's not like I haven't put in some time, and am quite able to function independently!

My initial thought was to get my AZ license "just in case" I needed to go back to work - now I need to go back to work, and can't finish up these requirements.

Can anybody suggest a facility in Scottsdale/Phoenix area?

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Does that mean the fresher course didn't/doesn't facilitate preceptorships?

I preceptored at a hospital over 1 hr away when I took a refresher course because the school that offered the refresher course had an agreement with that facility. I did have to pay extra on top of the refresher course fee for the clinical experience and they sent an instructor over to check up on me a couple of times. I don't remember now how much it was, I think somewhere between $150-400 (it was through a public community college), which I considered a good deal for the experience.

It wasn't in AZ, though, so I can't recommend any specifics!

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU.

I am taking an online refresher course so there is no local school affilliation. I have the name of the facilities who have provided preceptorships for this school before (and this school is on the list of the State Boards approved courses), but they are not interested in precepting a potential new hire!

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Maybe it would help to approach this as a job search. Could you apply for a job on a unit you want to work on. Maybe the hospitals are looking at the amount of time your license has been inactive and wondering how committed you are to working after you precept.

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What part of AZ? If you are in Northern AZ, I am not suprised at all, due to the total disorganization of the Flagstaff hospital. Could you look into the Phoenix area?

Sorry, I re-read this a realized you are in Scottsdale.

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