Preceptors.. Please clarify?

Specialties NP

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If someone does an online NP program and needs preceptors, do they just go out and find NP's and MD's to "shadow" and work with on their own?

Can someone please explain that process?

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

When I was setting up clinicals, I had to have clear-cut objectives, a contract signed and agreed to by both the preceptor and clinical instructor, plus appropriate permissions to do my clinical experience at whatever facility/office I was at.

When I was setting up clinicals, I had to have clear-cut objectives, a contract signed and agreed to by both the preceptor and clinical instructor, plus appropriate permissions to do my clinical experience at whatever facility/office I was at.

Umm... okay.

So, does a NP student have to go out and personally find preceptors? Do they get to do rotations in the ED, Cardio, Peds, etc.? It seems to be quite the task to set up your own clinical rotations.

I cannot speak for all programs. I was in a combo online/on campus program and I had to find all of my preceptors. The school had said they would "help" if I had problems. I had been a RN with a lot of experience plus tend to be pretty mouthy so I cold-called people (NPs and physicians). The school had a very basic peds/OB requirement, I wanted to have a better base so I found urgent care and specialty clinics in addition to two family practice settings. Yes, it is quite the task, but it's your only shot at getting the experience while having the comfort of having student status!

Specializes in Acute Care - Cardiology.

i had to set my clinical rotations up as well. my program was not online, but i lived 4.5 hours from campus... so one day a week i was in class, then i would drive home and do my 3 days of clinical time. each school is different in their requirements. for me, i knew that the first rotation was a required outpatient adult internal med rotation. so, the school provided me with a facility agreement (where they show how much you are insured for, through the school, etc.), and a contract between the two facilities, plus an agreement that so-and-so would be my preceptor for x amount of time. i took my paperwork and called up someone i wanted to do my rotation with. at the time, http://www.npfinder.com was unavailable. i just found my preceptor in the phone book or online at my local/state np site. then, my next semester, i knew i was going to do an inpatient general medicine rotation, so i called up a hospitalist group at the hospital and asked them if i could set something up with one of the hospitalists. done. same process. new contract, new facility agreement, new preceptor. then my program allows you to choose your last two clinical semesters according to where you need more experience or know you want to work. i knew i wanted to do an icu rotation as an np, so the school actually suggested someone... same process. last clinical semester, i was actually approached by a cardiologist (who i work for now :)) about whether or not i had an interest in cardiology when i was finished with school... i said "yes," and i called him up to set up my last clinical rotation. same process. new facility agreement and contract.

some schools provide preceptors for you and some just sit back and let you handle it, but will assist if necessary. my program, for everyone else i was in class with, wanted to set them up for you... but because i was a distance student, i was able to do it on my own.

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Thanks for the info Daisy - your progress sounds like mine. Fortunately, like another poster, I am not the shy and retiring type so I went up to several APNs and MDs that I knew and/or liked their style and point blank asked them. I did get a few turn downs due to time contraints or they just didn't want to teach but for the most part, I had fantastic experiences.

i had to set my clinical rotations up as well. my program was not online, but i lived 4.5 hours from campus... so one day a week i was in class, then i would drive home and do my 3 days of clinical time. each school is different in their requirements. for me, i knew that the first rotation was a required outpatient adult internal med rotation. so, the school provided me with a facility agreement (where they show how much you are insured for, through the school, etc.), and a contract between the two facilities, plus an agreement that so-and-so would be my preceptor for x amount of time. i took my paperwork and called up someone i wanted to do my rotation with. at the time, www.npfinder.com was unavailable. i just found my preceptor in the phone book or online at my local/state np site. then, my next semester, i knew i was going to do an inpatient general medicine rotation, so i called up a hospitalist group at the hospital and asked them if i could set something up with one of the hospitalists. done. same process. new contract, new facility agreement, new preceptor. then my program allows you to choose your last two clinical semesters according to where you need more experience or know you want to work. i knew i wanted to do an icu rotation as an np, so the school actually suggested someone... same process. last clinical semester, i was actually approached by a cardiologist (who i work for now :)) about whether or not i had an interest in cardiology when i was finished with school... i said "yes," and i called him up to set up my last clinical rotation. same process. new facility agreement and contract.

some schools provide preceptors for you and some just sit back and let you handle it, but will assist if necessary. my program, for everyone else i was in class with, wanted to set them up for you... but because i was a distance student, i was able to do it on my own.

thank you! which program did you attend?

Specializes in ER; CCT.
if someone does an online np program and needs preceptors, do they just go out and find np's and md's to "shadow" and work with on their own?

can someone please explain that process?

at usi you have to find your own. i would characterize the process of finding preceptors as being assertive with a borderline tempered aggressive amway salesman attitude. you have to be extremely persistent as schools (at least mine) will not hold your hand and find one for you. persistence and determination are the driving forces that will ultimately dictate your success with finding preceptors.

as calvin coolidge once said "nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

Specializes in Acute Care - Cardiology.
thank you! which program did you attend?

i went to the university of texas medical branch - galveston, which has since been affected by an unmentionable "ike." :) and you're welcome...

I guess I have a difficult time with the whole 'cold calling' doctors and NPs and asking them to be a preceptor.

I'd rather follow a clinical curriculum set up by the school. ASU in Arizona has a hybrid online/in person program but they set up the clinicals.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Nursing Education.

What I did was I called the local hospital and talked to HR. That got me through to a lot of places that wouldn't even give me the time a day if I cold called - a lot of them had concerns re: crazies calling and wanting access to patients.

Other than that I used clinics I knew of or used. It just made it easier on me.

One site my school set up for me and that worked out well too... and they didn't really set it up, just suggested the site and that site worked out GREAT. i did an oncampus program where we traveled back and forth and we submitted our papers and got our assignments online... but other than that we were on-campus.

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