Preceptors for MSN online Educators

LadyT618, MSN, APRN, NP · May 5, 2012

WOW!! I feel for you. I didn't move and it took me about 4 months to land a preceptor. I attend Walden online. Actually, in my case, I found one right away but the legal agreement took forever to be finalized. I cannot fathom the frustration you are feeling, knowing the end is just that close and locating a preceptor is holding you back. Have you sent out blind emails to every nursing school within a reasonable radius of your home? I mean EVERY single nursing school? Try hospitals as well and their education departments. Wish you the best of luck in your search.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · May 5, 2012

Dear never2kerley: Sent you a private message (PM).

Yenechka · May 5, 2012

I have the same problem. I moved to Arizona and still looking for a preceptor. I will go from door-to-door next week with my resume and introduction letter.

SRDAVIS · May 6, 2012

I too am having this exact problem. I am enrolled in Walden and finding a preceptor is keeping me from completing my MSN. it is extremely frustrating.

JSBoston · May 7, 2012

I am just starting my MSN education degree at Walden... can you explain the difficulty of obtaining a preceptor for the practicum? I almost understand the difficulty of finding on with trying to obtain a RN or BSN, but for education? What about educators in the hospitals you work in?

llg, PhD, RN · May 7, 2012

I think the whole preceptor issue is a HUGE rip-off and should be considered a scandal in nursing education. Colleges take students' money ... and then expect the student to supply their own teachers. The preceptor does most of the teaching and the school collects the money. The preceptor gets nothing unless there is a private arrangement made between the preceptor and student.

I have preceptored several graduate students in my career -- and believe me, it is not always easy. It takes my time, my patients, my expertise, etc. and not once has any school ever compensated or rewarded me in any way. Some schools (one very large, very famous, online program) don't even communicate with the preceptor in any way. (In one case, I tried to contact the school about a severe problem with the student and could never get through to anyone at the school who cared.)

My recommendation for any prospective student reading this is: Never begin a program that requires a preceptorship unless you have a preceptor arrangement worked out ahead of time or unless you are going to a school that will provide a preceptor. Don't invest your time and/or money in the classes until you know you have the means to finish and graduate.

For those of you already in programs: Start looking now. Don't wait until the last minute. Make professional connections. Attend local nursing events where you might meet potential preceptors. Discuss your education with people at your work -- and everone you know who might know something. Make an "information only" meeting with someone "in the know" within your community (where you will let them educate you about the lay of the land in your community). etc.

And be sure to put the lack of support from your school into any program evaluation you do. The accrediting agencies need to step up to the plate and do something to help this situation.

llg, PhD, RN · May 7, 2012

I am just starting my MSN education degree at Walden... can you explain the difficulty of obtaining a preceptor for the practicum? I almost understand the difficulty of finding on with trying to obtain a RN or BSN, but for education? What about educators in the hospitals you work in?

It's a reasonable question JSBoston. Read my diatribe above. :specs:

Also, people often underestimate the work that preceptors have to do (assuming they want to do a good job). In the last few weeks, I have been VERY busy at work ... but I have also had the added burden of having to read major papers/projects from the 2 graduate students I have been precepting for the past year. Both have had major projects to finish up before graduation and rightly expected me to advise them on those projects. That added a lot of work to my load. I like both of these students -- who are both excellent students -- and I don't regret being their preceptor -- but it has taken a lot of my time and attention lately. And I get nothing for it other than personal satisfaction.

Not all students do well -- and when you are a preceptor, it's hard to back out half-way through. And unfortunately, the school faculty is often not very prepared to support you through a difficult situation. If the student works for your facility, it can become a political nightmare. I've had that happen, too. And again ... I got nothing for my time and trouble.

Yenechka · May 7, 2012

My school actually pays its' preceptors (not much but still), gives them CEUs, and supposedly helps them through the difficult times. But it is very unusual for a school to pay. I also understand that it is harder for my school to find preceptors for all of us, as we live all over the US and some islands, and some even live in Europe. I am not sure if they are going to move back to the US to get their clinicals done.

JSBoston · May 9, 2012

How much work is necessary for the preceptor (when the student obtains a msn education degree)? For those who have finished a practicum or precepted a student completing a practicum, I'd looove a little advice! I'm just taking the first orientation class at Walden

rbs105, ADN, MSN, RN · May 10, 2012

To play the devil's advocate here, I feel my preceptor got 2 semesters OFF from having to do quite a bit of work that I took over for her as her student!! I wrote her exams, planned her assignments, solved student issues, oversaw clinical, etc etc. There were entire classes that I taught for her! I appreciate her, but felt I lightened her load quite a bit.

How to find a preceptor? I sent a letter around to all the directors of nursing schools in my area with an explantation of what I needed (type of teaching, hours needed, description of my university, etc) as well as my resume with contact info on both. I followed up 2 weeks later. I made sure to send them to schools where I wanted to eventually work for. I interviewed with 2 schools and turned down an interview with another. I spent about 4-5 months teaching, doing clinical, etc, while my preceptor got a nice bit of a break, if you ask me. I did not apply for a job with that school (this is the other nice thing about precepting where you THINK you want to teach-you may get in there and realize you DONT want to teach there!) but got a very nice job doing clinicals for a very good college.

I started looking 4 months before I needed to start the preceptorship. I feel I was very supported by Drexel University, where I was getting my MSN from and that was with me doing my preceptorship on the other side of the country!! It was a great, eye opening experience. I had to video tape my teaching and send it in for evaluation as well as be evaluated by my preceptor. Happy to be done and I hope to help another do it someday!

rbs105

llg, PhD, RN · May 10, 2012

To play the devil's advocate here, I feel my preceptor got 2 semesters OFF from having to do quite a bit of work that I took over for her as her student!! I wrote her exams, planned her assignments, solved student issues, oversaw clinical, etc etc. There were entire classes that I taught for her! I appreciate her, but felt I lightened her load quite a bit.

It sounds like you were a great student rbs105 -- and that you had a preceptor who was not interested in teaching/mentoring you very much. It sounds as if she took advantage of her good luck in getting such a capable and industrious student.

That's not always the case. Some students (even graduate students) have the "C=RN" mentality. (I guess I should call it the "C=MSN mentality." )They want to do the bare minimum needed to pass the course. They may be working a job, raising a family, etc. and just want their preceptors to "sign the paper" that will let them pass the course -- with only doing the minimal amount of work themselves.

Other students may have a decent attitude, but don't have the skills to work independently and need the preceptor to actively teach them to do every little thing and supervise their work closely.

Having preceptored 9 graduate students ... my experience has been varied. I've had a few great ones, a few problematic ones, and a few in-between.