Schools That Provide Preceptors

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Do they still exist? Ones with assigned clinical sites/preceptors? The schools I have spoken with all claim they "help" but I see coworkers that cant progress through their degree due to lack of preceptors. I move a lot due to my husbands job so I do not have a big network and online programs are my best bet. But I do not want to invest in a program and get stuck without preceptors. I would prefer a school in the Southeast and I am curious if any still actually do assign preceptors or if that is a thing of the past. Anyone know of any? 

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.

All this talk about preceptors confuses me. As a student, I was always under the supervision of my nursing instructor. In my opinion, the school of nursing should finish the job, even if it means placing the (almost graduated) student on the hospital floor to work as a new nurse with their nursing instructors supervising them. That's almost what we did as seniors in Advanced Med Surge in my Diploma nursing school. We had almost a full load of patients, with instructor supervision.

Now, they graduate students who are anxious, fumbling, and lost on the floor, and they expect the overworked nurses on the floor to supervise the newbies. 

I don't get it.

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.
12 hours ago, beeker said:

Do they still exist? Ones with assigned clinical sites/preceptors? The schools I have spoken with all claim they "help" but I see coworkers that cant progress through their degree de to lack of preceptors. I move a lot due to my husbands job so I do not have a big network and online programs are my best bet. But I do not want to invest in a program and get stuck without preceptors. I would prefer a school in the Southeast and I am curious if any still actually do assign preceptors or if that is a thing of the past. Anyone know of any? 

Georgetown sets up preceptors for you and they are online as well.

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Specializes in ER/PACU.

Are you talking for NP programs? Yes they exist. Texas Women’s (men can go too!), Carson Newman, and Walsh University secure your sites for you. Kentucky Christian wants you to try to get preceptors but if you aren’t having luck they start calling around places for you. The programs are all online so I wouldn’t worry too much about where they are... other than you have to travel there for the weekend of Clinical Workshop. 

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Yes. B&M schools in my state do if you can't find one on your own. That was one of my top necessities when choosing a program. Don't pay tuition where you're not getting your money's worth. If you pay for a program, you should be provided the tools you need to succeed, and preceptors are a major/mandatory need.

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On 5/30/2021 at 5:10 AM, NurseSugar said:

Are you talking for NP programs? Yes they exist. Texas Women’s (men can go too!), Carson Newman, and Walsh University secure your sites for you. Kentucky Christian wants you to try to get preceptors but if you aren’t having luck they start calling around places for you. The programs are all online so I wouldn’t worry too much about where they are... other than you have to travel there for the weekend of Clinical Workshop. 

Definitely applied to TWU for this reason. They do have a small gray area though if you apply to the program and you’re not licensed in an authorized state, there may be some question of eligibility. There are 34 according to their websites’ FAQ 

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Specializes in ORTHO, PCU, ED.

Carson Newman DOES NOT provide preceptors. I have a friend at Carson Newman. She has had to search for her own.

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Specializes in ER/PACU.

For all of her clinicals? When I talked to them, students had to find the first 60 hour primary care section. The rest the school set up.  With so many practices continuing to say they aren’t taking students due to covid it’s hard for sure. Plus the plethora of NP programs. 

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On 5/30/2021 at 7:10 AM, NurseSugar said:

Are you talking for NP programs? Yes they exist. Texas Women’s (men can go too!), Carson Newman, and Walsh University secure your sites for you. Kentucky Christian wants you to try to get preceptors but if you aren’t having luck they start calling around places for you. The programs are all online so I wouldn’t worry too much about where they are... other than you have to travel there for the weekend of Clinical Workshop. 

They all SAY they do assist with finding preceptors, but when very few actually do. Their sales pitch says they do. When you talk to alumni you fnd out they are selling you a pile .....

So really my questions is, do you know someone who went to these schools and the schools actually provided the preceptors?

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

I had connections with people before starting school that had agreed to be preceptors, so I was confident starting out that I would be okay. My concern with a school that assigned preceptors was that I heard of students being assigned a preceptor who had multiple students and didn't have time for instruction. Or worse, preceptors that didn't spend time with their students and basically left them to flounder for the semester. I wasn't too happy with the quality of the education at my program, but because I chose preceptors that I already knew from working with them or through recommendation of people I trusted, I had excellent clinical experiences. I understand that if the OP moves frequently it could be difficult to make connections, but there are some APRN networks out there with listings of people willing to precept students.  Good luck!

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Specializes in ER/PACU.

Well that is lucky for you. KCU does not allow preceptors to have more than two students total and you have to be the only one your days with the practitioner. I can’t speak for if other programs do a bait and switch. I’m trying to find my own but the Clinical Coordinator knows I’m struggling and she is calling sites as well. So you have to have evaluate each program individually… I wish I had full placement but I am happy that KCU is hands on helping. If you work for a large hospital system many of them offer help as well. Contact the office of Education or HR. 

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Specializes in CTICU.

U Pitt provided clinical rotations, or you can choose your own if you have contacts.

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