Should I pay for clinical hours for an NP preceptor, and if so, how much is too much to pay?

I'm in an online Psych NP program right now, and last Summer (Summer 2019), I had to drop my courses because I couldn't find preceptors for my courses. So I was delayed for an entire year to retake these courses now. I hate to say it like this, but in a sense, I lucked out with Coronavirus because now these two Summer courses don't require a clinical component and are done virtually.

However, I am going to need clinical hours in the fall. And I swore to myself that with everything I went through and as far as I've gotten in this program, I am absolutely NOT going to let not having all the preceptor stuff keep me from completing this program!

I've decided to go through with a recruiting agency because of how stringent my program's requirements are in terms of a preceptor. The person has to be board certified, and I have to get a certain number of hours in adults, in Geri, in pediatrics, in addiction, etc., etc., etc. So that narrows my options as I have to seek preceptors or facilities that take patients across the lifespan, aren't a solo practice, and will offer in-site hours on a regular basis (because if a preceptor only works for 20 hours a week with a student, or is only available two days a week, how am I supposed to get my hours?!). It's quite frustrating!

These recruiters have some really high fees for some of these places! For one place is $2000 for a semester, and for another is $3300 a semester. I mean, I can afford it, but it is a lot of money. And I'm worried the site may have issues where they can't get me the hours I need. Or did I hit a roadblock from my program in terms of approving everything? Then again, this is the time of Coronavirus, and I don't want to be the person who couldn't get a clinical preceptor again.

Should I hold my nose and make a payment? Maybe this will be worth the lack of stress for the fall semester.

[RN/WI, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I just hope to get through, and I will remember to pay back by helping others once I get experience by allowing future students the opportunity to fulfill their goals. All of us need to remember this when we get there.

[SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP]

Tegridy said:

Students are dumb enough to pay to go to programs that do not find preceptors, so why would they provide them?

IMO they aren't giving you the full educational experience, but hey, if people are willing to buy a cat turd, then buddy that thing for sale.

Not everyone has the luxury of living close enough to a school that provides preceptors. Or if they do, it has the specialty you want. I live near a Big Ten university that places NP students in clinical, but they only offer FNP & Gero. I want ACNP, and they don't offer it. I had no choice but to go to a school that required me to find preceptors. There are no programs nearby that place students and offer ACNP. Even the "other" Big Ten school in our state doesn't place students, and they have their own university-owned healthcare system!

For what it's worth, the NP students I know who attended the local program were placed anywhere in the state. Some had to drive 4 to 8 hours away for clinical, which meant paying for a hotel or renting a condo for their rotation. Or they had to go to community health or correctional facilities in not-so-great areas, cars broken into, purses stolen, etc. The grass isn't necessarily greener.

The school I'm going to encourages us to look up former preceptors in the Typhon system to help us find sites. They will place us if we've exhausted all our options, but they can (and usually do) place us anywhere in the country. Right now, none of the hospitals in my area are taking students, so come fall, I may have to get placed by the school in another state. COVID has really thrown a monkey wrench into the mix.

[A Hit With The Ladies, BSN, RN]

verene said:

But if the school isn't helping - what exactly are you paying them for?

It's an online program. They said that in their student handbook, the student is responsible for finding their own clinical sites. I'll do whatever it takes to get the hours that I need.

[A Hit With The Ladies, BSN, RN]

We use eLogs instead of Typhon. Thank you so much for your help! Through connections (Dad has a friend whose brother-in-law is in high places in the Houston medical community), I was able to secure a psychiatrist preceptor! But I'll still go through NPHub to the bank in additional hours in the future ?

I tried the Texas Nurse Practitioners (TNP) preceptor database, but most of the people on there weren't precepting ? The data must have been out of date!

[A Hit With The Ladies, BSN, RN]

BostonFNP said:

FWIW, changes made effective in 2019 for NP program accreditation:

"While the following statement is not new to the 2018 Standards, the elaboration to Key Element III-H specifically states, "Clinical practice experiences are provided for students in all programs, including those with distance education offerings.” Please note, this key element does not prohibit programs from allowing students to play an active role in identifying clinical practice experiences, but if a student is unable to find an appropriate clinical practice experience, the program is ultimately responsible for providing this."

https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/CCNE/PDF/Summary-Major-Revisions-to-2018-Standards.pdf

The Sawyer Initiative is empty rhetoric. You can file a complaint with the AACN (I did that last year), and I promise you nothing will come of it. They won't actually threaten to revoke accreditation from your program if they don't find you a preceptor.

[A Hit With The Ladies, BSN, RN]

Here in Texas, the UT Health System schools will set you up with preceptors. Granted, they may not be close to where you live, but you avoid the stress and paperwork! Many of my closest friends from my BSN program have gone to these schools. I wish I had done the same—brick-and-mortar over online, for sure.