sites for finding FNP preceptors

[CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN]

I have just begun my journey towards and FNP program. My school, like many others, do not place students (although they says they offer support). I was wondering if anyone has had experience using websites that help find preceptors. Are they easy to use, reliable, how expensive? Have you used a program once, and then used the match a second time at the same facility?

[CollegeKid2020, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

I am looking for help with this too.

[CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN]

A few people in one of my facebook groups recommended NP Hub. So, I registered, and did a search, which showed available preceptors "near me". I haven't gone beyond the cursory search, though. The idea of paying for clinicals is both daunting, but honestly feels fair. It would be a lot of work for someone to teach me everything, especially if there's no real 'benefit' to them. But, the spending of the money........

[CollegeKid2020, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

5 minutes ago, CalicoKitty said:

A few people in one of my facebook groups recommended NP Hub. So, I registered, and did a search, which showed available preceptors "near me". I haven't gone beyond the cursory search, though. The idea of paying for clinicals is both daunting, but honestly feels fair. It would be a lot of work for someone to teach me everything, especially if there's no real 'benefit' to them. But, the spending of the money........

That was the first website I had found. I stopped looking once I saw that I would have to pay. I saw rates of $12.50/hr. I do not like the thought of a student paying a teacher. I want a preceptor that wants to teach me, not one that teaches me because I am paying them.

[CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN]

While I somewhat agree, not entirely. Your class professors are paid for your time. The clinical advisors in school are paid for their time. But, the reality is that the preceptor is getting paid by nobody (unless you pay), and the expectation that people should volunteer for all of the work (everything from their application to the school, day-to-day instruction, double-checking everything, and hundreds of hours of supervision, etc). I think they deserve to be paid for it. Of course, if you find a willing preceptor, by all means use them, especially if it is people you know/work-with.

[CollegeKid2020, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

15 minutes ago, CalicoKitty said:

While I somewhat agree, not entirely. Your class professors are paid for your time. The clinical advisors in school are paid for their time. But, the reality is that the preceptor is getting paid by nobody (unless you pay), and the expectation that people should volunteer for all of the work (everything from their application to the school, day-to-day instruction, double-checking everything, and hundreds of hours of supervision, etc). I think they deserve to be paid for it. Of course, if you find a willing preceptor, by all means use them, especially if it is people you know/work-with.

I agree they should be paid. But to me, the student paying the preceptor to precept and teach makes that relationship inappropriate in a sense. I think a more appropriate payment could be something such as agreeing to come back to work for them or completing a fixed amount of unpaid volunteer hours. One way or another I hope I can find a good and willing preceptor and I am even willing to relocate.

[203bravo, MSN, APRN]

On 8/3/2022 at 10:15 PM, CollegeKid2020 said:

That was the first website I had found. I stopped looking once I saw that I would have to pay. I saw rates of $12.50/hr. I do not like the thought of a student paying a teacher. I want a preceptor that wants to teach me, not one that teaches me because I am paying them.

Then feel assured that most of the $$ that is paid to these sites goes to the administrators of the site.  Very little (a very small % of what a student pays) goes to the preceptor.  ?

[barcode120x, RN, NP]

If you are going your campus for your NP Program and get to know your instructors, they are a great resource to ask for preceptors if they cannot do so themselves. Your next best resource is your place of employment, especially if you work in the hospital (tele, M/S, CC). Many hospitals and internal med doctors do primary care outside of the hospital. I've come across a few speciality docs who also do primary care. Your very own PCP can serve as a preceptor. I was very lucky with my preceptors. I did a majority of primary care hours with my own PCP and with a hospitalist at my work who did primary care. As for peds, I did have to go out and ask, but I was lucky again with the very first location accepting me. My clinical advisor was able to hook me up with an OBGYN too.
 

As for NP hub, I do have to say it is legit as well as some of the other NP sites. I've come across several NP colleagues who have used sites to pay for a preceptor. It's terrible how other NPs and MDs take advantage of us students by charging us but that's their nature so yeah. The NP students I came across made a valid point that the loans will eventually be paid off so if one can start right away and knock out their hours quickly might as well do it.