So which school DON'T make you find your own preceptors?

Conqueror+, BSN, RN · Nov 1, 2013

I would like to know as well. For 50k in tuition I still have to do all of that work ?

TashaLPN2006RN2012, ASN, RN · Nov 1, 2013

To me, better to find your own and be comfortable with who is teaching you, than to be stuck with some schumak who treats you poorly...however, I do know that GU and Simmons have "placement teams" to help place you, although simmons allows you to submit names to them and they will do the leg work to set up clinicals...I think Chamberlain helps you set them up to, and I know UC you have to find your own preceptors, but again they will do all the paperwork and i don't believe it's required to have a list of them prior to being accepted! That's kinda crazy considering that person might not even be practicing or may have moved when you actually start clinicals a year from now!

allnurses Guide · Nov 2, 2013

To me better to find your own and be comfortable with who is teaching you, than to be stuck with some schumak who treats you poorly.![/quote']
Not always the case .
Any school that assists with preceptors uses preceptors that are trusted and have a demonstrated track record educating APN students. Often these are the best preceptors in a given area.

Conqueror+, BSN, RN · Nov 2, 2013

Also, everyone doesn't have the network to find their own. I had 2 that were willing but their practice is part of a medical management group that only contracts with 1 local B&M school. There are lots of variables and for 60k the school should do something. I'll have plenty of time to print resumes and pound the pavement when I look for a position.

BritFNP · Nov 5, 2013

Big schools with in-class programs (nothing online), like University of Texas Austin for example, find your preceptors/schedule your rotations for you. It is my understanding that any distance program whether completely online or partially it is mostly left up to you.

priorities2 · Nov 6, 2013

I agree with the previous two posters. Also, you don't know what the landscape will look like in 1-2 years when you are starting the clinical portion of your online NP program. Who knows if the bottleneck of NP students unable to find preceptors will get worse? It makes sense to pay for a program that provides the entirety of your education and guarantees its quality. Health care providers shouldn't put convenience over quality -- most people have to make sacrifices for their education (spending time outside the house, not being able to look at notes while taking a test, moving, competing for a limited number of spots). Education is growth and growth is not meant to be easy, especially when people's wellbeing will be in your hands.

davesbride · Nov 10, 2013

priorities2

I completely agree with you!!I have been accepted to Georgetown FNP online program and they arrange the preceptors for my clinicals. Yes my school is expensive but having someone else handle my preceptors takes some of the stress off of me and allows me to focus on my studies. It was a trade off I was willing to make. For me Less $$ = More stress. I want to be the very best nurse practitioner I can be for my patients and that means putting all of my effort into my education not looking for a preceptor. My husband asked me when I was considering programs " Why do the hard things- not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills" (to paraphrase JFK)!

NJprisonrn · Nov 10, 2013

UPENN does. Stockton also does a great job in placing people, which is where I go. These are brick and mortar programs. Not sure about online only ones.

gettingbsn2msn, MSN, RN · Nov 10, 2013

I would only attend a brick and mortar school. You get what you pay for. Np jobs are not as plentiful as everyone seems to think!

rninme · Nov 10, 2013

My B&M school also finds preceptors for us. It is a hybrid program - combination of classroom and some online. All clinical classes are "in-person".