Stop the preceptor madness!

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I just counted 21 posts on the main page alone that were all NP students looking for preceptors. How long is this madness going to continue? Why are schools not providing preceptors for their students? My school finds all our preceptors for us, as it should be, and it was one of the requirements I had when choosing a program. If we stop applying to schools that won't find you your preceptor then they'll be forced to adapt! No professional should have to beg.

It is ridiculous, however, that we have to at all.

You don't -- you could choose to attend a school that provides preceptors.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
In your experience, who awards the doctoral credits? Preceptor or preceptee's school?

The school.

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Specializes in Cardiac (adult), CC, Peds, MH/Substance.
The school.

Well, I knew it was THE school. But preceptor or preceptee's? Guessing you meant preceptee's, since in the absence of the preceptor having applied to a DNP program, only one of them is definitely in school.

I got my preceptor in a box of cracker jacks.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
Well, I knew it was THE school. But preceptor or preceptee's? Guessing you meant preceptee's, since in the absence of the preceptor having applied to a DNP program, only one of them is definitely in school.

I got my preceptor in a box of cracker jacks.

Oh, sorry. The credits come from the school that the preceptee/student attends.

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Specializes in ICU, trauma, neuro.

Most people have to work full time in the course of obtaining their Master's or Ph'd throughout the majority of the program (as did my significant other). Most schools that provide preceptors also dictate your schedule making the difficult or impossible. One of the reasons that I owe nearly 100K is that I went to such a school for my ASN and borrowed money to support my family (in addition to tuition) in order that I didn't have to work. It is a blessing that schools like the University of Southern Indiana provide an online opportunity to earn an NP in the $300.00 per credit hour range. Also, they will help me find a preceptor IF i want to come to Indiana (but I live in Florida). Thus, my original point it's a challenge, but also a blessing.

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
Most people have to work full time in the course of obtaining their Master's or Ph'd throughout the majority of the program (as did my significant other). Most schools that provide preceptors also dictate your schedule making the difficult or impossible. One of the reasons that I owe nearly 100K is that I went to such a school for my ASN and borrowed money to support my family (in addition to tuition) in order that I didn't have to work. It is a blessing that schools like the University of Southern Indiana provide an online opportunity to earn an NP in the $300.00 per credit hour range. Also, they will help me find a preceptor IF i want to come to Indiana (but I live in Florida). Thus, my original point it's a challenge, but also a blessing.[/quote

Wow. I'm in shock that anyone in $100,000 debt just signs on for more debt

Blown away.

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Specializes in ICU, trauma, neuro.

Well, I have a plan sort of. My significant other didn't accept the 120K job because of the drive Instead she currently only making about 70K less than she did bedside in the ICU. However, she has been offered a telemedcine Arizona job at 80 per hour. If I can graduate and replicate her success then together we should gross about 350K per year together rather than the 150K we earned bedside (both number before tax). In addition, the only benefit I do receive from work is 5K of tuition reinbursement which does pay for most of my tuition. Also, I have a plan/hope/aspiration of one day offering 24 hour med management telepsych services and to be licensed in many states. My SO currently finds that many of her clients desire evening appointments because they have to see a provider every month and this requires that they take a day off work and use vacation time since the clinic where she works isn't open after 5PM. If none of this works I can always stay in school part time, deferring my loans forever and die in debt. My family will still get my 500K in 20 year term life insurance and have something. Also, keep in mind that really the only thing I really aspire towards since the day I became an RN was to live in Hawaii (really Kauai), to hike, snorkel, swim, play video games, and maybe garden (okay I would also like to have a paranormal ghost tour that offered a pasta dinner afterwards and maybe had homeless puppies for the kids to play with/adopt in Kauai). The odds against these things are long but they are the reason I live my life way down here in Florida.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
There is no way that I could afford to go to traditional graduate school. I earn 80K per year right now and cannot even afford medical benefits (I work without benefits paying the Affordable Healthcare Act penalty each year) due to previous student loans and other debts. I owe 100k in student loans, have no 401K and don't even own a home at 48 and my 16 year old son is getting ready to start college.I will also assert that my online courses that I take at the University of Southern Indiana are every bit as challenging as the undergraduate on site courses that I had for my ASN at Ivy Tech in Indianapolis or at Ball State, also in Indiana.

Honestly, now doesn't sound like the right time for you to be going back to school.

Having graduate school classes that are "every bit as challenging" as low tier undergraduate classes isn't a compelling argument.

Take me some time, get some stability, and go to a quality program. It is a much better investment in your future that way.

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Specializes in ICU, trauma, neuro.

Well I'm two years into the program getting ready for my clinical component. This is my "last best hope" of having the financial means to realize my dream of moving to Hawaii. I'm 48 and not getting any younger and lifting 400 pound patients in the ICU nightly without techs on a nightly basis (and helping every other nurse do the same since I am often the only bigger male) is breaking me down. About once a month I "pull something" and walk like an 80 year old man for a week despite maxing out NSAIDs. I'm getting "A's" and my significant other prospered under similar circumstances and "got out" of our "hell ICU" (although her injury to her ankle sustained while hiking in Hawaii on vacation and the paid time off helped her get through her last semester to some extent). I will try until I fail (hopefully not) and then try some more. I would also point out that the University of Southern Indiana has been ranked as one of the top programs in the nation more than once. Their certification pass rate for FNP and Psych NP's is usually at or close to 100%. I don't aspire to be the personification of a great provider. Simply to do a least a "passable" job of providing medicine management reasonable prices, during all hours of the night (I would say service with a smile but my semi autistic personality actually means for me that I can't smile unless it is spontaneous even looking people in the eyes is a serious challenge).

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Specializes in ICU, trauma, neuro.

Also, (and for some reason I can't seem to edit my post above) and in a more prosaic sense I take issue with the more generalized assertion that somehow online education is of less value. I would instead submit that it is different. Some people prosper in a more traditional classroom format and others do better with online formats (and indeed could only go to school with the flexibility that format often provides). The crux of the issue is diversity and "to each his own". Going back to my original post in this thread getting preceptors is a challenge (often even for the most traditional programs) and this is even more the case when you have to find one on your own. Here is a proactive solution that will benefit future students. If you are struggling to find a preceptor now, resolve to yourself to be a resource to others in the future. It is the same way I feel about "horizontal" workplace bullying. If you can remember the sting that it inflicted upon you (if you've ever experienced such an event) first and foremost resolve to go the extra mile not to inflict it upon others most especially newer nurses and students. I try to be nice to everyone at work (save perhaps for the merchants of misery who run our hospital and profit on the backs of patients, nurses and other staff), but I make an even greater effort towards newer nurses, students (on those rare occasions I see them on night shift) and agency nurses who may be accustomed to treatment than is less than optimal.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
I don't aspire to be the personification of a great provider. Simply to do a least a "passable" job of providing medicine management reasonable prices, during all hours of the night .

How unfortunate for some of the most vulnerable members of our society and yet a sentiment that is not uncommon.

While I love the telepsych from Hawaii idea my concern is that telepsych is even more complicated than face to face and if you are already aiming to be mediocre yikes. It also sounds like you make some rather questionable choices and since you put it out there the $100,000 in tuition debt at 48yo with more being added as well as insisting on renting a $1,600 a month home for 8 years with the ever so crucial pool is unbelieveable. I know Florida and in most areas you could have easily scaled back on the housing expense and still had a safe, clean home with a significant amount left over to pay toward your student loan. That your ever mentioned girlfriend has chosen to make $70,000 less than offered makes absolutely no sense to me.

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How unfortunate for some of the most vulnerable members of our society and yet a sentiment that is not uncommon.

While I love the telepsych from Hawaii idea my concern is that telepsych is even more complicated than face to face and if you are already aiming to be mediocre yikes. It also sounds like you make some rather questionable choices and since you put it out there the $100,000 in tuition debt at 48yo with more being added as well as insisting on renting a $1,600 a month home for 8 years with the ever so crucial pool is unbelieveable. I know Florida and in most areas you could have easily scaled back on the housing expense and still had a safe, clean home with a significant amount left over to pay toward your student loan. That your ever mentioned girlfriend has chosen to make $70,000 less than offered makes absolutely no sense to me.

Ditto! Just what the world needs, more mediocre psych providers. :(

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