Vanderbilt - have they stopped securing preceptors, too?

[Polly Peptide, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

Can anyone with experience with Vanderbilt clarify their clinical placement process? I believe they have always secured clinical sites for their students, but I just received some disconcerting information from their admissions office. I was told, "Local clinical placements are limited and the process varies by specialty." I was referred to their website, which is very vague.

I was told to speak with the program director "if" I was admitted. This just makes me think something is different or not exactly like I thought.

Please, if you have information, I would appreciate it.

[pro-student]

It depends on your specialty but they are very careful not to do anything that guarantees (or suggests a guarantee of) clinical placements. When I was at Vanderbilt, we were told that local clinical placements were considered those within a 2 hour (one way) commute and that for at least one semester you would be expected to take a clinical placement outside this area. This was all for "local" students who also took classes on campus. If you are a distance student, you are really on your own to find a clinical site. They will often share will you if they happen to have a contact in your area or if there is a site a previous student has used but you might have to press them for that.

[Polly Peptide, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

It depends on your specialty but they are very careful not to do anything that guarantees (or suggests a guarantee of) clinical placements. When I was at Vanderbilt, we were told that local clinical placements were considered those within a 2 hour (one way) commute and that for at least one semester you would be expected to take a clinical placement outside this area. This was all for "local" students who also took classes on campus. If you are a distance student, you are really on your own to find a clinical site. They will often share will you if they happen to have a contact in your area or if there is a site a previous student has used but you might have to press them for that.

Thank you very much. Do you know anything about FNP?

Placements within 2 hours don't scare me...I've driven an hour for my BSN clinicals. But it still sounds like they are placing you. So what am I missing?

Yes, I would be local.

Feel free to PM me if you would prefer.