Walden University - MSN in Nursing Education Practicum

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

I will be starting my specialization courses in nursing education at Walden University next week. For those who have been through the program (and I am in the old style program with 8 week classes), what was the timeline for getting the practicum set up, and what were your experiences?

[nursemeanie]

I'm in week 8 of the first part of practicum right now. Walden was very good about letting me know what was needed and when everything needed to be submitted. This information usually appeared under the announcement part of the classroom, where the teacher would post reminders and information about things. I think there were emails, too. Overall, the process was smooth, although I did not get final approval on my preceptor until a few weeks before Capstone started, which was a little anxiety provoking!

I would start thinking early about who you would like your preceptor to be. Select this person carefully, I hear many classmates talk about preceptors that were not as helpful or involved as they needed. Since you will be spending about 125 hours with the person, make sure you "click!" Good luck!

[nicenurse46]

I am also starting my Walden MSN Informatics practicum soon. I would have started in March but postponed my practicum due to relocating to a new state for a job I could not turn down. I am now having trouble finding a preceptor because I am in a rural city and there aren't many healthcare facilities with developed informatics departments in my area. I am seriously thinking about doing my practicum in the state I currently moved from, which means that I would have to do all of my practicum hours in my Capstone 1 course (I am also under the 8 wk courses) because I will not be able to travel back and forth. Have you had any classmates that completed all of their hours in either the first or second semester? What kind of assignments do you do if you do not precept in a given week? Also, was Walden strict about approving your preceptor?

[nursemeanie]

I don't know if you can do all your hours in the first part. Capstone is two 8 week classes. There are weekly posts, time log, and journal entries several times through the course, at least for the education track! Perhaps you could do all the hours, but you would still have to do the other requirements. Good luck!

[Mark Hill BSN]

I had NO problem finding preceptors, but that has not been the case for many. I had my preceptors set up months in advance but they require you to have all info in by the beginning of the previous quarter, or at least they did.