A Guide to Finding an NP Preceptor
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), nurse practitioners are the fastest-growing occupation in the country, with a projected 46 percent increase in openings between 2021 and 2031. The demand for qualified NPs starts with a graduate education.
NP students must complete between 500 (MSN) and 1,000 (DNP) clinical hours during their school program. This entails finding a preceptor they can shadow and see patients with during their clinical rotations. Their preceptor can be a nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or physician. A preceptorship is defined as a “structured, supportive period of transition from learning to applying a complex skill that requires a long and rigorous period of education.”
Preceptors are a key component of success for future NPs that require hands-on teaching and learning. NP students learn didactic content in the classroom, and NP preceptors supervise NP students’ direct patient care. The NP program requires students to complete their clinical hours under the supervision of more than one preceptor. Training with multiple providers exposes the student to different medical practice styles and methods.
These clinical rotations are essential in providing hands-on experience in assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients. Student NPs are exposed to a variety of conditions and, through this experience, will grow into well-rounded practitioners.
However, student NPs are finding it quite challenging to find preceptors in their area. Before enrolling in the program, they are often unaware of the difficulty they will face finding preceptors. Precepting has become burdensome for preceptors with over 600 graduate nursing programs today. Many graduate NP programs need an arrangement with preceptors, forcing students to carry this burden alone. Competition for clinical learning opportunities has become intense. Nursing and other healthcare provider programs compete for the same clinical sites and opportunities.
Fortunately, some schools match their students with a local preceptor. If the future NPs school does not offer this benefit, the student may find their preceptor through work, networking, or cold calling. Nowadays, several companies even match NP students with a preceptor for a small fee.
School Placement Through Practicum Coordinators
Many NP schools have a practicum coordinator that helps their students find a local preceptor. This allows the NP student to complete their program more easily and with less stress. The school will have an ongoing list of preceptors in different sectors and specialties to offer diverse experiences depending on the student’s interests.
NP programs that offer this benefit can be lucrative. It takes away the stress from students to find their own preceptors and gives students various options. NP students still have the choice of finding their own preceptors if they have a preference, but it helps to have this backup option in case they could not find anyone.
Networking
Networking to find a preceptor can include various tactics. The NP student can network with friends and family to see if they know someone willing to take on students. As the NP profession becomes more prominent, the student’s friends or family may likely know some. They can use their friends as references when reaching out to prospective preceptors.
Additionally, the NP student can network with previous students in their area to see which sites they precepted at. Former students are more than happy to share their favorite preceptor sites. Getting preceptor recommendations from former NP students will help ensure a pleasant clinical experience. Also, experienced preceptors are likely to continue taking on more students.
If the NP student is still working as an RN, they can approach clinicians at their job that may be able to precept them. If the clinicians cannot be their preceptors, they can inquire about other colleagues that may be able to. Professional NPs and physicians are friends with other healthcare professionals, opening an entire web of opportunities. The student can even network with their personal primary care provider (PCP). Their practice may be open to students, or the PCP may know other sites that accept students.
Moreover, the NP student should join LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a good website to network with healthcare providers to see if they are willing to take on a preceptor role. The advantage is that the student can communicate with the provider directly instead of an office manager or other staff member. LinkedIn will start auto-recommending others in the same industry to connect with once the NP student has connected with enough potential preceptors.
This website allows students to narrow their search to specific titles such as “Nurse Practitioner” or “APRN.” The student can look for nurse practitioners who are community leaders and consider where they work. They may learn about their professional background and interests to tie in with the benefits of teaching and mentoring.
Cold Calling
Sometimes, the NP student may not have a large local network or may even move to a new city for their graduate program. In this case, they should try cold calling. Cold calling is when the student looks up numerous clinical sites such as doctor’s offices, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. Then they call the facility to see if they are accepting students for clinical rotations.
Sometimes, the student may even find the provider’s email address and contact them directly through that route. The student should specify the number of hours and days of the week they will need to be with them for the preceptorship. Providers may be more willing to precept them if they have a clear picture of their commitment.
Calling healthcare facilities may be frustrating initially. However, with a systemic approach, the student may see good results. Speaking directly with the preceptor will unlikely happen, as they are busy seeing patients all day.
The NP student should request to speak with the office manager. If the office manager is unavailable, they should ask for their email address and send them a brief email inquiring about a possible preceptorship. If there is no response, the student should follow up in person. It goes a long way to bring the site a small treat, such as a basket of goodies or baked items.
Matching Services
With the rise of NP school programs, many companies providing matching services for students and preceptors have been formed. These services find clinical preceptors for NP students at a national level. The platform works because the student and NP preceptor will create an online profile on their website. The preceptor will include their location, specialty, type of practice they are working in, and work schedule. The student will submit their rotation request, including the rotation length and the specialty needed.
It may take one to two weeks to be matched. Once the preceptor accepts the request, the university paperwork will be sent to them. There is a coordinator that helps the preceptor complete the paperwork and submit it to the student, along with the preceptor’s resume, licenses, and certifications. Then the student submits this information to their university for approval.
Of course, this service comes at a price. Depending on the company, they may charge the student $10 to 15 per hour, or a lump sum fee of $1,000 to $2,000 for the three-month rotation. There may be additional fees, such as an expedited fee for someone needing a preceptor last minute. These matching services also require a deposit and have different payment plan options.
The servicing agency keeps some of these payments; the remainder goes to the preceptor as an incentive. In a perfect world, NPs would gladly donate their time to precept NP students. Yet, NPs’ time is at a premium in the real world. So, earning a substantial honorarium for each student they train can incentivize NPs to become preceptors.
Here are some examples of matching service companies:
Alternatively, some websites facilitate online nursing networking. One example is ENP Network. This is a professional network that helps NPs collaborate and connect online. They have a preceptor directory that they sell access to for $100. However, many NP students have complained that it is not always updated, so sometimes the preceptor information is incorrect.
Other Tips for Finding an NP Preceptor
The NP student should start their search early. Sometimes clinical rotations sites are booked almost a year beforehand. This is common in cities with plenty of medical and nursing schools. It is recommended to start looking at least six months in advance.
NP students must continue to follow up. Potential preceptors may agree early on to be the NP preceptor. The student should keep open communication with the site to ensure the placement is still set. This can be as easy as sending them a quick email.
They should differentiate themselves. The NP student can differentiate themselves from other candidates by illustrating their strengths and weaknesses. They should demonstrate that they are a driven professional that may add value to the practice. They can treat a meeting with their potential preceptor as a job interview.
Lastly, the NP student should be flexible. If the site needs to postpone a clinical rotation or asks the student NP to travel to another location instead, they ought to be open to these options.
Sophia Khawly, MSN
WriterSophia Khawly is a traveling nurse practitioner from Miami, Florida. She has been a nurse for 14 years and has worked in nine different states. She likes to travel in her spare time and has visited over 40 countries.
Being a traveling nurse practitioner allows her to combine her love of learning, travel, and serving others. Learn more about Sophia at www.travelingNP.com.