Preceptor Qualifications
The clinical component of NP education serves as the clinical classroom where students apply what they have learned in their coursework to the practice setting. Clinical preceptors are the most valuable resources in any NP program, as you willingly share your time and expertise to hone the practice skills of future NPs.
A preceptor is a healthcare professional who meets the qualifications and selection criteria defined by their state of practice Board of Registration, state board of nursing guidelines (as applicable), and the Regis College nursing faculty.
A Qualified Preceptor is:
- A quality employee in the agency/clinical site and an appropriate role model.
- Competent in the clinical knowledge and skills required.
- Holds active, unencumbered (without obligations) license in the state in which they practice.
- Experienced in setting goals and establishing priorities.
- Demonstrates skill in establishing sound interpersonal relationships.
- Able to solve problems, generating and examining alternatives, turning to others for advice when necessary.
- Demonstrates the ability to provide constructive feedback.
- Demonstrates knowledge of the teaching and learning process and utilizes principles of adult learning
- Enjoys teaching.
- Has at least one year of clinical experience in the population-focused area of practice and role.
- Supportive of the concept of preceptorship and voluntarily participates in the program.
- Agrees to abide by the terms outlined in the program overview while precepting the student. Preceptors are expected to validate the student’s clinical hours, participate in the student evaluation, view the recommended Preceptor Video and interact with the clinical facility as needed.
- Agree to electronically sign a Student/Preceptor agreement housed in the CORE ELMS software utilized by students, faculty, and preceptors.
Note
Students may only complete clinical hours with an approved preceptor. If the approved preceptor can no longer serve in this role (has left the practice or requires an extended leave), the student must submit new documents for approval to work with an alternate preceptor.
Students will not precept with family members, their own health care providers, immediate supervisor, or any individual who directly reports to the student. To avoid a conflict of interest, the student must not select a preceptor with whom they have a personal or social relationship.
Additional Preceptor Qualifications for NP-MSN Clinical Courses
NU 650, NU 664 and NU 665
- Clinical expertise in the role of primary care as demonstrated by certification or other educational and/or experiential qualifications for FNP, PNP, WHNP, PMHNP, and AGPCNP students.
- Clinical expertise in the role of acute care as demonstrated by certification or other educational and/or experiential qualifications for AGACNP students.
- Current malpractice insurance.
- MS in Nursing and national certification as a Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife or Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, or is a Physician Assistant, MD, or DO. Note that states may have specific preceptor restrictions.
Students may use a mix of clinicians to provide direct clinical teaching as appropriate to the range of clinical experiences required to meet the program objectives. This mix of preceptors may enhance the inter-professional experience for the student. Over the course of the program, the student must have a majority of clinical hours with preceptors from the same population focus as required by their specialty track in primary care or acute care (A-Pediatric; B-Family; C- Psych/Mental Health; D-Women's Health; E-Adult-Gerontology Primary Care; F-Adult-Gerontology Acute Care). In addition, over the course of the NU 664/NU 665 NP program the student must complete a minimum of 150 clinical hours with an APRN preceptor and preferably an NP with expertise in the population-focused area of practice in primary care.
Specific Preceptor Qualifications for PMHNP Clinical Courses
NU 664C and NU 665C
The practicum setting must include exposure to prescribing medications and non-pharmacologic interventions. To ensure students become familiar with the role and duties relevant to prescribing medication, a licensed and certified PMHNP, a Psychiatrist, or a Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist must supervise PMHNP students. All preceptors must have board certification from ANCC for APRNs, ABPN for MDs, DOs; NCCPA for PAs. Upon approval of the program director, PMHNP students may complete specialty placement hours with a licensed (minimum of a master's level) prepared person in a psychotherapeutic area of focus that contributes to the student's knowledge of primary care within the population-specific track. The remaining 500 hours would adjust accordingly. The student must follow any specific state board of nursing regulations related to preceptors.
Specific Preceptor Qualifications for AGACNP Clinical Courses
NU 664F and NU 665FX
A master’s prepared AGACNP/ACNP, DO, or MD must supervise AGACNP students. All preceptors must have at least one year of clinical experience in the population-focused area of practice and role (i.e., ICU or ED). If the master’s prepared NP is an FNP or ANP, or is a PA, then students may complete clinical hours with that professional if their licensing meets the qualifications defined by the State Board of Nursing requirements in that state. If the student is in a setting where there may be several providers (hospitalist group, ED group), there may be only a maximum of two providers for that rotation. Should the preceptor(s) rotate in both the inpatient and outpatient environment, contracts will need to cover both settings, and the student should rotate with the preceptor in those settings.
Preceptor Expectations
The preceptor is expected to:
- Act as a role model for our NP students.
- Serve as part of the student's support system.
- Orient the student to the healthcare environment and other health team members.
- Orient the student to administrative policies, physical facilities, and the standards of clinical practice in the setting.
- Orient the student to the agency's method of record keeping and signs off on the student's documentation.
- Assist the student with communication within the Host Agency.
- Assist the student with meeting course and personal objectives.
- Assist the student to build upon previously learned nursing skills in developing new knowledge and skills.
- Provide supervision of the student's experience including a thorough review of each patient.
- Meet with the student and faculty in agreed upon manner to discuss student's progress.
- Contact Regis faculty in a timely manner to discuss problems regarding the student’s performance and to clarify any issues that may arise.
- Provide an ongoing review of clinical performance with the student using objectives identified in the CORE ELMS clinical evaluation tool.
- Verify student attendance and participation by confirming logged hours (i.e., "Hours Tracking") using CORE ELMS.
- Confirm with faculty the student's satisfactory fulfillment of the clinical objectives.
- Conduct both a midterm and final clinical evaluation of the student, utilizing the objectives identified in the CORE ELMS clinical evaluation tool.
- Protect the privacy of the student’s education records per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This act is similar to patient privacy rights under HIPAA and must be observed by every member of the university, including preceptors.
