Undergraduate Nursing Practicum Manual:

Section 4: Identification of Preceptor and Site

“Identifying” a practicum site and a preceptor means that the student has received confirmation from a site and preceptor that the site is willing to host the practicum and the preceptor is willing to advise the student in the practicum during a specific term.

The role of the preceptor is to provide interaction, guidance, and professional role modeling for students, as well as assisting the student in exploring either a health issue in the community or a quality/safety issue at the site. The preceptor does not track your hours or grade this experience. A preceptor is a trusted advisor and coach. A preceptor is a professional with experience and knowledge who will help guide a student in exploring ideas and identify resources to help the student develop a project during the practicum courses.

Students must identify a potential preceptor for each practicum course and determine if the individual is interested in working with them. If so, students must find out whether this individual meets the qualifications to serve as a preceptor. Tips on how to identify a preceptor are provided below under the “Preceptor Requirements” heading.

Students should contact the nursing field experience coordinators as soon as they identify a possible preceptor, and no later than the start of their second term, to nominate the individual to serve as their preceptor. Students should evaluate potential preceptors early by emailing nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu to obtain feedback about whether the nominee is an acceptable preceptor candidate.

Preceptor Requirements

Preceptors are professional colleagues with experience in areas needed for the practicum. Although preceptors do not approve practicums or monitor the time students engage in a practicum, preceptors provide feedback and additional ideas regarding potential practicums and can refer students to other professionals who can provide students with additional information. Preceptors will also provide midterm and final feedback to students.

Prior to approval, the preceptor’s license and certification (if applicable) are verified and the Preceptor Commitment Form is evaluated by the Office of Field Experience. Walden’s approval of the preceptor nominee is based on several criteria. The following are preceptor requirements:

• Preceptor must hold a bachelor’s degree (or higher) in a field related to the role.
• Specific course requirements for preceptors include:
  • NURS 4210/4211: It is preferred that the preceptor be a nurse. If a nurse is not available, other qualified interdisciplinary professionals with a role in population health or public health would qualify. Examples of preceptors could include public health nurses, infectious disease nurses/physicians, public health staff, school nurses, nutritionists, health educators, diabetes educators, or other qualified interdisciplinary preceptors related to population health or public health. Note: The preceptor generally should not be employed in a hospital or clinic setting.
  • NURS 4220/4221: The preceptor must be a nurse with at minimum a bachelor's degree. Examples of preceptors include chief nursing officer, directors, nurse managers, quality improvement nurses, nurse managers of a patient care unit, manager of quality improvement, nursing educators, infection control practitioners, charge nurses, unit managers, or other qualified nursing leaders.
• If the preceptor nominee is an RN, the preceptor must hold an active, unencumbered license to practice professional nursing in the state where the practicum will occur.
• Preceptor must have a minimum of 1 year of experience and a current job role that is relevant to the project. The 1 year of experience is based upon the original date of licensure for licensed practitioners.
• Preceptor is able and willing to commit to the preceptor role for the duration of the practicum.
• Preceptor is employed at the field site where the practicum takes place.
• Preceptor cannot be a relative, family member, fiancé, roommate, significant other, personal friend, or primary care provider.
• Preceptor may be the student’s direct or immediate supervisor.
• Preceptor cannot be another BSN student.

If it is found that a student’s preceptor is a relative, family member, fiancé, roommate, significant, personal friend or primary care provider of the student, the practicum hours will be rejected and not counted toward the practicum hour requirement. If a student utilizes a preceptor inappropriately as noted above, this may lead to an academic integrity violation that could result in a sanction up to and including dismissal from the university. Students are responsible for nominating preceptors that fully meet all requirements for preceptors.

 

Tips to Identify a Preceptor

1. Connect with colleagues at your place of employment as a resource.
2. Use your professional and personal networks to make connections, contacts, and referrals.
3. Grow your professional network through events at work, professional associations, or even social functions.
4. Develop a profile on professional networking sites to network, such as LinkedIn.
5. Connect with colleagues, friends, classmates, and alumni of Walden for contacts and referrals.
6. Connect with professional nursing-related groups in your local area.
7. Contact your state board of nursing to see if they have a list of available preceptors or resources.
8. Explore professional nursing associations, organizations, and networks to find preceptor resources.
9. Conduct an internet search of possible sites of interest, and then conduct cold calls and face-to-face visits.
10. Connect with your own healthcare provider for contacts and referrals.

Note: Please refer to the “Course Specific Requirements” section for more course-specific requirements for preceptors.

The practicums are project-based, which involves a Faculty supervised experience with a preceptor outside of the classroom setting. Students must identify a preceptor and a site for each practicum course.

“Identifying” a practicum setting and a preceptor means that the student has received confirmation from a site and preceptor that the site is willing to host the practicum and the preceptor is willing to advise the student in the practicum during a specific term.

Students should follow the appropriate procedure at the field site to secure a practicum and to understand the field site requirements prior to beginning the practicum.

Students who wish to conduct their practicum at their place of employment should be aware that the loss of employment during their practicum may interfere with their ability to complete their required practicum hours and experiences.

Preceptors communicate formal feedback on a student's overall progress to the Instructor twice during the practicum—at midterm and at the end of the course. By midterm of the course preceptors will receive an email from Meditrek® with directions on how to complete the feedback. Preceptors will not need login information for Meditrek®. Preceptors will receive a direct URL link to complete the feedback. The final feedback is due at the end of the course. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure the preceptor has received the Meditrek® email and has completed the feedback by the course deadline. Students should contact the Office of Field Experience if they discover that the preceptor has not received an email with access to Meditrek® by the end of the course.

Note: Students receive a failing grade if the final feedback is not received by the posted deadlines.

Per guidance form WA state NCQAC, practicum taking place in Washington State must include preceptor, faculty, and student conferral all three together at the beginning, midpoint, and end of the learning experience (WAC 246-840-533.)

Because circumstances change, sometimes students need to change preceptors before their practicum begins or during their practicum. Students must receive practicum application approval in Meditrek® for any change of preceptor.

For students needing to change their preceptor before the practicum course begins: Because circumstances change, sometimes students need to change preceptors before they begin their practicum. If students need to change their preceptor before the practicum course begins, students are required to notify the Office of Field Experience as soon as possible to request a late application in order to open a new application in Meditrek® and nominate a new preceptor, who must meet all preceptor requirements, and the nominee must be approved before the practicum begins. This is known as a replacement application. If the new preceptor nominee requires transfer to a new practice setting, then a new Service Learning Agreement will also be needed. Depending on the timing before the term begins, there may not be enough time to process an application, agreement, and onboarding, which may delay the practicum until a later term.

For students needing to change their preceptor after the practicum course begins: Because circumstances change, sometimes students need to change preceptors during their practicum. If students need to change their preceptor after the practicum course begins, students will need to do the following:

• Notify the assigned Faculty Member immediately to discuss the impact of completing course requirements and the option of receiving an Incomplete (I) grade to gain additional time to complete hours with a new preceptor.
• Notify the Office of Field Experience immediately, so staff can open a new replacement application for the student in Meditrek®. Students must submit a new replacement application for a new preceptor nominee, who must meet all preceptor requirements to be approved. Students cannot continue to participate in practicum hours until the new preceptor nominee is approved. If the new preceptorship requires relocation to a new practice setting, then it is likely the practicum will be delayed if a Student Learning Agreement is not on file.

Supplemental Preceptors

Students may need additional preceptors to meet all the requirements for the course. If students need to precept with multiple preceptors to meet the course requirements, then they have an option to nominate a supplemental preceptor, provided they also nominate a preceptor who fulfills all requirements for preceptors. When students complete their practicum application, they must provide a fully completed application for both their preceptor and their supplemental preceptor.

Applications for supplemental preceptors should be submitted as early as possible. However, applications are accepted during the quarter if students need a supplemental preceptor during the quarter to meet the required practicum hours. If students need a supplemental preceptor, they must complete and submit a separate application for the preceptor and supplemental preceptor. These applications go through the same review process as other applications.

Note: Practicum hours completed under a preceptor other than the preceptor who was identified in a practicum application—submitted by the student and approved in Meditrek®—will be rejected, and students will be required to repeat the hours. Failure to notify the Office of Field Experience, as stated above, will result in a Code of Conduct inquiry and may result in disciplinary action, including course failure and permanent dismissal from the university. For more information about the Code of Conduct, please refer to the Walden University Student Handbook: Code of Conduct.