Nursing Practicum Manual:

Section 4. Practicum Approval Process

Students must schedule a phone appointment with their Student Success Advisor or Academic Coach early in their program to develop a degree plan to understand required practicum course(s), the required prerequisite courses, practicum requirements, when they plan to take the practicum course(s), and the appropriate practicum application deadline(s).

The steps involved in the planning process for practicum are outlined on the Field Experience website on the “Plan for Practicum” tab.

Students must become intimately familiar with this Practicum Manual and adhere to all policies and procedures outlined in this manual.

The process begins with students identifying and securing a practicum site and preceptor for their practicum experience. Students must review all requirements for practicum sites and preceptors in Section 2 of this manual to ensure they secure a preceptor who meets the requirements of the course. Students must determine whether the preceptorship meets the requirements for the preceptor and practicum site before submitting a practicum application. Students should utilize Preceptorship Prescreen Checklists for the practicum course to check if a preceptor and practicum site may be appropriate for the practicum course prior to submitting a practicum application. Practicum applications will be closed if the practicum site and preceptor do not meet the requirements for the practicum course.

Students needing assistance with securing a practicum site and preceptor must review Section 3 of this manual and the “Find a Preceptor and Site” webpage for information on resources to find a preceptorship. 

Once a preceptor and practicum site are secured, students must submit a practicum application in Meditrek to nominate the preceptor and practicum site by following instructions in this section of the manual. Approval of the preceptor and practicum site must occur prior to the student starting the practicum course and completing practicum hours. Students cannot begin completing practicum hours or practicum activities until their practicum application is fully approved in Meditrek, they have been registered for the course, it is after the first day of the term, and they have received approval from their Walden faculty instructor to begin the practicum experience.

Students should contact the Office of Field Experience with questions about requirements of preceptors and practicum sites.

The following tutorials, webinars, videos, guides, FAQs, and instructions for the application process and Meditrek can be found on the Field Experience website to help support students with the application process:

• Getting Started with Meditrek:  Accessing & Navigating Meditrek
• Practicum Application Process
• Practicum Application Tutorials
• Roundtable Sessions – Application Process and Onboarding Process
• Application FAQs

Application Deadlines

The deadline for submitting a practicum application  is the first day of the month approximately three months before the term of the practicum course. Students must be sure that they understand the deadlines.  Application deadlines are posted on the Field Experience website.

Students should be aware of their program of study and anticipate when they will be ready to begin their practicum course(s). Students are encouraged to contact their student success advisor or academic coach early with any questions about their program of study and develop their degree plan. It is the students’ responsibility to know what term they will begin their practicum course(s) and the appropriate deadlines.

Students must submit a separate application for each practicum site location and preceptor nominee for every course every term by the application deadline, even if the practicum site and preceptor remain the same for each term. Students will not be registered for practicum courses if they do not have an approved application on file in Meditrek for the term.

It is recommended for students submit their practicum application in Meditrek as early as possible to avoid potential delays. Applications that are completed in haste and submitted near the deadline are most frequently those that are missing items, have errors, or have other problems that can lead to closure of the application and delay academic progress.

Submitting a practicum application by the application deadline is strongly advised to allow enough time to complete the practicum application process to ensure that an application is reviewed and potentially approved by the start of the term to avoid delays.  It is important for students to submit their practicum application by the application deadline to avoid delays. The application deadline is important to allow enough time to complete the practicum approval process to ensure all accreditation, compliance, regulatory, onboarding, and practicum site requirements are complete. Students submitting an application after the application deadline will be delayed.   

An application received after the application deadline date is considered a late application. The late application deadline is two weeks after the application deadline. If an application is submitted after the application deadline, there is no guarantee that application review, approval of the site and preceptor, and finalization of an affiliation agreement, or the practicum site’s onboarding processes will be completed prior to the start of the term. There are many factors outside of Walden University’s control that significantly impact whether an application can be approved, such as the time it takes to negotiate an affiliation agreement with the student’s nominated site, verify preceptor nominee licensure and review preceptor nominee qualifications, receive the Preceptor Commitment Form, completion of the practicum site’s onboarding processes, and for the student to complete the onboarding requirements. Late applications are processed in the order they are submitted in Meditrek. If an application is not approved for the term, it will be closed, and a new application must be submitted in Meditrek for the next term.

Students must begin any steps or processes required by a practicum site for placement, clearance, approval, or assignment of a preceptor early enough to complete the site’s processes in order to submit Walden’s practicum application by the application deadline.

Waitlist for Late Applications

Students cannot open and submit new applications in Meditrek after the late application deadline. To accommodate late applications once the application submission period ends in Meditrek after the late application deadline, the Office of Field Experience has a waitlist for late applications. The waitlist is only available for a very limited time and is not guaranteed. The ability for students to submit a late application through the waitlist is not a guarantee. The waitlist will close at any time, without notice, for a variety of factors including the volume of requests and length of time before the start of the term. Once the waitlist closes, requests for late applications through the waitlist will not be granted nor will closed waitlist applications that were not submitted be reopened.

To be initially eligible for a waitlist late application, students must have a preceptor secured and have extenuating circumstances. Students must also have a completed Preceptor Commitment Form and have all onboarding requirements compliant and valid for the upcoming term in CastleBranch.  

Students interested in submitting a late application through the waitlist process must submit a “Waitlist Late Application Request” form in Meditrek because students are unable to open new applications in Meditrek once application submission period ends. This request process is only available when the waitlist is open. The response time on requests for a waitlist application is up to 7 business days. If granted a waitlist late application, students must be ready to complete and submit their practicum application in Meditrek immediately by the deadline provided or the waitlist application will be closed. Once an application is submitted, the application gets placed on the waitlist and is processed in the order it is submitted in Meditrek. Final approval and registration decisions for waitlist applications are made beginning two weeks before the start of the term and continue through the start of the term. Placement on the waitlist does not guarantee that a practicum application will be approved. 

Once the waitlist closes, requests for late applications will no longer be accepted through the waitlist and incomplete late applications that were incomplete will not be reopened.

Students must review the Waitlist Guide  for more information about the waitlist and the process for the waitlist.

Meditrek

Walden utilizes Meditrek as the system for managing the practicum experience. Students use the Meditrek system for the practicum application and approval process; tracking of practicum logs during a practicum course; and the practicum evaluation process. Meditrek serves as a portfolio of the practicum experience and documentation of the work that students performed as part of their educational experience along with the primary source of verification of education requirements for certification and licensure.

• Students utilize Meditrek for submitting practicum plans, practicum applications, submitting practicum logs, and completing practicum evaluations.
• Students will be issued an account in Meditrek and should receive login information during their first term enrolled in a nursing program.
• Students log into Meditrek through single-sign-on through their Walden student portal using their Walden issued account information.
  • Students who do not have a Meditrek account after attempting to log in through their student portal must submit this form to request an account: https://www.emailmeform.com/builder/emf/CON/RequestMeditrekCredentials  https://www.emailmeform.com/builder/emf/CON/RequestMeditrekCredentials 
  • Students who experience technical issues logging into their Meditrek account should contact the Customer Care team for technical support.
• Changes to programs, specializations, and modalities in Meditrek:
  • Students who change specializations within the same degree program can change their specialization directly in their Meditrek account.
  • Students who change their track or degree program must submit their change of program directly in their Meditrek account and the Office of Field Experience will update their account. 
  • Students who change learning modalities from a course-based to competency-based learning (Tempo Learning) program or vice-versa receive a new Meditrek account for the different learning modality and must submit this form to request a new account:  https://www.emailmeform.com/builder/emf/CON/RequestMeditrekCredentials

Sites That Require a Placement Process or Affiliation Agreement Before Preceptor Assignment

Some practicum sites may require a finalized affiliation agreement or require Walden to complete their placement/rotation process before assigning a student to a preceptor. If a practicum site requires a finalized affiliation agreement and/or requires Walden to complete their placement/rotation process before assigning a preceptor, students must send an email to nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu to request a link to submit a request form in Meditrek. Students must submit either an “Affiliation Agreement Request Form” or a “Placement or Rotation Request Form” in Meditrek. Students must begin the request process early enough before the application deadline to allow enough time to complete the affiliation agreement process and/or the placement/rotation process with the practicum site to ensure its timely completion to allow time to submit the practicum application in Meditrek by the application deadline. Students should submit the request form no later than two months before the application deadline or before the site’s deadline, whichever one comes first, to allow enough time to complete the process before the application deadline and the deadline for the practicum site. Students must submit a practicum application to nominate a practicum site and preceptor by the application deadline once the site assigns the preceptor. If the preceptor assignment is after the application deadline, students must go through the waitlist process for a late application if the waitlist is open.

Students must submit a practicum application in Meditrek by the application deadline. 

A separate application must be submitted for every term for each practicum course for every preceptor and practicum site location. This is necessary because each practicum course has distinct requirements and timelines. Students using multiple preceptors and/or multiple practicum sites for a practicum course must submit separate applications for each preceptor and practicum site location. Students using multiple practicum sites or multiple locations for the same practicum site must submit separate applications for each practicum site and each site location with different addresses.

Practicum applications are specific to the term, course, preceptor, practicum site, and practicum site location.  Students needing to change their practicum applications to a different term, course, preceptor, or practicum site must submit a new practicum application in Meditrek. The term, course, preceptor, and practicum site cannot be changed in an application that has already been submitted in Meditrek. Students needing to submit a new practicum application to change the term, course, preceptor or practicum site, must submit the application by the application deadline or go through the waitlist process.

Students must review instructions on the application submission process to submit a practicum application in Meditrek as outlined in the Practicum Application Tutorial and FAQs.

Terms

The following definitions are for the terms related to practicum courses and experiences.  See the Calendar in the Catalog for the start dates for all terms.  

• Course-Based Courses:
  • Undergraduate Courses: Undergraduate practicum courses are offered during terms that are 6-weeks in length.  Two 6-week half terms are offered every quarter.     
  • Graduate Courses: Graduate practicum courses are offered during quarter terms that are 11-weeks in length.
• Tempo-Based Courses: Practicum courses in Tempo programs are offered monthly.  The monthly practicum terms begin the first Monday of every month. Practicum approval for a term is valid for 13 weeks from the start date of the monthly term for the approved practicum application. The 13-week approval period begins at the start date of the practicum term and not the first day the student begins practicum hours.

Application Steps

Students are responsible for completing all sections of the practicum application in Meditrek correctly prior to submitting their practicum application. For resources for the applications and Meditrek, including webinars, tutorials, and FAQs, refer to the Office of Field Experience website.

1. Students must follow all directions and steps outlined in the Practicum Application Tutorial to complete and submit the practicum application in Meditrek by the application deadline. Applications in Incomplete or Incomplete-Started status will not be reviewed and will be closed if not submitted by the application deadline.  
2. Students must review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) about the applications process. 
3. Students must submit their application by the application deadline. Students cannot open new applications in Meditrek for the term after the late application deadline. Students must go through the waitlist process after the late application deadline if the waitlist is open. See the “Waitlist for Late Applications” for more information about the waitlist. 
4. Students must select the correct course number and correct term when opening a new application in Meditrek. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are selecting the correct course and term for the application. Applications are specific to the course and the term so they cannot be changed once they are opened and/or submitted in Meditrek. 
5. Once students submit their application in Meditrek, they will receive a notification email from Meditrek confirming the submission of the practicum application. 
6. The Office of Field Experience begins reviewing applications after the application deadline in the order applications are submitted in Meditrek. See more information under the “Application Review Process” section for more information about the review process. 
7. Students can monitor the status of the application and the review process in the checklist of the application in Meditrek. Review the Practicum Application Status Guide and the Video on Checking your Application Status to learn how to monitor the review of the application.  
8. Students must monitor their Walden-issued email account for important updates, requests for action, notifications, or alerts and take immediate action.   

Application Types

Students must select the appropriate application type to start a new application and submit it in Meditrek. The application types are as follows:

• Primary Application: The application is the primary and main preceptor and practicum site for the term and course.
• Supplemental Application: The application is for an additional preceptor and/or practicum site. Supplemental applications may be needed when students need an additional preceptor and/or site to complete course requirements or required hours for the term and course.
• Replacement Application: The application is replacing a previously submitted application for a different preceptor and/or practicum site for the term and course. Replacement applications are often needed if a preceptor is no longer able to precept the student, or if the student’s original application is not approved, or for other reasons.
• Waitlist Application: The application is an application that was submitted after the application deadline and is being processed through the Waitlist. Students must go through the Waitlist Late Application Request process in Meditrek to request a late application through the waitlist. Review the “Waitlist for Late Applications” section for more information about waitlist applications.
• Waitlist Supplemental Application: The application is an application that was submitted after the application deadline and is being processed through the Waitlist but is an application for an additional preceptor and/or practicum site. Students must go through the Waitlist Late Application Request process in Meditrek to request a late application through the waitlist. Review the “Waitlist for Late Applications” section for more information about waitlist applications.
• Waitlist Replacement Application: The application is an application that was submitted after the application deadline and is being processed through the Waitlist but is an application that is replacing a previously submitted application for a different preceptor and/or practicum site that was previously submitted by the application deadline. Students must go through the Waitlist Late Application Request process in Meditrek to request a late application through the waitlist. Review the “Waitlist for Late Applications” section for more information about waitlist applications.
• Remedial Application: The application is for students who are eligible to complete remaining practicum requirements after the term has ended during the next term. Students are not to begin practicum hours until after the remedial application is approved and after the start date of the remedial application. Students must have an approved remedial application in Meditrek in order to begin or continue practicum hours to finish the remaining hours for the course. Students must submit a Remedial Application Request Form to request a remedial application and then follow directions for remedial application as outlined in the Practicum Application Tutorial. Eligible students for remedial applications are as follows:
  • Course-Based Students: Students with an Incomplete Grade in the course who must complete practicum requirements and hours with a preceptor
  • Tempo-Based Students: Students who must complete practicum requirements and hours with a preceptor immediately after 13 weeks of the original term start date.

Application Status

Students check and monitor the status of their application and the status of the application review at any time in Meditrek by accessing the application module in Meditrek. Instructions on how to review the status of your application and the status of the application review is outlined in the Practicum Application Status Guide.  The application statuses are as follows:

• Incomplete – Started: The application has been opened but the student has not completed or submitted the application in Meditrek. The application will NOT be reviewed until it is completed and submitted in Meditrek and will be closed if not submitted by the application deadline. 
• Incomplete: The application has been opened and started but is incomplete and has not been submitted in Meditrek. The application will NOT be reviewed until it is completed and submitted in Meditrek and will be closed if not submitted by the application deadline. 
• Closed: The application is closed due to inability to approve the application. Students are sent an email to their Walden email account with information for the reason the application was closed along with possible options for next steps. 
• Submitted: The application has been submitted in Meditrek. This application is either queued up for review or is under review by the Office of Field Experience. Applications will stay in this submitted status even when the Office of Field Experience is actively reviewing and processing the application. The application will remain in this status during the review process until the review if complete or further action is required by the student. Students should monitor their Walden email address for important requests or updates regarding the application. 
• Action Required: The application has been returned to the student to complete required action. The student must follow all instructions in the email sent to their Walden email account and complete the required action. Once the student completes the required action, they must resubmit the application in Meditrek. Students do not need to submit a new application when an application has been returned for required action. A returned application in this status does not mean the application is closed or denied. 
• Pending: The application is under review by the Office of Field Experience but is pending additional information for the review process (e.g. expiring license review, license action review, etc.)
• Final Review: The application is going through the final stages of the review process. 
• Final Review – Waitlist: The application was submitted late after the application deadline and is on the waitlist. The application is pending the final stages of the review and decision process through the waitlist. Waitlist applications undergo a final review through the waitlist and require approval from the program leadership prior to processing final approval and registration. Final decisions on applications on the waitlist in this status begin two weeks before the start of the term and continue through the registration deadline. 
• Pre-Approved: The application is pre-approved through Walden University. The application is pending approval from the state board of nursing for the practicum experience. Walden must receive approval from the student’s state Board of Nursing. Once approval is received from the state Board of Nursing, the application will be fully approved, and students will be registered for the practicum course.
• Registration Restriction: The application was approved but course registration was unable to be processed because the student has a restriction or hold on their account that prevents registration.  The approval is rescinded until the registration restriction is resolved. Students must resolve the registration restriction and email nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu once the restriction has been resolved by the registration deadline.  
• Approved – Registration Sent to Registrar: The application is approved, and the course registration request has been submitted to the Registrar for registration. The registration is in progress.    
• Approved: The application has been approved through Walden University. The student will be registered in the course within two business days once the registration period opens. 
• Approved and Registered: The application has been approved through Walden University and the student is registered for the course. Students must verify directly with their practicum site to ensure they have met all the requirements of the site to begin the practicum experience at the practicum site. 

Academic Integrity and Code of Conduct

Students providing false information or false documentation for practicum and the practicum application approval process will be subject to a Code of Conduct inquiry. Students found in violation of a Code of Conduct will be subject to disciplinary action, including but not limited to course failure, suspension, and permanent dismissal from the university. Code of Conduct and/or Academic Integrity findings may also be reported to the student’s state board of nursing for review by their state board of nursing. Students are responsible for becoming familiar with the Code of Conduct, as published in Section 3 of the Walden University Student Handbook”.

Students must identify and secure a practicum site and preceptor prior to submitting a practicum application in Meditrek. Students must enter their practicum site and preceptor information in the practicum application they want to nominate. Applications that do not include practicum site or preceptor information will be closed. 

Students must follow all instructions outlined in the Practicum Application Tutorial to submit their practicum application in Meditrek. This section provides additional information for requirements for practicum applications.  

Student Nursing License

Students must be able to practice without restrictions, limitations, or conditions and must maintain an active, unencumbered nursing license to practice or the equivalent thereof in the state/country where the practicum site is located and where students plan to complete their practicum experience. The practicum site must be in a state or country where Walden is authorized to provide educational opportunities and not on the list of Restricted States and Countries. Here are the requirements for licensure for students applying for a practicum:

• Practicum in the United States: Students must have an RN license or a compact license with multi-state privileges in the state where the practicum site is located and where the practicum experience will occur. Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. must also have a valid visa that allows them to live and work in the United States in order to complete practicum in the United States because Walden University is not authorized to issue student visas for practicum in the United States.
• Practicum on Military Bases in Foreign Countries: Students that are U.S. citizens completing practicum on an U.S. military base in a foreign country must have an RN license or a compact license with multi-state privileges in the state of their permanent residence.
• Practicum in Foreign Countries: Students eligible to complete practicum in a foreign country must have an equivalent of an RN nurse license or other authority to practice at the RN level in the country or jurisdiction where the practicum site is located and where the practicum experience will occur. Students who are not residents of the country must have a valid visa that allows them to complete practicum in the country.  Walden University is not authorized to issue student visas for practicum.

Preceptor Commitment Form

The Preceptor Commitment Form is a form completed by the preceptor to commit to the preceptorship with a Walden University nursing student. The Preceptor Commitment Form is an official form, which is required to be completed in its entirety by the preceptor. Students are NOT to complete this form on behalf of the preceptor. Preceptor designees and administrative staff are NOT permitted to complete this form on behalf of the preceptor. The form is specific to each student, course, term, preceptor, and practicum site. Thus, a form is required to be completed for each student for each class and practicum site location every term.

This Preceptor Commitment Form is utilized to verify the qualifications and credentials of the preceptor and appropriateness of the practicum site to ensure the preceptorship meets the practicum requirements of the course. The Preceptor Commitment Form is different from the Affiliation Agreement. The affiliation agreement is the legal agreement and contract between Walden University and the practicum site. The Office of Field Experience staff at Walden will work directly with the administrator at the practicum site to establish an Affiliation Agreement.

The Preceptor Commitment Form is emailed directly to the preceptor nominee at the time students enter the preceptor nominee information on the Meditrek application in the “Preceptor Information” section in the practicum application. Preceptor Commitment Forms can also be found online at the Office of Field Experience website.

After the preceptor nominee fully completes and signs the form, they should send it directly to the student. The student is responsible for ensuring all information is completed on the form by the preceptor nominee and uploading the form to their practicum application in Meditrek. Students are responsible for uploading a correct and complete Preceptor Commitment Form in Meditrek and linking it to their application. Practicum applications will be denied and closed if either a blank form is uploaded or the form is not uploaded to the application. In some instances, if the Preceptor Commitment Form has incomplete or incorrect information, the practicum application may be returned via Meditrek to the student for required action to resolve the issue. Any delays in submitting a correct and complete Preceptor Commitment Form will delay the processing of the practicum application, preceptor and practicum site review, the affiliation agreement, and practicum site onboarding processes.

Preceptors who have any questions may contact the Office of Field Experience at nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu.

Field Site Information & Site Administrator for the Affiliation Agreement

Students are not responsible for obtaining the affiliation agreement from the practicum site. The Office of Field Experience will work on establishing an affiliation agreement with the practicum site. Students must enter the name and contact information of the administrator at the practicum site who is responsible for the affiliation agreement or legal contracts in the “Field Site Information & Affiliation Agreement” section of the application in Meditrek.

Students are responsible for obtaining contact information for the appropriate individual at the practicum site with authority to sign a legal contract. It is very important for students to enter the correct contact information in Meditrek for the practicum site because inaccurate information and incorrect contact information will delay processing of the affiliation agreement. If students do not know who the administrator is, students should ask their preceptor for contact information for the administrator.

The administrator at the site should be the person who manages legal contracts or has legal signing authority for the site. This person is oftentimes the office manager, clinic director, senior administrator, education coordinator, human resources manager, chief nursing officer, CEO, or owner. The person who signs the agreement must be authorized to do so by the practicum site. The individual authorized to sign the agreement is usually not the preceptor.

Onboarding – Walden Onboarding Requirements – Graduate Courses

Nursing students completing graduate level practicum courses must complete onboarding requirements that are required by Walden University and the practicum site in order to be approved for practicum. Onboarding requirements are defined as a specific set of compliance requirements established by the Walden University College of Nursing and the practicum site. Walden’s onboarding requirements vary from state to state; however, they generally include passing a background check, state-specific background screens (e.g., Abuse Screens, Fingerprinting, etc.), drug screening, immunizations, health requirements, mandatory trainings, professional liability insurance, and any additional onboarding requirements or processes that may be required by the practicum site. Students must review the list of required onboarding requirements on the Field Experience website. Students are responsible for all expenses incurred to complete onboarding requirements in CastleBranch and with the practicum site.

Students must satisfactorily complete Walden’s onboarding requirements and have all onboarding requirements compliant for the term in CastleBranch by the deadline. Students who are not compliant with onboarding requirements in CastleBranch by the deadline will not be approved for practicum. The practicum application will not be approved until all onboarding requirements have been satisfactorily completed. Failure to satisfactorily complete the requirements by the deadline will result in closure of the practicum application and delay of the practicum experience. Being an employee of the practicum site does not exempt students from being in compliance with Walden’s onboarding requirements.  

It is highly recommended that students begin and complete onboarding requirements early to avoid delays. Completing onboarding requirements is a lengthy process and may take several months to complete. It is important to complete CastleBranch onboarding requirements early before the deadline to avoid technical and processing issues and delays.

Students must follow policies and procedures as outlined in the Onboarding and CastleBranch Guide, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and on list of required onboarding requirements. 

CastleBranch:

Walden utilizes CastleBranch as the system for managing onboarding requirements for practicum. Students must use the CastleBranch system to manage, store, and track their onboarding requirements for practicum. Students must order a package through Walden’s portal for CastleBranch for the state where they will be doing practicum and then complete all required onboarding requirements in CastleBranch by following directions outlined in the Onboarding & CastleBranch Guide. Students must follow all directions in the guide and in CastleBranch to avoid delays in completion of requirements.  Students must complete and sign the required consent form(s) for the background check before CastleBranch can begin the background screening process. Students are responsible for all expenses incurred for their CastleBranch account and expenses incurred to complete onboarding requirements

Background Checks/Screens and Drug Tests: 

Students must complete a background check and drug test in the state where the practicum experience will occur through CastleBranch within 12 months of the first day of the term. Students completing practicum in multiple states must order multiple background check/screen packages for each state depending on the requirements for the state. CastleBranch will not alert students when they need to renew their background check/screen or drug test. It is the student’s responsibility to order a new background check/screen or drug test package through CastleBranch annually and complete them within 12 months of the start of the term and/or when they complete practicum in different states. Students must follow directions on the background check and drug test renewal webpage  to renew their background check and/or drug test or to order an additional background check in another state through CastleBranch to be compliant with onboarding requirement. Students must have a valid background check and drug test as follows:      

• Students must have a background check and drug test completed annually within 12 months of the first day of the term.
• Students must have a background check completed for the state where the practicum site is located if there are additional background checks and screens required for the state. 

Renewing & Updating Onboarding Requirements: 

• For Practicum Application Approval: Students must renew and update all onboarding requirements by the onboarding deadline that are due to expire before the term in order to have all onboarding requirements compliant and valid for the term by the deadline. Students must renew expiring requirements even if a requirement currently in “Complete” status. If a requirement is due to expire before the term but there is no renewal requirement in the student’s “To Do List” in CastleBranch, students must send an email to customerservice@castlebranch.com to request CastleBranch add a renewal for the requirement(s) to their “To Do List” early. Once the renewal requirement is added to the “To Do List”, then students must update the requirement in CastleBranch by the onboarding deadline. Practicum applications will not be approved until all onboarding requirements are valid and compliant for the term. CastleBranch notifies students via email 30 days and 60 days prior to notify students of onboarding requirements expiring for items in the “To Do List”. CastleBranch will not alert students when they need to renew their background check/screen or drug test. Students must monitor their email account that they entered in their CastleBranch account to for important updates and notifications.
• During the Practicum Course: Students must renew and update all onboarding requirements upon expiration of the requirement in CastleBranch that are due to expire during the term.

Reporting & Acknowledgement Process for Background Checks and Drug Tests: 

Students who have a negative background check/screen report and/or a positive drug test report, through CastleBranch, are required to report and provide a copy of their background check/screen and/or drug test to their practicum site administrator and request the site to complete an Acknowledgement Form. The practicum site must complete and submit the Acknowledgement Form using the customized link through Meditrek. The form serves as written documentation to confirm that the practicum site (a) is aware of the student’s background check/screen and/or drug test and (b) has agreed to accommodate the student for a practicum experience. This process must be completed for every practicum application every term prior to the approval of a practicum application.

Exemptions

Students who need an exemption from a vaccination or onboarding requirement due to a medical condition or a vaccination requirement due to a religious reason, must go through the appeal and waiver process. Students must review the criteria for each requirement on the list of onboarding requirements to determine the options of completing the requirements prior to beginning the appeal process because there may be alternative options to complete the requirement (e.g., titers, declination form, etc.). Students should not upload exemption documentation in CastleBranch because CastleBranch does not accept exemption or waiver documentation from students. Students who need an exemption must send an email to nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu requesting an appeal code to initiate the appeal process, which is a two-step process. The Office of Field Experience will provide students with further instructions regarding the appeal and waiver process. Appeals are not guaranteed to be granted for onboarding requirements.

Onboarding – Practicum Site Onboarding Process – Undergraduate & Graduate Courses 

Some practicum sites require students to complete onboarding requirements and processes required of the practicum site. Students must contact their nominated practicum site to confirm the onboarding requirements and processes to avoid delays. If a site requires Walden to complete their onboarding processes or to verify completion of onboarding requirements, students must email nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu by the practicum application deadline to begin the site onboarding process. If the Office of Field Experience is informed of the site’s onboarding processes by the practicum site, the Field Experience Coordinator will communicate with the student about the requirements and processes upon review of the practicum application. 

For practicum sites that require Walden to confirm and verify completion of onboarding requirements, students must complete the requirements through CastleBranch, which is Walden’s vendor for onboarding requirements.  Students must follow policies and procedures as outlined in the Onboarding and CastleBranch Guide to complete the site’s requirements through CastleBranch. Being an employee of the practicum site does not exempt students from being in compliance with the practicum site’s onboarding requirements unless the site communicates with Walden University that they are exempted from the site’s onboarding process. Students must complete onboarding requirements and processes required by the practicum site before a practicum application is approved.        

Professional Liability Insurance

Students must obtain and maintain professional liability insurance prior to application approval and before they can participate in a practicum experience. Students must have their own professional liability policy even if their employer or practicum site has a policy that covers students. Professional Liability Insurance coverage as nurse with RN or APRN coverage will not be accepted for practicum as a nursing student. The professional liability insurance must include a memorandum or certificate of insurance coverage with the following requirements:

• Name, address, date of the policy, coverage amounts, coverage type and expiration date
  • Coverage dates: The insurance plan must cover the entire term in which practicum will occur. The dates must cover the duration of the term for the practicum course(s).
  • Coverage amounts: Must be a minimum of $1 million per incident and $3 million aggregate.
  • Coverage type: The coverage type must be clearly stated in the memorandum or certificate of insurance coverage and meet the specific requirements of the program and course as listed below:
    • Nurse Practitioner courses: Students must have coverage for a nurse practitioner student.
    • Master’s Specialty Courses for Nursing Education, Nurse Executive, Nursing Informatics, Public Health Nursing, and MBA & MSN Dual Degree courses: Students must have coverage for a general nursing student.
    • DNP Traditional & Executive Leadership courses: Students must have coverage for a general nursing student.
    • DNP Nurse Practitioner Courses: DNP-NP students may have coverage for a general nursing student for DNP practicum courses but must have coverage for a nurse practitioner student for nurse practitioner students. Coverage as a nurse practitioner student will be accepted for the DNP practicum courses. Students must select “I am a Nurse Practitioner” student in CastleBranch for the Professional Liability Questions when applying to nurse practitioner courses.
    • BSN Courses: Students must meet the requirements of the practicum site for liability insurance.

Most professional insurance companies offer student nursing coverage. Walden University does not endorse any specific insurance company, and students are free to shop for a policy that fits the practicum liability insurance requirements. While Walden does not endorse any specific insurance company, the most common insurance providers used by students include Nurses Service Organization (NSO), Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO), Marsh, Mercer, Proliability, and Brexi. The Office of Field Experience does not support students with ordering insurance through insurance companies and does not guarantee the ability to get insured through a specific insurance company. 

Professional Liability Insurance must be valid for the term the student is applying for by the onboarding deadline.  If a student’s Professional Liability Insurance policy is due to expire before or during the term, the student must renew the insurance early by the onboarding deadline.  Students who have a policy that is auto-renewing must contact their insurance provider to renew the policy early by the onboarding deadline, which may involve paying for the policy early.

Foreign students completing practicum outside of the United States should contact the Office of Field Experience for a possible waiver process if has been determined that professional liability insurance does not exist in the country where the student will be doing a practicum experience. 

Affiliation Agreement with Practicum Sites

An affiliation agreement is a legal contract between Walden University and a practicum site. The affiliation agreement should not be confused with the Preceptor Commitment Form, which is completed by the preceptor. Walden University requires that an affiliation agreement be finalized with the practicum site before a practicum application is approved. Affiliation agreements must be finalized, signed by all parties, and fully executed no later than two weeks before the start of the term.

Affiliation agreements must be finalized for every practicum site where the practicum experience will occur. Students planning to complete practicum hours at multiple sites with different physical locations and addresses, must submit an application and be approved for each and every practicum site location and preceptor.

Upon review of a practicum application, Field Experience Coordinators will determine if there is an active Affiliation Agreement in place with the practicum site that covers the practicum experience. If there is an Affiliation Agreement in place with the practicum site, the affiliation agreement section of the application will be marked as complete. If there is not an affiliation agreement in place with the practicum site, a Field Experience Coordinator will email the practicum site administrator with instructions on establishing an affiliation agreement with Walden University.

Options and Process for Sites to Establish an Affiliation Agreement with Walden

• Practicum site wants to sign the Walden University standard Affiliation Agreement: The Affiliation Agreement is emailed to the practicum site administrator with instructions to complete the agreement through DocuSign via Meditrek. The practicum site administrator must follow the directions to sign the agreement through DocuSign. Once the agreement is signed through DocuSign by the site, the agreement is sent to the Office of Field Experience. The Affiliation Agreement must be received, finalized, and fully executed no later than two weeks before the start of the term.
• Practicum site wants to make changes to the Walden University standard Affiliation Agreement: The Affiliation Agreement is emailed directly to the practicum site administrator with instructions. The practicum site administrator must follow the directions to recommend changes to the agreement in the Word document using tracked changes. The practicum site administrator must either upload the draft of the affiliation agreement in Meditrek or the administrator can email it to nursingfieldagreements@mail.waldenu.edu. The draft of the Affiliation Agreement must be received no later than 6 weeks before the start of the term to allow enough time to go through the negotiation process to finalize the agreement. Once the draft of the agreement is received, the negotiation process begins (see the Negotiation Process below). The Affiliation Agreement must be finalized, fully executed, and signed by both parties no later than two weeks before the start of the term.  
• Practicum site wants to use its preferred template for an Affiliation Agreement: The practicum site administrator must either upload their affiliation agreement in Meditrek or the administrator can email it to nursingfieldagreements@mail.waldenu.edu. The draft of the Affiliation Agreement must be received no later than 6 weeks before the start of the term to allow enough time to go through the negotiation process and finalize the agreement. Once the draft of the agreement is received, the negotiation process begins (see the Negotiation Process below). The Affiliation Agreement must be finalized, fully executed, and signed by both parties no later than two weeks before the start of the term.  

Status of the Affiliation Agreement

Students may monitor the status and progress of the Affiliation Agreement process in the application checklist in Meditrek. Instructions on how to review the status of the affiliation agreement and the definition of statuses is outlined in the Practicum Application Status Guide. Students with questions about the status after reviewing their application checklist should email nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu to request an update. 

For applications with the affiliation agreement in “Request Sent to Site” status on the checklist, students can contact the practicum site to confirm they have received the email from Walden University with the affiliation agreement. If a practicum site administrator has not received an email about the Affiliation Agreement, the student should review the contact information for the site in the application to confirm it is correct complete one of these steps:     

• Contact Information is Incorrect: Students must send an email nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu with the correct contact information for the administrator and the Field Experience Coordinator will resend the affiliation agreement to the practicum site. 
• Contact Information is Correct:  Students should request the administrator of the practicum site to send an email to nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu and request the affiliation agreement. 

When the affiliation agreement status is in “In Legal Negotiations between Walden and Site”, this status will remain in this status and will not be updated until the negotiation process is complete and the affiliation agreement is finalized, fully executed, and signed by both parties. 

Negotiation Process

If the practicum site wants to make changes to Walden’s standard affiliation agreement or use their own customized affiliation agreement, Walden must receive the agreement from the practicum site at least 6 weeks before the start of the term. Once the draft of the affiliation agreement is received from the practicum site, Walden enters the negotiation process with the practicum site to work on finalizing the affiliation agreement. A contract administrator in the Office of Applied Learning Agreements will review the draft of the affiliation agreement and either accept the agreement or engage in further negotiations with the practicum site to reach an agreement. 

The process of negotiating and coming to a mutual agreement about the terms of the affiliation agreement can take time, sometimes several weeks or months. The time it takes for the negotiation process is not entirely within Walden’s control as the negotiation process involves the practicum site administration. In most cases, Walden is able to reach a mutual agreement with practicum sites. There are times, however, when a practicum site and Walden are not able to enter into an agreement or cannot reach an understanding on the terms of the agreement due to a variety of factors that may be out of either organization’s control. When there is reason to believe that the affiliation agreement between Walden and a site will not be finalized, Walden will make every effort to notify students in a timely fashion.

When an affiliation agreement enters the negotiation process, it is highly recommended for students to identify an alternative practicum site and preceptor in case the affiliation agreement is not finalized to prevent delays in their academic progress. Students should submit a practicum application for the alternative practicum site before the application deadline. If it is after the application deadline, students should follow the process for a late application through the waitlist. 

In some cases, the affiliation agreement with a nominated practicum site may not be finalized and it may be too late for students to find a new site prior to the start of the term. If this happens, students are delayed a term while they identify a new practicum site and preceptor. Walden is not able to predict or control delays in the agreement process with a practicum site, but they are avoided if possible. It is highly recommended for students to identify alternative practicum sites and preceptors and submit practicum applications for the back-up preceptor to avoid delays to their practicum. 

License Reviews of Students and Preceptors

The Office of Field Experience conducts professional license and certification verification and review as part of the practicum application process. Verification and review of licensure and certification will be done for all students who apply for practicum and all preceptor nominees for preceptorship as part of the application review process and preceptor approval process. The process includes a review of current and past credentialing licensure information in any jurisdiction in which the student or preceptor is or has been licensed. The license review will be conducted by verification through NURSYS, state boards of nursing, state medical boards, and any other applicable professional credentialing authority website. Any information attached to a professional license or certification verification will be reviewed. The information that will be reviewed includes present and past information including action affecting the authority to practice, state licensing board orders, disciplinary action, consent agreements, letters of reprimand or censure, complaints, malpractice claims, settlements and awards, or any other information issued by a professional credentialing or licensing authority or any organization they may authorize to act on their behalf. The Office of Field Experience may request additional documentation associated with student or preceptor licenses to assist with the license review process as needed. Any non-standard information, both past and present, that is part of the license verification will be reviewed by the Office of Certification, Licensure, and Compliance in partnership with the academic program director or coordinator. This review process may lead to a determination that the nominated preceptor or student does not meet the program’s qualifications and may not be approved for practicum. Practicum applications will not be approved until this review has been completed and the license/certification is acceptable.

It is recommended for students to review their preceptor nominee’s license and/or certification information prior to submitting their practicum application. It is not recommended for students to nominate a preceptor who has past or present action connected to their license. Students can review license information through the NURSYS website or the appropriate state licensing/certification board website (e.g. board of nursing, medical board, state department of health, etc.). Students with questions about license reviews should contact the Office of Certification, Licensure and Compliance department at nurslicensure@mail.waldenu.edu.

Student License Reporting & Acknowledgement Process

Students are required to report any non-standard information connected to their license (as described above) to their preceptor and practicum site administrator, which includes past or present information connected to their license including action affecting the authority to practice, state licensing board orders, disciplinary action, consent agreements, letters of reprimand or censure, complaints, malpractice claims, settlements and awards, or any other information issued by a professional credentialing or licensing authority. After the review of a student’s license history is completed by leadership and it has been determined that the student can proceed with practicum, the Office of Field Experience staff will send instructions on the reporting and acknowledgement process. Students must share the status and history of their license with their preceptor(s) or practicum site administrator(s) and request the site to complete an Acknowledgement Form. The practicum site must complete and submit the Acknowledgement Form using the customized link through Meditrek. The form serves as written documentation to confirm that the practicum site (a) is aware of the student’s license history (as described previously), and (b) has agreed to accommodate the student for a practicum experience. This process must be completed prior to the approval of a practicum application.

State Regulations

The ability for students to complete a required practicum in each state depends upon the statutes and regulations of that state. Each student is responsible for knowing and understanding the statutes and regulations of that state and whether they meet the requirements to engage in a practicum in that state. Students are required to contact their Student Success Advisor or Academic Coach when planning to move to another state to ensure that Walden allows for enrollment in the state and is authorized to allow students to complete educational and practicum experiences in the state.

Some state boards of nursing have specific requirements for preceptors and practicum. Students must review the regulations of their state board of nursing for specific practicum requirements of preceptors to ensure they are meeting their state board of nursing requirements along with Walden requirements for preceptorships.

Walden University is not authorized to provide educational experiences in every state or country for all nursing programs. Students must review this list of states and countries with restrictions for enrollment and practicum approval: Restricted States and Countries for Practicum. The Office of Field Experience cannot approve practicum applications in states or countries on this list under any circumstances. This policy cannot be appealed, and appeals will not be granted if an appeal is submitted.

State Board of Nursing Practicum Approval Requirements

Some state Boards of Nursing have additional approval requirements for practicum. Because of these additional state board requirements and approvals, students who will engage in practicum experiences in the following states must submit their applications via Meditrek by the application deadline. Late applications may not be accepted for these states:

• Alabama: See Alabama Board of Nursing: Nursing Education Programs.
• Alaska – Nurse Practitioner Courses:  See Alaska Board of Nursing.  Students must submit a form to the Alaska Board of Nursing to register for an APRN preceptorship and receive approval through the Alaska BON before their practicum application will be approved. 
• California – Nurse Practitioner Courses: See California Board of Nursing: Out of State Nurse Practitioner Programs.
• North Dakota: See North Dakota Board of Nursing.
• Rhode Island: See State of Rhode Island Department of Health: What We License.  
• Wyoming: See Wyoming Board of Resources: Education.  

Applications must be completed in their entirety and submitted in Meditrek. Applications in incomplete or incomplete-started status will not be reviewed by the Office of Field Experience staff and will be closed if not submitted by the deadline. 

Students are responsible for ensuring an application is finalized and submitted in Meditrek by the application deadline or the late application deadline. Students are also responsible for submitting practicum applications that meet practicum requirements for the student’s program and practicum course. 

Students can monitor the status and the progress of the application review by monitoring the status directly in Meditrek by accessing the application checklist. The application checklist will display the review status of each section of the application. When a section of the application has been reviewed, the status of the section will be updated in Meditrek with the status and date.

Students can use these resources to check and monitor the status of their practicum application: 

• Practicum Application Status Guide
• Checking your Application Status Video:  https://bit.ly/applicationstatusvideo

Application Review Procedures

• The Office of Field Experience begins reviewing and processing applications after the application deadline.  
• Practicum applications are reviewed in the order they are submitted in Meditrek.  
• The application review process can take up to three months or longer once the review begins.   
• The practicum application status will remain in “Submitted” status as the application goes through the different stages of the review process. 
• The application review process occurs in different stages and is reviewed by different Field Experience Coordinators.
• The Office of Field Experience completes a vetting and verification process for practicum sites and preceptors as part of the review process. Additional information may be requested at any time that may be required to complete the vetting and verification process. A visit to the practicum site may be conducted as well to vet and verify the practicum site.
• Each section on the application checklist is updated once it is reviewed by a Field Experience Coordinator. 
• Students must monitor their Walden-issued email account for important updates, requests for action, notifications, or alerts and take immediate action.   
• Students will be notified via an email to their Walden issued email address from Meditrek if they must complete additional action for their practicum application. When an application is returned to students for required action, the email will include the reason for the required action and the next steps to complete the required action. Students must follow all directions in the email by the deadline provided or the application will be closed.  Once an application is returned to a student for required action, the application status moves to “Action Required” status.  
• Students will be notified via email to their Walden issued email address if an application is closed and denied. The email will include the reason for the application closure and possible next steps. In some cases, for specific situations, students may be given an opportunity to resolve the issue related to the closure of their application within a specific period of time. 

Application Review Steps

The application review process occurs in different stages and is reviewed by different regional Field Experience Coordinators at different times. Each section on the application checklist is updated once it is reviewed by a Field Experience Coordinator. The practicum application status will remain in “Submitted” status as the application goes through the different stages of the review process. The application review process includes the following steps: 

• Affiliation Agreement process with the practicum site
• Review of the Preceptor Commitment Form
• Review and verification of the preceptor’s license
• Review and verification of the student’s license
• Vetting of the preceptor and practicum site to determine the preceptorship meets the practicum requirements
• Review of Walden’s onboarding requirements in CastleBranch for graduate courses
• Completion of the practicum site’s onboarding processes (as required by the practicum site)

Degree Audit to confirm the student is eligible for the practicum course

Applications Returned for Action Required

A practicum application may be returned to students to complete required action, complete additional steps, resolve an issue, or provide additional information. A returned application in “Action Required” status means students must take action and complete the required action and additional steps. A returned application in “Action Required” status is not a denial or closure of the application. When an application is moved to “Action Required” status, an email will be sent to the student, which will outline why the application is returned and required action steps. Students must follow all the instructions outlined in the email by the deadline to avoid the application being closed. The application status will remain to “Action Required” status until the student completes the required action and resubmits the application in Meditrek. Students can review more information about returned applications in “Action Required” status in the Practicum Application Tutorial.

Approval of a practicum application must occur prior to the student starting the practicum course and completing practicum hours. Students may NOT begin any practicum hours or practicum activities with the preceptor or at the practicum site before (a) the start of the term, (b) they receive practicum application approval in Meditrek from the Office of Field Experience, (c) they are registered for the practicum course, and (d) they receive approval from the faculty instructor for the practicum course once the course begins.  Students cannot begin completing practicum hours or logging practicum hours until these conditions have been met.   

Application Approval Procedures

• Students must complete the practicum application in its entirety and submit it in Meditrek before the application is reviewed and processed. 
• The Office of Field Experience begins reviewing and processing submitted applications after the application deadline in the order applications are submitted in Meditrek. 
• The application review and practicum approval process can take up to three months or longer once the review begins.
• A practicum application must be approved by the end of the day on the Friday before the first day of the term to be eligible for course registration or it will be closed.
• Practicum application approval occurs after every section on the application checklist has been reviewed and accepted or approved. 
• The practicum application must meet all the practicum requirements in order to be approved.   
• Students and preceptors will be notified via email when their practicum application is approved.
• Students must follow directions in the approval email prior to beginning their practicum experience. 
• Practicum approval is valid as follows:
  • Course-Based Courses: Practicum approval is valid for the approved term through the end of the term.
  • Tempo-Based Courses: Practicum approval is valid for 13 weeks after the first day of the start of the monthly term. The 13-week approval period begins at the start date of the practicum term and not the first day the student begins practicum hours. Tempo students must stop practicum hours after the 13-week period. Tempo students who need additional time to complete practicum hours after the 13-week period, must go through the remedial application process.

• Practicum approval only applies to the nominated preceptor and practicum site at the address listed in the practicum application in Meditrek. Students must have multiple approved practicum applications if they are planning to complete practicum at multiple practicum site locations.     
• The faculty instructor of the practicum course gives final approval of the preceptorship and practicum experience once students begin the practicum course. Students cannot begin their practicum experience until their faculty instructor provides approval to begin the practicum experience. 
• Practicum approval is through Walden University and does not guarantee approval from the practicum site. Students must contact their practicum site to confirm they have been approved to begin the practicum experience at the site if they have not already been cleared or approved by the practicum site. 
• In some cases, a practicum approval may be rescinded after a practicum application is approved.  If a circumstance occurs that changes the status of the practicum approval (e.g. preceptor employment status changes, student has not completed the site onboarding processes of the practicum site, the status of a license changes, site did not approve the practicum, site did not clear the student, site dismisses the student, site notifies Walden that the agreement no longer covers the practicum site location; student fails a prerequisite course, has a registration restriction, or has a hold , etc.) and the application can no longer remain approved, practicum approval will be rescinded. Students are no longer approved for practicum if practicum approval is rescinded. Students will be dropped from the practicum course if approval is rescinded during the first week of the term if they do not have another approved practicum application. 

Project Approval for Project-Based Practicum Courses

While the Office of Field Experience will approve the preceptor and practicum site for a student’s practicum experience to ensure the preceptorship is appropriate for the practicum course, they do not approve the project, project focus, or project plan. An approved practicum application is not approval of a project. Once the course begins, students must follow instructions outlined in the course syllabus for details on the practicum assignments and project. Students must follow all directions in the course to obtain approval for the project from the assigned faculty instructor for the practicum course during the practicum course. 

Registration for practicum courses is subject to review, based on whether students meet course prerequisites, are active, have no restrictions or holds preventing registration, and have an approved practicum application on file.

Students must have an approved practicum application in Meditrek in order to be registered for a practicum course. Students will be registered for the practicum course upon full approval of their application in Meditrek.  Registration for practicum courses will be processed through the third day of the term. Students will be dropped from practicum courses during the first week of the term if they do not have an approved practicum application.

Approval of a practicum application does not guarantee the ability of students to be registered for practicum courses. Course availability is determined based upon when the practicum application is approved. Walden University abides by the rules and regulations required by various state Boards of Nursing. Walden is committed to adhering to the academic standards and compliance requirements as determined by various state nursing boards. For this reason, Walden’s College of Nursing is not able to offer an unlimited number of practicum course sections.

In order to ensure the correct faculty-to-student ratios in courses meet accreditation standards, course load balance, optimizations, and cohorting of sections to meet various state Boards of Nursing Faculty licensure requirements, students are unable to request a specific faculty instructor for nursing courses. Once a student is registered in a course, they are unable to change sections for the course for the reasons listed above.

Students are responsible for ensuring all holds are removed from their account. The Office of Field Experience staff cannot process a course registration if students have a hold on their account, are not actively enrolled, or have not been reinstated. If students have been withdrawn, on a leave of absence, or have not been continuously enrolled at Walden, they must contact Student Success Advising or Academic Coach to return and be reinstated at Walden. If students have not been enrolled at Walden in over one year, they must reapply for admission to become readmitted to Walden University.

Students who do not meet the practicum requirements, prerequisites, and deadlines found in this manual will be dropped from the practicum course until a practicum application is fully approved in Meditrek.

If students fail a prerequisite course, they are responsible for contacting their Student Success Advisor or Academic Coach and the Office of Field Experience for support with the steps required. Failing a prerequisite course may delay their progression in their practicum course(s). Students who believe they have met all the requirements for practicum approval and are not registered for a practicum course, should contact the Office of Field Experience at nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu.

Registration Process for Practicum Courses

Registration Process & Timeline– Course-Based Courses

• Once the registration period opens for the term, as set by the Registrar, the Office of Field Experience staff will process the course registration approximately 2 business days after the application is approved.
• Once the course registration is processed, the application status is changed to “Approved & Registered in Meditrek. It may take between 24 and 48 hours for students to see their course information in their student portal and in Canvas.
• Students with an application in “Approved – Sent to Registrar” state in Meditrek are in the process of being registered if the student does not have a hold or restriction on their account preventing registration. The Office of Field Experience has submitted a registration request to the Registrar and the registration is being processed by the Registrar.
• Students are responsible for ensuring there are no holds or restrictions on their account that prevents registration. The Office of Field Experience cannot process course registration if a student has a hold or restriction on their account preventing registration. Practicum applications will be closed, and approval will be rescinded if the hold or restriction is not resolved by the Friday before the first day of the term.

Registration Process & Timeline – Tempo-Based Courses

• Students must have an active subscription for Tempo that covers the start of the practicum term.

• Once a practicum application status is updated to “Approved and Registered” status and an email has been received confirming approval, students may add the practicum course to their learning plan. Tempo students should contact their Academic Coach for assistance with adding the practicum course to their learning plan.

A change of preceptor and/or practicum site or adding an additional preceptor and/or practicum site requires submission of a new practicum application because practicum applications are specific to the preceptor, practicum site, practicum site location, course and term.  Preceptors and practicum sites cannot be changed in a practicum application once a practicum application is submitted in Meditrek. 

Change of Preceptorship Before the Practicum Course Begins

Students whose approved preceptor and/or site become unavailable or if the student must add an additional preceptor and/or site before their course begins, must complete the following steps immediately: 

• Students must send an email to nursingfield@mail.waldenu.edu to request their application be closed and the Office of Field Experience will close the application. Students that have an approved application and are registered in a practicum course will be dropped from the practicum course if they do not have another approved application in Meditrek at the time. Students will be re-registered in the practicum course once the new application is approved in Meditrek. 
• Students must follow the application process outlined in this section to submit a new application in Meditrek and go through the application process to nominate a new preceptor and/or practicum site before the application deadline. If it is after the application deadline and the waitlist is open, you may have an option to submit a request for a late application through the waitlist. Review information about the waitlist for late applications in the Waitlist Guide. New applications are not accepted through the waitlist after the waitlist closes. 

There are no guarantees that a replacement/supplemental application will be granted or approved. Preceptorships that require a relocation to a new practicum site may be delayed if Walden does not have an affiliation agreement with the site or if the site requires onboarding processes.

Change of Preceptorship After the Practicum Course Begins

Students whose approved preceptor and/or site become unavailable or if the student must add an additional preceptor and/or site after their course begins must complete the following steps immediately:

• Contact the Office of Field Experience: The Office of Field Experience staff will review possible options for the student for a possible replacement application and/or supplemental application depending on the circumstances, time in the term, and if the student has a new preceptor and site to nominate. There are no guarantees that a replacement/supplemental application will be granted or approved. Students cannot begin completing hours with the new preceptor and/or site until after the practicum application is fully approved. Preceptorships that require a relocation to a new practicum site may be delayed if Walden does not have an affiliation agreement with the site or if the site requires onboarding processes. Students cannot begin or continue practicum hours or practicum activities until the new replacement/supplemental is approved in Meditrek. Practicum hours completed prior to the replacement/supplemental application being approved will not be allowed to count toward the practicum course requirements.
• Contact the faculty instructor for the practicum course:
  • Course-Based Courses: Contact your faculty instructor to discuss the impact of completing course requirements and the possible option of receiving an Incomplete (I) Grade to gain additional time to log hours with a new preceptor or site depending on the time of the term and eligibility of an Incomplete Grade.
  • Tempo-Based Courses: Contract your faculty instructor to discuss the impact of completing course requirements and options.
• Contact your Student Success Advisor or Academic Coach: Contact your Advisor/Coach to discuss the withdraw process and withdraw deadline so you are aware of your options if a replacement/supplemental application is not approved in time.  Students who stay enrolled in the course without a valid approved application that are not eligible for an Incomplete Grade, will fail the course if they cannot complete the requirements of the practicum course.