In the clinical nursing courses, students may complete required clinical learning hours with preceptors. The preceptor is a registered nurse licensed in the state of practice with six months of experience in the selected clinical practice area. The preceptor serves as a preceptor for the nursing student in collaboration with the clinical nursing faculty. Approval of the preceptor and clinical sites must be obtained from faculty prior to students beginning clinical hours.
The clinical faculty provides guidance to the nursing student and preceptors to develop and implement a quality clinical experience. Input on student performance is requested from the preceptor while the faculty remains responsible for assigning the clinical grade for that course. Students may be required to visit campus to demonstrate clinical competency. The following guidelines have been approved for the selection, monitoring, and evaluation of the clinical experience.
Criteria for Selection:
Preceptors will be selected based on the following criteria:
- Current unencumbered licensure as a registered nurse in the state of practice.
- Minimum of six months of work experience as a registered nurse.
- Demonstrate competence in practice as designated by the institution in which they are employed.
- Approved by the nurse manager or chair of the area.
Roles and Responsibilities of Faculty
- Select and approve clinical teaching.
- Provide written clinical objectives to the preceptors prior to the clinical.
- Provide the evaluation tool to the preceptors prior to the clinical.
- Be available in person or by phone during the clinical.
- Consult with the preceptors to monitor and evaluate student.
- Coordinate and monitor the clinical experience for no more than 10.
- Orient students and preceptors to the respective roles and ensure that appropriate agreements are signed with agencies and filed in the appropriate repository.
Roles and Responsibilities for Preceptors
- Provide clear direction and supervision appropriate to the student’s level of knowledge, skill and experience.
- Participate in student instruction while serving as an expert, role model, and consultant during clinical.
- Provide the student with clinical experiences to meet the course and clinical requirements, objectives, and specific educational outcomes.
- Provide feedback on the student’s performance to the student and clinical faculty.
- Notify the clinical faculty immediately of any unsafe nursing practices or unprofessional behavior.
- Notify the clinical faculty of any reportable incident as defined by the institution.
