Selection and Use of Preceptors for Specialty Roles

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UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER COLLEGE OF NURSING
Selection and Use of Preceptors for Specialty Roles	Policy: 3002 (6.1.4)
Facilities and Resources	Originating Date: October 1988
Responsible Reviewing Agency: Professional Graduate Affairs Committee Final Reviewing: Executive Council	Revised: January 1995 Revised: April 1999 Revised: September 2002 Reviewed: February 2004 Revised: October 2008 Revised: July 2012 Revised: April 2017 Revised: November 2022 (changes) Revised: April 2026 (changes) Revised: May 2026 (changes)

Purpose

Defines preceptor qualifications for specialty roles and establishes the selection and use of preceptors in the professional graduate nursing program.

Scope

This policy applies to professional graduate nursing faculty.

Policy

A preceptor is an APRN, PA, MD, DO, MSN, MBA, MHA, or other identified expert with appropriate educational background who has agreed to assume negotiated responsibility for a student’s clinical experience.

1. Students in professional graduate nursing programs, excluding post-masters DNP students, are required to complete clinical practicums in order meet certification requirements
2. Faculty support preceptors by providing guidance on course expectations, facilitating communication, and serving as an ongoing resource to promote effective student clinical learning and evaluation. Faculty are encouraged to support preceptor participation in training resources such as the MCRIN PRIME-NP preceptor training course.
3. Criteria for Preceptors:
   1. For MSN students, professionals with an advanced degree appropriate to the specialty with at least one year experience; possessing appropriate certification as required; and identified as positive professional role models by agency and/or faculty.
   2. Expectations of all preceptors:
      1. Review semester objectives and goals to facilitate clinical learning
      2. Review daily objectives to be discussed at the beginning of each clinical day
      3. Create a learning environment for the student and facilitate the critical thinking skills required of a student
      4. Complete the Preceptor Credentials form yearly and the Clinical Preceptor Assessment of Student Performance form.
   3. Expectations of preceptors for APRN students:
      1. Listen to the student’s case presentation on each patient
      2. Provide feedback about assessments, differential diagnosis, problem lists and proposed plans of care
      3. See patients with the student
      4. Supervise the student on all new procedures
      5. Recheck all abnormal examination findings identified by the student and evaluate the student’s management plans for these problems
      6. Always be present in the clinical area during the student’s experience, and name a qualified substitute if you must leave the clinic
      7. Review all student entries in the patient’s health/medical records
   4. Expectations of Preceptors for LEAD/Nursing Executive students:
      1. Facilitate student’s skill in completing an organizational assessment
      2. Facilitate student’s development, implementation and evaluation of a systems project.
      3. Engage student in organizational meetings and follow up to share decision-making related to specific agenda items.
      4. Dialogue on-going conversations with student related to organizational activities including operations, strategic initiatives, management duties and human resources.

The preceptor has a right to ask that the student be placed in another learning environment if problems arise that cannot be resolved.