Information for Preceptors

Thank you for serving as a preceptor for students in the Regents Online Campus Collaborative (ROCC) Master's of Science in Nursing program. Your expertise and guidance is critical to providing our students the opportunity to apply their clinical skills and knowledge as they prepare for their future role as advanced practice nurses. Your service as a preceptor demonstrates a commitment to quality education for our students and to the health and well-being of all they will serve in the future. It simply would not be possible to prepare our graduates for practice without your dedication to and collaboration in this process.

The MSN RODP program and the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) value your service as a preceptor and welcome your recommendations for making the preceptor role more effective and satisfying. Please feel free to contact the MSN RODP office or the course instructor if you have any questions or concerns. On behalf of all TBR Universities, thank you for your service and continued support.

Preceptor Selection

Preceptors facilitate student learning in the application of theory through practice. Clinical/practicum preceptor selections are made based on qualifications, interest, and demonstrated commitment to the program. Graduate preceptors should possess the following qualifications and experiences:

Master's degree, Post Master's certificate or Doctoral degree in fields relevant to the role
Current license in the state of practice
Certification in the appropriate area
Practices in a setting that provides experiences appropriate for the development of advanced practice skills
Individuals not meeting the above criteria with specialized expertise will be considered on an individual basis

Preceptor Appointment Agreement

Preceptor agreements are individual arrangements for a particular experience with a specific student for each semester and course. Arrangements will be initiated by the student in consultation with their Concentration Coordinator and/or faculty member, depending upon the concentration and course. Preceptor agreement forms must be completed, signed and submitted to the MSN RODP office. Copies of these forms will be forwarded by the MSN RODP staff to your Concentration Coordinator for determination of the appropriateness of the placement. The course faculty must give final approval to both the site and the preceptor. Students using multiple preceptors in a semester must file separate preceptor forms for each preceptor. If indicated by the Concentration Coordinator, course, faculty or the MSN RODP staff, students have to submit updated preceptor information and/or forms for previously approved preceptors and sites.

Preceptor and Student Roles and Responsibilities

Below is an overview of preceptor and student roles and responsibilities for Regents Online clinical/practicum courses.

Preceptor Responsibilities:

Orient students to the practice site and clearly identify specific service and personal expectations.
Encourage office and ancillary care staff to be helpful and make the student feel a part of the team.
Complete a formal written evaluation of the student's performance and provide written and verbal feedback in a constructive and timely manner.
Contact the faculty to discuss issues of concern and poor student performance.
Serve as a mentor to assist students in applying their knowledge and building skills to problem-solve patient care.
Provide a a variety of patient cases and adequate patient volume.
Challenge the student with deliberate and thoughtful questions.
Allow the student to participate in patient management to a degree appropriate for the level of education.
Sign the student's clinical hours tracking log each day the student is present.
Be available on site for assistance during all patient care activities.
Share learning resources (texts, computers, etc.) sufficient to increase student knowledge and productivity.
Integrate the theory of advanced practice nursing into the clinical experience.

Student Responsibilities

Establish a mutually agreeable schedule for clinical time with the preceptor.
Come to the clinical experience prepared to perform in accordance with course objectives and assigned learning activities.
Demonstrate ability to manage progressively complex situations in accordance with academic progression.
Follow policies and procedures at the preceptor site and keep the preceptor informed about cases and learning activities.
Function under the Nurse Practice Act statutes and regulations for advanced nursing practice.
Participate in conferences with the preceptor and faculty to discuss progress, problems and learning needs.
Maintain accurate records of clinical time and experiences.
Complete required forms (clinical logs, clinical skills performance forms, etc.) and submit to faculty within designated timeframes.