Preceptor FAQs

Preceptors must have at least one year of experience in their population-focused field and have the capacity to mentor students for 2-3 days each week, with some flexibility in scheduling.

• Each site must fill out an Affiliation Agreement and it must be finalized by the site and the College of Nursing
• Provide a copy of your CV, resume, or complete our Ohio State College of Nursing Graduate Preceptor Data Form
• You will be assigned a designated clinical faculty member as your point of contact for the semester based on your specialty certification and practice.

Precepting students is similar to precepting new employees. However, because students are still learning they will not have the competencies and self-assurance of a new nurse practitioner. Students will need guidance, direction, mentorship and support, especially in the beginning. View our resources for new or interested preceptors.

Yes, if you would like them to do so! The student can also complete hours with a variety of providers (i.e., physician, physician assistants or nurse practitioners) in your practice during the semester. Prior to sharing preceptor responsibilities, please contact the placement office and your designated clinical faculty member, as we have the same requirements of all preceptors. In addition, students can be placed in more than one clinical setting. You can discuss the hours that you are available for precepting prior to agreeing to mentor a student.

Preceptors are asked to continuously and honestly provide feedback on the student throughout the semester. Students are in the clinical setting to learn and are not expected to have the highest marks. The feedback is used to determine weaknesses and strengths so the clinical instructor and preceptor can work together to ensure that the student is progressing as intended. Assessing clinical competency is a shared responsibility with clinical faculty.

Yes! We want to help and support you in your role as a preceptor and you may call us at any time. If you find a student is having difficulty, would like to discuss student progress, need to have a difficult discussion, or just have a question or concern, please contact your assigned clinical faculty member.

A list of course and clinical objectives will be provided to you prior so that you are able to guide student clinical experiences. Our preference is for graduate nursing students to be involved with all aspects of patient care; while observation is important, clinical skills and abilities are learned best in environments that allow students the opportunities to provide hands-on assessments. Level of involvement should occur with the preceptor’s input and judgement. By the time the student has completed all clinical hours for the clinical program, he or she should be able to conduct appropriate, clinically sound patient care consistent with a novice in practice.

Yes, you can earn Continuing Education credits (CEs) by precepting students, click here to view our CE offerings. Check your specialty renewal certification requirements. Many count hours of student precepting toward renewal requirements. Preceptors are sent verification of the clinical hours spent with students at the completion of the semester.