MSN & POST-GRADUATE CERTIFICATE STUDENT HANDBOOKS

• Connect with Clinical Sites & Initiate Setup: Research and contact potential clinical sites and preceptors in your area. Once a site and preceptor have agreed to host you, submit all required paperwork ahead of deadlines.

• Plan Schedule & Prepare: Meet with your preceptor before starting to establish a mutually agreeable schedule; modify your personal schedule to accommodate the preceptor and adhere strictly to the agreed hours.

• Complete Onboarding & Know Policies: Fulfill all site-specific training/compliance requirements and arrange for practice orientation before starting. Remain fully aware of all relevant university policies (catalog, withdrawal, registration, integrity, etc.)

• Engage Actively & Learn: During the rotation, observe, analyze, and discuss your preceptor's professional practice (interactions, role demands) within the healthcare environment.

• Track & Reflect Weekly: Systematically document and reflect on clinical activities each week.

• Maintain Proactive Communication: Communicate consistently and effectively with both your assigned faculty member and your preceptor throughout the rotation.

• Provide Oversight & Mentorship: Serve as a professional role model, offer guidance, demonstrate clinical expertise, and provide ongoing feedback on the student's performance and areas for improvement.

• Facilitate Clinical Learning: Ensure appropriate facilities and direct patient care opportunities exist to meet course objectives. Limit the number of Purdue University Global students to 5 students per term.

• Manage Student Experience: Introduce the student to staff, orient them to the setting, and only permit clinical hours with University-approved clinicians. 

• Assess & Communicate Progress: Continuously assess the student's knowledge/skills. Maintain communication with the assigned faculty member regarding progress and participate in scheduled check-ins. 

• Report Concerns Promptly: Notify designated faculty/Practicum Manager immediately of any concerns (e.g., performance issues).

• Fulfill Administrative Requirements: Provide a current copy of your professional license, certifications, and CV/Resume.

• Complete University Documentation: Verify student clinical hours and submit the final evaluation form via CORE ELMS.

• Hold an active, unencumbered license in the clinical state and role

• Minimum of one year of experience in advanced practice or relevant clinical setting

• Be in good standing with your organization

• For NP programs: must be board-certified in the population-focus area

• Preceptors may also be MDs, DOs, PAs, CNS who have a specialty alignment (e.g., OB-GYN for women's health rotations)

• Physician Assistants preceptors cannot supervise Nurse Practitioner students in Alaska, Arizona, California, Kansas, or Pennsylvania

• Residents or physicians in training are not permitted to be preceptors. 

• Conflict of Interest: Preceptors cannot be relatives, personal friends, or direct supervisors of the student in an employment setting

• Employer Sites: Clinical hours at a student's workplace require a separate department, schedule, and preceptor with no managerial relationship. View Employer Site & Preceptor Rules for more information.

Primary Care NP Students:

Required to have a minimum of 2 clinical sites and 2 preceptors throughout the program. If you are using only two preceptors/sites, each of these must be a minimum of 160 hours each. 

Psychiatric Mental Health NP Students:

Required to have a minimum of 2 clinical sites and 2 preceptors throughout the program. If you are using only two preceptors/sites, each of these must be a minimum of 130 hours each for MN courses, or 160 hours each for NU courses. 

Acute Care NP Students:

Required to have a minimum of 1 clinical site and 2 preceptors throughout the program. If you are using only two preceptors, each of these preceptors must be a minimum of 160 hours each. 

• Sites and preceptors must be appropriate for each clinical course, allowing you to treat the required patient population, in the appropriate clinical setting.

• Submit your sites and preceptors to CORE ELMS for review on a course-by-course basis.

• You are required to submit a Site Prospector Form for each term and each clinical rotation, even if you have previously used the intended site/preceptor.

If you are requesting to use one site or preceptor for multiple clinical courses, you must submit the clinical site and preceptor separately under each of the requested clinical courses for review. 

It is important to note, you cannot use the same preceptor for multiple clinical courses in a single academic term (see the guidelines found in "Two Clinical Courses in the Same Term Approval" below).

If necessary, you have the option to use multiple sites or preceptors for one clinical course. You may have a maximum of three preceptors for one clinical course.

If you would like to enroll in two clinical courses in one academic term, you must request review of this from your Student Success Manager. The School of Nursing evaluates these requests on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration your progress in didactic and clinical coursework. If you are approved to take two clinical courses in one term, you must arrange separate preceptors.

When planning your outreach to potential sites and preceptors, please plan for your clinical courses to be taken in order. Your clinical courses are meant to be taken in a specific sequence that promotes learning and progression of skills. There is limited flexibility in the sequence of clinical courses.