I was wandering around on some of the Nurse Practitioner message boards and realized just how many students there are that can't seem to find preceptors in their areas. Most of the students that are working on their RN-MSN degrees live in a larger city than I do. I am really surprised to see that there aren't that many NPs willing to take a student under their wing.
I wonder why? The first reason that pops into my head is that we are often so busy with the background work of patient care. Paperwork, Paperwork, Paperwork! Actually, I am supposed to be working on some now but decided to enjoy myself and write a blog post instead. A little break from the dullness is how I see students. Often, they can bring out the best in us. We get so bah-humbug with the standard patient care but to a student, it's a goldmine! Things we see on a regular basis are new and interesting to the new student and sometimes can make us think just a little harder.
Put your name out on the NP boards and websites and find a student who will so very much appreciate your time. The ones who do are usually the ones who are completing their degrees online, like I did, while working full time in a hospital setting. It was hard work but so well worth it! While I was surfing the web, I also found an interesting link about the Anatomy of A Doctor and found it to be very similar to the Anatomy of A NP as well. We both like to figure out problems and to help patients. The timeline is a little shorter for NPs though. I have often wondered if physicians found that the length of time in their college studies was really necessary or was a lot of it busy work? How much of those inorganic and organic chemistry classes gets used in real life patient care really? In the NP program that I went through, I was surprised to find that they were still focused on theory and I wanted more medical content. I never was a big fan of theory but expected that in the higher level of NP education that theory would take a breather!
Via:RN to MSN
I wonder why? The first reason that pops into my head is that we are often so busy with the background work of patient care. Paperwork, Paperwork, Paperwork! Actually, I am supposed to be working on some now but decided to enjoy myself and write a blog post instead. A little break from the dullness is how I see students. Often, they can bring out the best in us. We get so bah-humbug with the standard patient care but to a student, it's a goldmine! Things we see on a regular basis are new and interesting to the new student and sometimes can make us think just a little harder.
Put your name out on the NP boards and websites and find a student who will so very much appreciate your time. The ones who do are usually the ones who are completing their degrees online, like I did, while working full time in a hospital setting. It was hard work but so well worth it! While I was surfing the web, I also found an interesting link about the Anatomy of A Doctor and found it to be very similar to the Anatomy of A NP as well. We both like to figure out problems and to help patients. The timeline is a little shorter for NPs though. I have often wondered if physicians found that the length of time in their college studies was really necessary or was a lot of it busy work? How much of those inorganic and organic chemistry classes gets used in real life patient care really? In the NP program that I went through, I was surprised to find that they were still focused on theory and I wanted more medical content. I never was a big fan of theory but expected that in the higher level of NP education that theory would take a breather!
Via:RN to MSN
Hi. Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your blog. I am presenting a poster on NPs and social media/ technology use and I plan to mention your blog. :-) Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteYou could not be more correct about the small amount of NP's who want to precept! I am currently an FNP student trying to find OB/GYN or CNM's, as well as PNP's for this coming semester to precept me- it's almost impossible! Thanks for getting the word out there! :) - Erika
ReplyDeleteKristin, I am honored to be part of your presentation and would love a copy or pic of it sometime!
ReplyDeleteGirl, I hope you can find some preceptors. Our company is very pro precepting. What area are you in?
ReplyDeleteYeah! I love this! As an FNP student I appreciate my preceptors, sometimes they become great Mentors and friends that I continue to call and learn from even after my rotation is done. I hope that when I graduate (May 11th) that after a few years I can too teach/mentor another future NP.
ReplyDelete~mika
(at work can't log into my profile :)