Preceptors for Advanced Practice Students

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Become a Preceptor

Preceptors are engaged clinical professionals who provide supervised clinical rotations while mentoring and educating Rutgers University advanced practice nursing students. Precepting offers healthcare professionals the opportunity to partner with the Rutgers University School of Nursing, translating classroom preparation into hands-on patient care while developing their own teaching and mentoring skills.

Working with Our Students

Preceptors work closely with program and specialty/track coordinators at Rutgers School of Nursing, along with clinical faculty, to create graduate learning experiences that connect classroom knowledge with real-world practice. Graduate nursing students need preceptors in advanced practice settings that serve patients across all stages of life. As patient care becomes increasingly complex and the demand for healthcare access grows, students seek opportunities with preceptors to apply their skills and achieve the required clinical competencies.

PLEASE VIEW OUR HANDBOOK:

Rutgers School of Nursing Preceptor Handbook (pdf)

Preceptor Resources

Toolkit Video Series

Clinical Teaching Resources – In the clinical setting, you are the expert students rely on for guidance. As a community health educator, your role is essential to the quality education Rutgers provides. If you are ready to being teaching but need a starting point, these resources offer straightforward models to help you visualize and organize your approach.

Clinical Teaching Strategies

Precepting Resources (Publications)

Evaluation & Feedback

Providing feedback can be challenging when you are new to teaching. For many beginning educators, evaluating performance, assigning grades, and offering constructive feedback are among the hardest parts of clinical instruction. These resources share practical tips for discussing student progress, strengths, and areas for improvement.

Providing Clinical Feedback (Resources)

Benefits of Becoming a Preceptor

Welcome preceptors! As a clinical preceptor, you play an important role in preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals. By sharing your time and expertise, you help shape students’ skills and future careers. Teaching can feel challenging at first, especially if this is your initial experience working with learners, but your contribution makes a lasting impact.

Precepting is an important responsibility that often requires balancing teaching with the demands of a busy practice. It also offers meaningful rewards. Many preceptors recall the mentor who guided their clinical development as students. This is your chance to be that influential teacher who shapes the education of future advanced practice nurses, leaders, and providers.

To support you in this role, we’ve developed practical tools focused on core teaching skills and quick-access resources. These materials are designed to give you confidence and strategies for working effectively with learners.

Thank you for contributing your time and expertise to our students!

Additional Benefits Include:

  • Continuing Education: Receive verification for precepting hours for AACN, AMCB, ANCC, CNC, NCC, PNCB, and AANP Certification
  • Professional Development: Access to free Rutgers Health and School of Nursing events, lecture series, seminars, and training – with some offering CNE and ANCC credit.
  • Networking Opportunities: Engage with Rutgers’ talented pool of nursing students, faculty, and leadership.
  • Invitation to the annual Rutgers Health preceptor appreciation event
  • Eligibility for Preceptor Excellence Awards given during the annual preceptor appreciation event
  • Opportunity to provide guest lectures to the School of Nursing in an area of your expertise
  • Opportunity to work with a doctoral student on a practice change project in your clinical setting

Contact Us

Rutgers School of Nursing seeks highly qualified clinicians, leaders, and providers throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and beyond. Your commitment to our students’ success is appreciated. If you are interested in precepting for Rutgers Nursing or want to learn more, please provide us with some information using the following form:

Contact Form

Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Preceptors must have at least one year of experience in their population-focused field and have the capacity to mentor students each week, with some flexibility in scheduling.
– The practice site must have an affiliation Agreement finalized by the site and the School of Nursing
– Provide a copy of your CV, resume, or the NONPF Preceptor Form
Preceptors are expected to:
1. Demonstrate health care professional responsibilities and behaviors.
2. Explain clinical reasoning and practice parameters.
3. Help students develop clinical competencies via role modeling, mentoring, and coaching.
4. Facilitate learning experiences and patient care assignments that align with students’ ability.
5. Assess student progress.
6. Review and sign off on student clinical hours.
7. Provide honest and meaningful formative and summative feedback throughout the learning experience to guide and improve clinical competence.
Precepting requirements vary by course but typically range from one to four days per week, totaling 50-300 hours per semester. As a preceptor for nursing students, your mentorship will bridge the gap between classroom learning and clinical practice.
In general, we do not pay preceptors for training students. Rather than monetary payment, Rutgers is dedicated to supporting preceptors and providing alternate ways to recognize your efforts.
There are no requirements beyond your initial commitment. While we value every opportunity you can provide, many preceptors will take students over multiple semesters. Also, course offerings also determine needs for specific preceptor experiences.
The School of Nursing provides appropriate malpractice insurance for each student placed by Rutgers.
All Rutgers nursing students undergo comprehensive background checks, drug screenings, and immunization verifications to ensure they meet clinical placement requirements. Students are also responsible for any additional clearance requirements set forth by the clinical site.
At the beginning of the semester, you will receive information about what course the student is enrolled in and the associated course objectives are which will guide the student expectations.
Contact information for clinical course faculty and program director/track coordinator will be provided at the time of the preceptor assignment. Clinical Course faculty should be contacted immediately if students are unable to meet expectations based on program progression.
At the start of the clinical experience, students will share the standard course objectives and individualized learning goals with the preceptor. These objectives will guide the preceptor.
Preceptors will complete a midterm and final student evaluation form. This feedback is an essential component of the student’s overall grade. The feedback is used to identify weaknesses and strengths, allowing the clinical instructor and preceptor to collaborate and ensure the student is progress. Assessing clinical competency is a shared responsibility with clinical faculty.
Preceptors will be provided with formal documentation of their precepted hours for the School of Nursing at the end of each semester. Preceptors should check their specialty renewal certification requirements. Many count hours of student precepting toward renewal requirements.