Barriers to Preceptor Placement for Nurse Practitioner Students.

Abstract

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are positioned to fill healthcare gaps in the looming primary care provider shortage, if clinical educational needs can be met. Issues with preceptor placements for APRNs have been hotly debated in nursing education but not well studied. This article presents a case study of a quality improvement project, describing the experiences of a Clinical Preceptor Placement Coordinator for APRN students for a small Midwestern university. Barriers identified in finding preceptor placements for students are delineated, and suggestions for solutions and further research are given to address this growing problem.