Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Preceptor Guide
Role of the Preceptor
Criteria: Nurse Preceptors
- Advanced Practice Nurses and Physicians licensed in the state precepting
- Holds a current CPR card
- Carries professional liability insurance either from their employer or on their own
Responsibilities & Expectations
- Bridges the gap between theory and actual practice
- Orients students to practice setting, organizational and institutional policies and key personnel.
- Assists students in planning clinical assignments based on course objectives and student-articulated learning needs
- Provides supervision of students on a one-to-one clinical basis until such time as students and preceptors deem direct supervision is no longer necessary
- Provides weekly feedback to students
- Reviews and co-signs all student documentation in clinical records
- Submits a Student Evaluation Form of the practice experience to Clinical Faculty Advisor, as requested
- Serves as a role model to nursing students
- Maintains an open line of communication with students’ Clinical Faculty Advisor
Nursing Student-Preceptor Exchange of Information
It is important to cover the following items with the student either prior to the start of clinicals or during your first clinical meeting:
- Exchange contact information (Leave your contact number and student’s contact number with the nurse manager and shift charge nurse.)
- Schedules
- Dress code
- Identification
- Passwords and codes
- Tardiness
- Reporting off the floor and off of clinical for the day
- Calling in sick/clinical absence
- Assignment postings: time and location (please post clinical objectives for each clinical)
- Parking policy
- Review JACHO - Do not use the list of abbreviations
- Student and staff introductions
Clinical Preparation
If your agency requires students to attend an orientation program, please allow your schedule to accommodate the program. Please obtain all necessary passwords for computer charting, supply and med stations, and arrange any computer or blood glucose classes or training.
We ask that you review with students how they should prepare for their clinical duties. Please orient students to the office environment and provide a tour. You may want to review certain equipment and send students on a scavenger hunt for frequently used items. It is important to review any procedures and if students are to avoid certain practice areas.
Student Evaluation
Preceptors are responsible for evaluations and feedback.
- It is important to remember to adhere to deadlines in the clinical packet.
- All course objectives need to be met and assignments complete prior to the final grade being posted. Please keep notes on your student every shift and report this progress to the clinical instructor at the end of each week.
- Each student has a checklist; it is important to initial the skills the student completes during their clinical rotation with you.
- Evaluation information will be emailed directly to you after the rotation is complete.
Post-Conferences/Huddles/Interdisciplinary Rounds
During pre- and post-conferences, team huddles and interdisciplinary rounds, review such things as case studies, NCLEX questions, medications, dosage calculations and the delegation process, to name a few. Students should participate in rounding as much as possible.
Role of the Clinical Faculty Advisor
- Is available to discuss the clinical program requirements and objectives with the preceptor
- Assesses the adequacy of space and appropriateness of clients for the students’ learning objectives and clinical experiences
- Communicates with preceptor regarding the student’s conduct and progress
- Schedules on-site or virtual visits, when deemed necessary, by the faculty, student or preceptor
Role of the Student
- Reviews goals/objectives for fulfilling clinical requirements with preceptor
- Provides the preceptor with weekly written objectives and evaluation forms for the clinical experience
- Provides proof of nursing license, immunization status and any other documentation required by the clinical site, as necessary
- Reviews existing agency protocols and Wilkes University protocols with preceptor
- ALL students are required to complete 5 hours of community service per clinical course. The student must provide evidence of community service to their clinical instructor by the designated time frame. They may ask the preceptor for suggestions.
- Documents all clinical encounters in the respective health records using a SOAP format (All entries must be co-signed by the preceptor.)
- Arrives at a designated site on time and dressed professionally with Wilkes University student name tag
**Note** All currently enrolled Wilkes University nursing students are covered under the Medical Professions Liability Insurance. (A copy is on file in the Graduate Nursing office at Wilkes University.)
Program Outcomes
- Synthesize theoretical, scientific and clinical knowledge in providing comprehensive, evidence-based care
- Perform comprehensive health history and physical examination to diagnose health conditions involving critical analysis, differential diagnosis and data interpretation
- Assume leadership roles in collaboration with other health professionals to achieve optimum patient health
- Integrate health care policy as it impacts the decision-making ability to provide quality patient care
- Negotiate health care delivery systems to promote quality health outcomes for individuals, communities and organizational systems
- Coordinate care for patients with complex conditions through referrals and collaboration
- Participate in life-long learning through higher education, continuing education, certification and evaluation
Program Curriculum: PMHNP Specialization
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSG 526 | Clinical Modalities in Advanced P/MH Nursing Practice | 3 | |
| NSG 527 | Psychopathology, Theories and Advanced Clinical Modalities | 3 | |
| NSG 535 | Advanced Practice in P/MH Nursing I | 3 | 250 |
| NSG 536 | Advanced Practice in P/MH Nursing II | 3 | 250 |
| NSG 552 | Psychopharmacology | 2 | |
| NSG 590 | Scholarly Review | 3 | |
| TOTALS | 17 | 500 |
This course provides a foundation in the major systems of therapy for individuals and groups used in advanced psychiatric mental health nursing and other disciplines engaged in mental health practice. Focus will be on therapeutic modalities such as brief psychotherapy, group processes and practices, milieu therapy and crisis intervention as they relate to advanced nursing practice in mental health. Prerequisites: NSG 550, NSG 552
This course focuses on the most frequently observed pathologies in psychiatry and mental health, the various conceptual models and theories related to the practice of psychiatric mental health nursing, and the most advanced clinical modalities congruent with the analysis of the best evidence. Prerequisites: NSG 550, NSG 552
This foundational clinical course introduces students to advanced practice psychiatric nursing in a variety of mental health settings. Students acquire skills in completing comprehensive mental health assessments. Students identify and apply concepts, theories, and principles to the practice of individual, family and group psychotherapy, with emphasis on process dynamics. Considerations and challenges in providing psychotherapy to culturally diverse individuals, families and groups are explored and discussed. Skills are gained in assessing psychopathological symptoms across the lifespan and in implementing planned interventions. Students integrate theory and practice of the advanced practice psychiatric nurse in a supervised clinical practicum (residency and 250 practice hours) Prerequisites: NSG 550, NSG 552
This clinical course focuses on refining assessment, diagnosis and pharmacological and psychosocial management of individuals of all ages with mental illness. Individual, family and group psychotherapies are refined. Students gain skills in identifying individuals/populations at risk for mental illness and primary prevention in mental health. Mental health needs of culturally diverse, rural and underserved populations are explored. Leadership and advocacy roles of the advanced practice psychiatric nurse as an agent of health care policy change are emphasized. Students integrate theory and practice of the advanced practice psychiatric nurse in a supervised clinical practicum (residency and 250 practice hours) Prerequisites: NSG 550, NSG 552
This course is designed to assist the P/MH nurse practitioner to develop competence in prescribing and monitoring psychopharmacological agents used in the treatment of common psychiatric-mental health disorders across the lifespan. This course will examine the major classes of psychopharmacological agents on neurobiological function with a particular emphasis on the clinical management of target psychiatric symptoms. Drugs of abuse, side effects, issues of polypharmacy, and management of advanced practice prescriptive privileges are also explored. Prerequisites: NSG 533
In this course, students will synthesize and review issues relevant to their specialty clinical practice. This course is designed as a review of the required master’s-level core nursing courses and specialty-focused curriculum for advanced nursing practice. This course will provide an overview of both the required core nursing courses as well as each specific specialty course. Prerequisites: Completion of Graduate Nursing Core and Concentration courses.
Evaluations
ALL students, preceptors and instructors are evaluated after each clinical rotation. The students are evaluated using the criteria listed in the packet you received. You may be evaluated on such items as:
- Providing constructive feedback to students
- Correlating classroom theory with clinical practice
- Ability to answer students’ questions
- Overall quality of the clinical experience
- Communication with the student, instructor or school
- Availability to the student and instructor
Suggestions for Being an Effective Preceptor
Preceptorship is a working relationship between an experienced practitioner and a beginner. The preceptor helps to bridge the gap between theory and reality. To be an effective preceptor it is helpful to:
- Review the student’s goals and objectives
- Orient the student to your clinical site by introducing the staff, touring the facility, and reviewing the policies, procedures and protocols used in your clinical setting
- Initially, allow the student to observe your methods of assessing, diagnosing, and treating
- Provide a one-on-one clinical experience as necessary to fulfill student goals/objectives
- Be a role model – share values, philosophies and “pearls of wisdom”
- Be patient – remember how slow students are when they are beginning a new clinical experience
- Allow the student opportunity to assess, diagnose and form a treatment plan BEFORE you provide feedback and suggestions
- Offer frequent feedback as to student’s progress (weekly is ideal)
- Evaluate the student using the appropriate form and review the evaluation with the student offering constructive criticism and encouragement
A preceptor is an experienced, licensed practitioner who provides supervision during clinical practice and facilitates the application of theory to practice for nursing students.
- Unencumbered license to practice medicine in the state where the preceptorship will take place
- Engaged in an active practice directly affiliated with the rotation
- Bridges the gap between theory and actual practice
- Orients student to practice setting, organizational policies and key personnel
- Orients student to institutional policies
- Assists student in planning clinical assignments based on course objectives and student-articulated learning needs
- Provides supervision of student on a one-to-one clinical basis until such time as student and preceptor deem direct supervision is no longer necessary
- Provides daily feedback to student
- Reviews and co-signs all student documentation in clinical records
- Submits a Student Evaluation Form to clinical faculty of the practice experience, as requested
- Serves as a role model to the nursing student
- Maintains an open line of communication with the student’s clinical advisor
- Is available to discuss the clinical program requirements and objectives with the preceptor
- Assesses the adequacy of space and appropriateness of clients for the student’s learning objectives and clinical experiences
- Communicates with preceptor regarding the student’s conduct and progress
- Schedules on-site visits, when deemed necessary, by the faculty, student or preceptor
- Reviews goals/objectives for fulfilling clinical requirements
- Provides the preceptor with written objectives and evaluation forms for the clinical experience
- Provides proof of nursing license, immunization status and any other documentation required by the clinical site, as necessary
- Reviews existing agency protocols and Wilkes University protocols with preceptor
- Documents all clinical encounters in the respective health records using a SOAP format. (Note: All entries must be co-signed by the preceptor.)
- Arrives at a designated site on time and dressed professionally with Wilkes University student name tag
Preceptors have opportunities for immediate feedback and for a more formal assessment of student performance. Preceptors will complete evaluations in writing on Wilkes-designated forms at intervals during the semester, usually at the mid-point and end of the semester.
Each course has associated clinical course objectives and competencies to help guide you and the students during the preceptorship. The course objectives are outlined in the curriculum section. Contact the Clinical Faculty Advisor for any additional questions related to clinical outcomes.
Yes.
Students must complete annual physical exams, background checks, immunization verifications, drug screenings, and OSHA and HIPAA training.
All currently enrolled Wilkes University nursing students are covered under the Medical Professions Liability Insurance. (A copy is on file in the Graduate Nursing office at Wilkes University.)
Please contact the Clinical Faculty Advisor immediately if you become concerned or notice that a student is not meeting expectations.
Contact the student’s Clinical Faculty Advisor immediately and follow the policy on clinical absences and make-ups in the handbook. Students are required to notify the preceptor and Clinical Faculty Advisor immediately in the case of an emergency or situation that would result in an absence.
The student should report the incident to your agency and follow the internal procedure. The incident should also be reported to the Program Coordinator.
Contact the student’s Clinical Faculty Advisor via email or phone so that we may assist in finding the answer.
Please notify the student and clinical placement team so that an alternative plan may be arranged.
Please notify the Placement Specialist as soon as possible and have the student notify the Placement Coordinator.
Please notify the student as soon as possible and have the student notify the Clinical Faculty Advisor.
Yes. All clinical rotations are associated with a specific course and Clinical Faculty Advisor.
No.
Clinical preceptors will receive a certificate demonstrating the number of hours in which he or she has precepted a student. Depending on your certifying organization, this may be used toward license renewal or national recertification.
There are no requirements for the frequency of preceptorship. We are grateful for the value you provide in each preceptorship. Many preceptors take students intermittently.
The time commitment varies by course.
