While an RN to BSN is one of the most popular and widely accepted (by employers) distance learning degrees, you generally need to do a significant amount of hands on study/work in a clinical setting to complete the degree. So how do you fill your clinical nursing requirements if your online degree school is in one state and you live in another?
The answer for just about all online bachelor degree students in nursing is to find a “preceptor” in their home area who can oversee the patient work they do in a hospital or other health care facility to get clinical credits. The preceptor is another health care professional, usually a nurse, who supervises your work, and is approved by your school.
Clinical requirements vary considerably from one online RN to BSN program to another, but they can make up a significant portion of a degree program. A requirement of 60 hours of clinical work (10 weeks of 6 hours each) for a single course is not unusual, and many programs require several clinical-focused courses per semester. This can be a fairly heavy load that can impact how much time you will need to complete your BSN degree, particularly if you are holding down a full-time nursing job like most other BSN students. During your clinical work, you’ll generally be required to provide quality patient care including doing patient history reviews, administering treatments, giving medications and evaluating outcomes.
Finding A Preceptor
Getting a preceptor can be a bit tricky, depending on what area you live in. One of the issues is that the preceptor is generally not paid, which means it can take a bit of work to find one willing to give you supervision. Many nurses like to provide a helping hand to students, and also want to help because there is a shortage of nurses in many areas. In fact, you may find it much easier to get a preceptor if you are willing to commit to working at a facility after you do your clinical work there. But you should expect to spend some time looking before you find a satisfactory preceptor.
Other key tips:
– Call the education departments of hospitals in your area. Teaching hospitals in particular can often supply you with a preceptor.
– Contact your state board of nursing and see if they have a list of available preceptors in your area.
– As you speak to potential preceptors, let them know that you are willing to work “off” shifts – weekends, nights, etc. Hospitals and clinics are often short of nurses at those times, and are glad to have extra help available.
– Most importantly, talk to an advisor at your online RN to BSN school and ask how they can help you find a preceptor in your area. While most schools don’t exactly guarantee that they’ll find you a preceptor, most make a promise that they will try to do it for you.
Finally, when you talk to a person who may become your preceptor, ask as many specific questions about how he or she plans to work with you and what the expected outcome should be. This isn’t a permanent relationship, but for the duration of your clinical course you will be working with this person one-to-one. Try to make sure you’re both on the same page, as it can help you avoid potential personality conflicts.