Roles and Responsibilities

Student Responsibilities

Upon enrollment, the student must have preceptors and clinical location sites confirmed, or at least 3 potential preceptor and clinical sites in each setting using the Preceptor and Clinical Placement Interest Sheet (Appendix G) that can be contacted by the OFE. Incomplete contact information for site and preceptors may result in delays.
A Preceptor Information and Acknowledgement Form (Appendix H) must be on file with OFE for each preceptor prior to the student starting the clinical rotation. The student is responsible for providing the Preceptor Information and Acknowledgement Form to be completed and signed by the preceptor. A copy of this form is to be given to the Preceptor, and a copy is sent to the OFE. This form should be accompanied by the preceptors CV/Resume, the preceptor’s professional license, and board certification.
A change of address (especially a move to another state) may cause the inability to progress in your program of study. The inability to progress in the program of study may delay the student’s graduation or require program withdrawal. The United States University College of Nursing and Health Sciences program is not responsible for guaranteeing a clinical placement when a student moves after the start of a term, or after a move two terms before clinical starts in the case of out-of-state placements. Traveling nurses should proactively identify where clinicals will take place and update their address on file accordingly.
The student must thoroughly complete all OFE Requirements, including Complio (American Data Bank) prior to completing any clinical course. Note: Students cannot start clinical until all Complio and site affiliation requirements are completed. Complio and site requirements must be current throughout each clinical course.
Meet with the appropriate person at the clinical site (preceptor, office manager, etc.) to negotiate the dates and times to be in clinical.
Provide all clinical sites with required information requested by the site (i.e., Immunizations, fingerprints, criminal background checks, Health information, OSHA training, copy of nursing license, American Heart Association Healthcare CPR lesson, drug screening, patient confidentiality statement, or any other agency requirements).
The student’s personal and work schedules are expected to accommodate the required number of hours for each course.
Students must meet all orientation, health and safety, and administration expectations of the facility before scheduling field experiences.
Complete the Student Evaluation of Preceptor for each Preceptor (example in Appendix).
If students change preceptor and site, the student must obtain this approval at least 16 weeks prior to the clinical course in which the change is needed.
If a student's preceptor is precepting more than 2 NP students per shift from all schools combined the student should notify their faculty. The student should not complete hours when there are more than 2 NP students at any time during the shift, as this regulation will result in hours not counting if this limit is exceeded.
The assumption for any clinical placement is that the student will be able to communicate with the patient directly or via language line or a dedicated translator other than the preceptor.

Preceptor Responsibilities

A preceptor is a board certified NP, MD,DO or CNM who, while employed by a clinical facility, is assigned to directly supervise a student’s clinical education for the duration of a formal course designed to prepare registered nurses to transition to advanced practice nursing. As a preceptor, you allow the student to observe and experience what you, the expert, do on a daily basis, to ask questions, and to critically analyze what is observed. You challenge, guide, direct, and support the student. Fundamental to the process is your willingness to share professional values, beliefs, and skills while incorporating professional standards of practice within legal and ethical parameters. Additionally, preceptors must:

Possess clinical expertise appropriate to accomplish the goals of the preceptorship and has at least one year of work experience at or above the level of licensure of the student’s program.
Be authorized to practice in the state or currently licensed as a health care professional as required by state regulations.
Possess current unencumbered license in the specialty when required for the role.
Be professionally certified in their area of specialty.
Provide the student with ongoing constructive feedback that relates performance standards to student performance
Participate in faculty/preceptor conferences and communicate with faculty to clarify roles and the nature of the learning experience.
Provide an orientation for the student to the practice area and expectations of nursing care standards
Participate in orientation to the preceptorship.
The preceptor-to-student ratio may not exceed 1:2, with the exception of NJ placements, which must adhere to the 1:1 ratio. NP students from other universities should be included in this ratio. The hours and journals will not be counted if the ratio is exceeded. If a preceptor or student anticipates that the ratio will be exceeded for a rotation, rotations should be paused, and the schedule should be adjusted to comply with the required ratio..
Participate with the faculty and student in the evaluation of the student’s clinical competence.
Complete the Preceptor Evaluation of Student (example in the Appendices).
United States University College of Nursing & Health Sciences is responsible to orient the Preceptor on the following items:
Mission, goals, and curricular outline of the program.
Student objectives, course objectives and course outline.
Role of the preceptor and faculty.
Performance expectations of the student.
Evaluation responsibilities and standards for the student, course, and preceptor.
Avenues of communication between the program, faculty, preceptor, facility, and student.
Student assignments related to the experience.
Expected initial level of knowledge, skills, and abilities of the student.

Clinical Faculty Responsibilities

At United States University, the clinical faculty responsibilities include the following:

Work with the Office of Field Experience as required.
Complete all training required prior to supervising students in the clinical course
Maintain immunization/health/safety compliance in Complio and complete any agency requirements necessary to start the assigned rotation, if applicable
Maintain personal updated Health and Safety documents.
Clinical faculty will supervise and facilitate learning for students in no more than a 6:1 ratio per clinical course.
Provide timely and constructive feedback to students. Document and send any clinical concerns to the student via email. For any student or patient safety concern, please contact OFE at ofe@usuniversity.edu immediately.
Complete grading of clinical assignments as determined by course syllabus according to university policy guidelines.
Complete the Preceptor and Site Evaluation by Site Supervisor Evaluation for each student with the Preceptor via email or phone call by close of the clinical course.
For clinical faculty assigned to lab and simulation experiences:
Arrive 30 minutes prior to assigned start time
Review lab and/or simulation materials before assigned experience
Ensure standardization of instruction with USU course materials
Maintain compliance with any additional lab or simulation specified training

OFE Clinical Coordinator Responsibilities

Ensure that students understand the nature of the clinical experience and the expectations involved.
Assist students in ensuring all required health and safety documents and site requirements have been met.
Be available to counsel with students as situations dictate.
Act as the centralized point of contact for any student or clinical faculty issues or concerns brought forth.
Works with all students in assigned load following enrollment into the FNP program.
Responsible for ensuring students are aware of and complete requirements for placement in the clinical setting and maintain their approved status.
Will work with students to ensure all necessary health and safety documentation is uploaded and cleared in required systems in advance of the start of the clinical experience. Works with students to assist in identifying best placement options.
Works collaboratively with other OFE staff and management as well as CONHS leadership. Will manage the Affiliation Agreement legal review as necessary with the USU legal department and the legal departments of the site.
Will monitor and ensure all preceptors have been approved by CONHS based on submitted documentation and will provide access to required systems.

Clinical Site Supervisors

The purpose of the Clinical Site Supervisors is to perform an evaluation of the clinical site and preceptor. The site supervisor will assess the safety and appropriateness of the clinical site and the preceptor.

The Clinical Site Supervisor is the faculty assigned to complete the student’s site evaluation in a clinical course. This may or may not be the same faculty as the clinical/didactic portion of the course. The site supervisor works collaboratively with the course clinical faculty and preceptor to deliver a safe, effective, and high-quality education for the student.

Clinical Site Supervisor Process

Accept Clinical Site Supervisor contract from USU.
Contact students via usuniversity.edu email to set up an appointment for a virtual visit, unless in-person visit is required.
Clinical Site Supervisors will be sent a link to access Project Concert, which is the student tracking system. If you have not received that email link, please contact the Office of Field Experience (OFE).
Review the student clinical evaluation and the preceptor/site evaluations in Project Concert ahead of time, so you understand what is expected of the preceptor and site.
Contact the student via USU email to confirm the date and location of where the clinical site/preceptor evaluation will be completed.
Complete the summative in-person clinical site-visit with the student and preceptor during the assigned clinical course.
Evaluate the appropriateness of the preceptor and clinical site.
1. Ensure the following:
  1. Assess the safeness of the clinical site.
  2. The preceptor is providing appropriate feedback and guidance.
  3. The preceptor allows the student the opportunity to practice the clinical competencies that are required of the course.
  4. The student is practicing within their scope.
  5. Assist student and clinical preceptor to optimize the clinical learning environment.
2. Some questions that could be asked to assess the clinical site
  1. What skills have you completed or observed?
  2. What are the most common illnesses, diseases or patients you care for?
  3. Ask to review documentation/SOAP note with the student while discussing the assessment/plan.
Within 24 hours of the completion of the site visit: a) Each site visit must be documented in Project Concert or there is no record it was completed. Complete the Preceptor and Site Evaluation by Site Supervisor Evaluation in Project Concert. b) Send clinical course faculty an email notifying them that the evaluation was completed and inform them of any concerns.