Shelly Sinatra, APN, CNP

I have been a preceptor for more than 10 years. I originally started as a favor to a friend who was in NP school, but have grown to (mostly) love precepting. The university I have worked with the most has been very accommodating to my needs as a preceptor. I work part-time and am paid based on work revenue units/compensation and patient satisfaction scores.  Therefore, I will only take students one day a week, and I am picky about which students I take. I have had some disastrous encounters with students who had very little to no work experience or had only outpatient experience. It is very important, in my opinion, that a student has several years working as a nurse in an inpatient setting before starting a DNP program.

What I have found throughout the years is that schools admit any nurse who can pass their admission requirements, without taking into account work experience or length of time as a nurse. Some students jump right to a DNP program after graduating with a BSN. Younger students can be overly confident in their abilities, which is problematic when they are learning new material. I have had to tell one online school that I couldn’t be a preceptor for their students, as they had too many rules about when their students do clinical and how many days a week they required me to give.

As far as compensation offered, I am able to take 10 CEU hours every 2 years toward my nursing license, have been given access to the university library, and once or twice would’ve been able to take a class for free. Unfortunately, work and life duties have not allowed me to take advantage of the classes. Being paid for my time would feel weird to me. I feel as though it is our duty to give back to students, just as others gave to us when we were in school.

My long-term patients are used to my students and sometimes even ask where the student is if they come on a day I am not working with them. All patients are given the option to have a student, and my medical assistants are very good at “pre-screening” for patients who may not be a good fit for a student. All in all, I enjoy working with students and seeing the “a-ha” moments when it all starts to click!

Shelly Sinatra, APN, CNP
St. Charles, IL

FOR MORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Do Veteran PAs Care Less, Or Are New PA Students Careless?
Has the Bar Been Lowered for RN/NP Programs?
Insurance and Billing Qualms Double the Work
Preceptor Tax Incentive Program: The Realities

I have been a preceptor for more than 10 years. I originally started as a favor to a friend who was in NP school, but have grown to (mostly) love precepting. The university I have worked with the most has been very accommodating to my needs as a preceptor. I work part-time and am paid based on work revenue units/compensation and patient satisfaction scores.  Therefore, I will only take students one day a week, and I am picky about which students I take. I have had some disastrous encounters with students who had very little to no work experience or had only outpatient experience. It is very important, in my opinion, that a student has several years working as a nurse in an inpatient setting before starting a DNP program.

What I have found throughout the years is that schools admit any nurse who can pass their admission requirements, without taking into account work experience or length of time as a nurse. Some students jump right to a DNP program after graduating with a BSN. Younger students can be overly confident in their abilities, which is problematic when they are learning new material. I have had to tell one online school that I couldn’t be a preceptor for their students, as they had too many rules about when their students do clinical and how many days a week they required me to give.

As far as compensation offered, I am able to take 10 CEU hours every 2 years toward my nursing license, have been given access to the university library, and once or twice would’ve been able to take a class for free. Unfortunately, work and life duties have not allowed me to take advantage of the classes. Being paid for my time would feel weird to me. I feel as though it is our duty to give back to students, just as others gave to us when we were in school.

My long-term patients are used to my students and sometimes even ask where the student is if they come on a day I am not working with them. All patients are given the option to have a student, and my medical assistants are very good at “pre-screening” for patients who may not be a good fit for a student. All in all, I enjoy working with students and seeing the “a-ha” moments when it all starts to click!

Shelly Sinatra, APN, CNP
St. Charles, IL

FOR MORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Do Veteran PAs Care Less, Or Are New PA Students Careless?
Has the Bar Been Lowered for RN/NP Programs?
Insurance and Billing Qualms Double the Work
Preceptor Tax Incentive Program: The Realities

I have been a preceptor for more than 10 years. I originally started as a favor to a friend who was in NP school, but have grown to (mostly) love precepting. The university I have worked with the most has been very accommodating to my needs as a preceptor. I work part-time and am paid based on work revenue units/compensation and patient satisfaction scores.  Therefore, I will only take students one day a week, and I am picky about which students I take. I have had some disastrous encounters with students who had very little to no work experience or had only outpatient experience. It is very important, in my opinion, that a student has several years working as a nurse in an inpatient setting before starting a DNP program.

What I have found throughout the years is that schools admit any nurse who can pass their admission requirements, without taking into account work experience or length of time as a nurse. Some students jump right to a DNP program after graduating with a BSN. Younger students can be overly confident in their abilities, which is problematic when they are learning new material. I have had to tell one online school that I couldn’t be a preceptor for their students, as they had too many rules about when their students do clinical and how many days a week they required me to give.

As far as compensation offered, I am able to take 10 CEU hours every 2 years toward my nursing license, have been given access to the university library, and once or twice would’ve been able to take a class for free. Unfortunately, work and life duties have not allowed me to take advantage of the classes. Being paid for my time would feel weird to me. I feel as though it is our duty to give back to students, just as others gave to us when we were in school.

My long-term patients are used to my students and sometimes even ask where the student is if they come on a day I am not working with them. All patients are given the option to have a student, and my medical assistants are very good at “pre-screening” for patients who may not be a good fit for a student. All in all, I enjoy working with students and seeing the “a-ha” moments when it all starts to click!

Shelly Sinatra, APN, CNP
St. Charles, IL

FOR MORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Do Veteran PAs Care Less, Or Are New PA Students Careless?
Has the Bar Been Lowered for RN/NP Programs?
Insurance and Billing Qualms Double the Work
Preceptor Tax Incentive Program: The Realities