Family Nurse Practitioner Overview

Nursing practicums are courses in which you apply your knowledge and skills in real-life situations. Practicum courses are very different from core courses because they place additional responsibility on you, the learner. To be prepared for practicum courses, it is critical for you to identify and formalize arrangements for your practicum experience as early as possible.

What You Need to Know:

• Each practicum course contains 125 practicum hours, which must be completed within seven weeks, or approximately 18 hours per week
• You are responsible for selecting an appropriate site and preceptor; Chamberlain will provide guidance during the admissions process and assistance once you begin your program. Once you've identified your chosen site and preceptor your practicum coordinator will secure the necessary contracts on your behalf.
• All practicum hours must be scheduled and completed with your selected preceptor during the course and hours may not be carried over to or made up with a future practicum course. (Be sure to include time for illness or preceptor’s absence in your calculation of how many hours per week you may need to complete)
• You must complete all five practicums in the sequence outlined below

What is a preceptor?

• Serve as a role model for you, while mentoring and directly supervising all aspects of your practicum experience
• Promote your professional development by strategies for remaining current in the field and engaging in ongoing continuing education
• Orient you to the practicum site environment and identify appropriate experiential opportunities that align with course outcomes, student learning agreement and needed skills by the end of the practicum course
• Meet with faculty three times throughout the practicum via conference call to evaluate your progress
• Provide direct supervision of your practicum hours