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Chamberlain University has more than 125 years of history preparing extraordinary nursing graduates and healthcare professionals.
Whether you're an aspiring nurse looking to launch a rewarding career, a nursing professional looking to advance your career, or a professional looking to impact public health, Chamberlain offers the degree programs, options and resources to help you succeed.
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Chamberlain is committed to providing quality and accessible nursing education. Our team is with you every step of the way, providing the information you need to make the decisions that best serve you.
Family Nurse Practictioner
The practicum experience is an integral part of the MSN-FNP curriculum. Before you decide where to complete your practicum, please be aware that Chamberlain's program does not prepare you for specialty certifications. It is our belief that all FNPs should be trained and gain experience in a general primary care setting before seeking out specialties. Should you wish to specialize later in your career, you will have the clinical skills all nurse practitioners need as you seek additional training and certifications.
Prospective and enrolled student, below you will find the steps you must complete while identifying your practicum site and preceptor. Although student driven, we are here to help you succeed and have included many resource to help you through the process.
You are required to identify a potential clinical setting for your future practicum courses. Many students find it helpful to identify a preceptor first as this may help with securing a practicum site. To help you identify an appropriate site, please review the resources below.
The tables below detail appropriate practicum sites and when they can be utilized in your practicum courses.
NR-511
Differential Diagnosis and Primary Care Practicum
*Site may only be used once.
Family Practice
Continuing and comprehensive healthcare for the individual and family – care for all ages, sexes, each organ system and every disease entity
5 Preferred practicum site type for all FNP practicum courses
Primary care only; provision of acute, chronic and preventative health care provided via mobile medical units.
Requests for clinical experiences in ER, inpatient hospital, and other specialty practices (cardiology, dermatology, weight loss clinics, college health clinics, home visits, geriatrics, hospice, long-term care centers, etc.) will not be considered as they will not provide enough exposure to family practice populations
If you find yourself in this position, whatever the reason, no need to worry – communicate with your practicum coordinator and follow the steps listed in the previous section to help you find a new practicum site and preceptor. Although we understand this may have been out of your control, we will do everything we can to help keep you on schedule. Please know this process does take time and the possibility of delaying your next practicum course start may exist.
Below are resources you may review, save and provide to a practicum site and preceptor to give them a greater understanding of the precepting experience. Additionally, you may direct a potential preceptor to this website.
The lab component of NR-509: Advanced Physical Assessment (often referred to as the Immersion Weekend Experience) typically takes place during week 7 at the Q Center located in the western suburbs of Chicago. Please do not make your travel arrangements until instructed to do so during the first week of NR-509 as the location could change. You are responsible for the travel costs while participating in the immersion weekend as part of NR-509. Typical costs include travel to/from Illinois, lodging and meals for 1-2 nights. The Immersion Weekend Fact Sheet (PDF) provides an overview of the weekend and the necessary travel arrangements. Please use this sheet as a general reference with the understanding that the logistics specific to your lab date will be provided during week 1 of NR-509. If you have questions, please send an email to fnpimmersion@chamberlain.edu or contact your admission representative.
The FNP track courses, including the practicum courses, contain some academic and learning style differences from the MSN core courses. To help you understand these differences, please review the resources below:
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