Colleges Need to Step Up and Facilitate Relevant Work Experiences
In an era where experience is paramount for career development, the predicament of nurse practitioner (NP) students is disheartening. A recent Bloomberg Businessweek article points out their plight, which is particularly distressing given the increasing importance of NPs in the face of a primary care physician shortage.
At the root of the problem, NP students are facing a clinical rotation conundrum that their medical doctor counterparts don't. Unlike doctors, who benefit from federal funding and built-in clinical rotations, NP students are left to find their own preceptors, or clinical instructors, often through humble means such as Facebook pleas and cookie deliveries.
While nursing accreditor, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), doesn't mandate NP programs to arrange these rotations, students are left to navigate this tricky terrain. This has led to some unexpected scenarios, like the rise of Dino Soriano, a former NP who pleaded guilty to Medicare fraud, found success in his side service, Clinical Match Me, a preceptor-matching platform. For a fee, the service connects NP students with potential preceptors, a service many find invaluable due to the scarcity of alternative options.
However, this precarious training situation raises serious concerns. Given the crucial role NPs play in healthcare, ensuring their clinical competence is not only a moral responsibility but also a matter of life and death. Unfortunately, the current climate lacks reliable oversight and consistency, with some students even being advised to ignore the quality of their clinical training.
Despite the industry association, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, backing this system, there is a noticeable contrast with how MDs receive their training, with two years of clinical rotations built into their programs. This discrepancy begs the question - why is the U.S. Department of Education unwilling to intervene?
The sheer complexity and cost involved in setting up an employer-focused sales and marketing infrastructure for in-field work experience could explain this. Traditional academic institutions generally lack this expertise and are reluctant to invest in it. Even services like Clinical Match Me, which aim to bridge the gap, are required to put forth persuasive arguments, such as improved skills and the potential for future employment, to convince healthcare providers to take on untrained students.
As automation and digital software dominate the job market, work experience requirements are becoming increasingly essential. With the majority of students graduating to face career launch challenges, a shift in accreditation norms and funding appears vital. The priorities should include mandating qualified in-field work experience for credit and redirecting funding towards students' work placements.
Should these recommendations become a reality, students can anticipate a significant boost in their career prospects. However, prompt action at the government level is crucial to ensure current and future generations receive the comprehensive education they deserve. And while nurse practitioners navigate these challenges, having a qualified preceptor can be the difference between a life-saving career and a risky one.
- To address the issue of work experience for nurse practitioner (NP) students, there's a growing call for accreditation norms and funding changes.
- Given the scarcity of preceptor options, many NP students rely on services like Clinical Match Me to help them secure clinical rotations.
- Despite the American Association of Nurse Practitioners backing the current system, it's worth noting the stark contrast with medical doctors' training, which includes two years of clinical rotations.
- In a world where automation and digital software dominate the job market, securing relevant work experience becomes essential for college graduates, including those pursuing an NP degree.
- University programs could benefit from federal work-study funding to provide students with more structured internships and apprenticeships in the nursing field, better preparing them for a nurse practitioner career.
