Clinical Placements and Learning

Overview

U-M School of Nursing has more than 600 site locations for you to fulfill your clinical requirements, from top-ranked health systems to small rural clinics and specialty locations. We have partnerships with nearly every health system in the state of Michigan and a growing number of additional locations throughout the country. We are continually working to add new sites in order to give our students more opportunities. Learn more about clinical learning opportunities at the U-M School of Nursing.

To contact the office reach out to: [email protected] or [email protected].

Locations

To expose our students to the variety of practice settings and specialty fields available to them as professionals, we strive to provide diverse clinical experience locations. Specific locations change from year to year, but past locations have included:

From units within major health systems and hospitals to community based facilities and educational enrichment programs, our students delve into all facets and applications of nursing, challenging them to expand their skills and perspectives while also fostering the creativity and resourcefulness fundamental to successful nursing practice.

Transportation

Many students’ clinical placement locations will require some travel. Students are responsible for their own transportation to clinical sites and should consider this factor when calculating their educational expenses.

More information

For more details about the clinical placement experience see the student handbooks. Also refer to the compliance requirements page for details about the paperwork that must be filed before entering a clinical practice facility.

 

UMSN preceptors

Thank you for your interest in preceptorship at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. Whether you are already one of our valued preceptors or are interested in becoming a preceptor, please use the resources on these pages to learn more about your role as a preceptor at UMSN.

What are preceptors?

Preceptors play a vital role in the education of advanced practice nurses (APN), bridging the gap between theoretical learning and clinical practice. A preceptor can be described as an individual who teaches, supports, counsels, coaches, evaluates, serves as role model and aids in the socialization to a new role. The preceptor guides the student into the real world of clinical practice, allowing them to try new skills while gaining confidence and validation.

What are mentors?

Our students also work closely with mentors for selected scholarly projects.

Preceptor expectations

In order to ensure a high-quality learning experience for our students, preceptors should be able to:

  • Commit time and expertise.
  • Model professional practice, attitudes and behaviors.
  • Guide and teach students while promoting independence and self-directed learning.
  • Provide frequent, balanced and constructive feedback.
  • Structure the clinical experience to meet the learning goals and objectives of the student.
  • Use reflection to help students learn from experiences.

Becoming a preceptor

Are you interested in becoming a preceptor for the University of Michigan School of Nursing’s graduate programs? As a preceptor, you have the unique ability to mentor and influence the future of your profession.

Requirements:

  • At least one year of full-time clinical practice.
  • Nursing license in good standing in one of the 50 states. 
  • Current certification if serving as a graduate program APRN clinical preceptor.
  • Not actively in a performance plan or disciplinary action.
  • Site offers appropriate learning experiences for students to meet course objectives.

Expectations: In order to ensure high-quality learning experiences for our students, preceptors should be able to:

  • Commit time and expertise.
  • Model professional practice, attitudes and behaviors.
  • Guide and teach students while promoting independence and self-directed learning.
  • Provide frequent, balanced and constructive feedback.
  • Structure the clinical experience to meet the learning goals and objectives of the student.
  • Use reflection to help students learn from experiences.

Do you want to become a preceptor? Please contact [email protected] for more information.

General information

Preceptor resources 

Benefits

Precepting nurse practitioner and/or nurse midwifery students is an exceptional opportunity to pay forward the extraordinary work of your own preceptors. Teaching reinforces and strengthens our understanding of a given topic, and this has real-world benefits for your patients and their families. As a preceptor and mentor, you play a critical role in the educational experience of University of Michigan students, helping to shape the next generation of advanced practice nurses while contributing to the quality of health care in the region.

At this time, we are unable to pay preceptors for the valuable work they do. However, we think you may be interested in the following perks:

  • Practice site benefits: Our students are excited and motivated to help with the daily workload that helps them engage in this professional experience. They can also help implement new programs and services within the clinical site.
  • Potential employee recruitment: Precepting can provide the opportunity for long-term observation of a potential employee in the clinical setting. Having the opportunity to recruit a high-quality student who will require limited orientation and onboarding can help contain costs, minimize staffing shortages and improve patient access to high-quality medical care.
  • Continuing education: As a benefit to our preceptors, we provide access to free or low-cost continuing education units. This allows preceptors to gain access to select online resources, practical tools, continuing education and group discussions designed to advance teaching skills and engage students.

For more information on how to obtain your free CEs, please contact Jill McFarland at [email protected].

  • Contact hours for national recertification: Acting as a preceptor may count toward your contact hours for certification. About four weeks after your preceptorship has been completed, you will receive a letter via email detailing your preceptorship and number of hours.
  • Adjunct faculty: Preceptors who show continued dedication may request adjunct faculty status. For more information on how to obtain adjunct faculty status, please email Jill McFarland at [email protected].

The following additional benefits are available to adjunct faculty:

  • Computing services: Adjunct faculty members are eligible to receive a standard set of computing services. Adjunct faculty members can make a request to their department administrator for a basic set of computing services at no charge available to all faculty on the Ann Arbor campus from Information Technology Services (ITS). The computing services include a uniqname and UMICH password, email, Google suite (i.e., drive, documents, sheets, slides, calendar, meet, etc.), laser printing in the Campus Computing Sites, file storage on the Institutional File System (IFS), U-M Online Directory, Login Service, Statistics and Computation Service, and help desk assistance with these services.
  • Status: Inclusion of adjunct faculty on your curriculum vitae, resume, and performance evaluations.
  • Mcard: Adjunct faculty members can request a Mcard. The Mcard is the University of Michigan's single-card program that combines many features, including discounts at many area merchants, companies and organizations.
  • University of Michigan Library Resources: Adjunct faculty members can access the university's library system, which maintains extensive collections of electronic journals and newspapers, including the electronic resources of Taubman Health Sciences Library. 
  • University of Michigan Golf Course: Adjunct faculty members pay faculty/staff rates upon presentation of their Mcard. Additional information is available on their U-M Golf Course website.
  • Complimentary or discounted admission to select home athletic events: By showing your Mcard, you can gain free or discounted admission to select home athletic events, including women’s basketball, men’s and women’s gymnastics, volleyball, wrestling, softball, baseball, swimming and diving, tennis, soccer, field hockey, and track & field events. Please note that this does not include men’s football, basketball or hockey. 
  • Department of Recreational Sports Membership: Adjunct clinical faculty members are eligible for membership to the Department of Recreational Sports facilities and programs.
  • Towsley Conference Center Educational Offerings: Adjunct faculty members are offered the staff rates for conferences held at the Towsley Center.

For more information, please contact Director of Clinical Partnerships Jill McFarland at [email protected] or 734-764-0659.