Join the Community That Grows Community
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and animated by the vision of Catherine McAuley, is a Catholic college in the liberal arts tradition distinguished by its welcoming community.
In fulfillment of our mission, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine will be a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative community that forms individuals who practice humility, justice, and compassion, as Jesus did, in solidarity with the marginalized.
If you are passionate about caring for people and want to mentor whole people to contribute to the whole world, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine preceptor opportunities can be the pathway to giving back to the profession of nursing.
Why Become a Preceptor?
Precepting is your opportunity to shape a new generation of nurses and influence real change in health care. At Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, we foster an ongoing dialogue between faith and reason so as to prepare our learners to live meaningful lives that improve the world around them.
The benefits of precepting include:
- Helping nurses achieve professional growth. You can share your valuable knowledge and expertise as you guide students through real-life learning opportunities.
- Reinforcing and strengthening your knowledge. Students learn current clinical best practices, so knowledge-sharing is often a two-way street.
- Enjoying the satisfaction of “paying it forward.” Giving back to the profession in which you received mentorship when you were a student can be very satisfying.
Hybrid ABSN
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine’s Hybrid Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is uniquely designed for students with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. Our hybrid, full-time, and highly respected program is driven by our faculty’s belief that learning best occurs in a community built on mutual respect.
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine’s ABSN nursing students must complete 590 clinical rotation hours. As a preceptor, you can support students from 40 clinical rotation hours up to 150 clinical rotation hours, depending on the course.
Below is a summary for a few of the courses offered as a part of the ABSN program.
This course introduces concepts and theories that provide the foundation for the practice of professional nursing. Through class discussion and classroom activities, students learn to apply nursing concepts and theories. The course also teaches content on the care of older adults and the specific needs of that population. Prerequisite: NU 105; Corequisites: NU 205 and NU 211 (3 credits)
This course guides the student in the application of the nursing process. The student responds to health problems by providing holistic, patient-centered care to hospitalized adults and their families. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking for clinical decision-making, quality and safety, and the incorporation of evidence-based interventions while collaborating with the interdisciplinary healthcare team. Students assist patients in promoting, maintaining, and restoring optimal health. Prerequisite: NU 212; Corequisite: NU 309 (5 credits)
Using a holistic approach, this course guides the student in the application of the nursing process to meet the needs of maternal and newborn patients. It includes prenatal care, labor and delivery, newborn care, care for the high-risk pregnancy, and postpartum complications. Acute and chronic health conditions occurring in high-risk childbearing families are discussed in relation to their impact on individuals and their families. Prerequisite: NU 212 (4 credits)
This course guides the student in the application of the nursing process to meet the nursing care needs of children and childrearing families in health maintenance and the management of acute and chronic health problems. (4 credits)
This course expands on concepts presented in NU 301. Students provide holistic, patient-centered care to individuals and families with complex needs in a high acuity environment. The student implements evidence-based interventions and uses critical thinking to organize and
This course is based on the belief that psychiatric/mental health nursing is integral to all areas of nursing. It is built upon a fundamental understanding of human behavior and examines the impact of major mental illness on the individual in the context of the family and community, explores treatment options and issues, and emphasizes the evidence-based principles and practice of psychiatric/mental health nursing. The student will obtain a basic understanding of the mental health continuum and the causes, treatment, and prevention of psychiatric disorders across the lifespan. Emphasis is placed on the application of therapeutic communication techniques, psychiatric assessment skills, and the nursing process. Prerequisite: NU 390 (3 credits)
This course develops knowledge and skills in the theory and practice of community nursing. Students learn about community nursing specialties, practice sites, and population-based nursing, and demonstrate the application of public health theory, communication, and teamwork skills. Prerequisites: NU 390, NU 315, NU 314; Corequisites: NU 400 and NU 406 (4 credits)
This internship provides students the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to think in complex ways as they apply nursing knowledge and skills to new and unpredictable situations. Prerequisites: NU 400, NU 405, NU 406, and all NU 300 level courses (4 credits)
Contact Us
Your support of our students is greatly appreciated! If you or someone you know may be interested in precepting, please contact: info@placement.keypathedu.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
A preceptor is an experienced licensed practitioner who provides professional instruction and supervision during clinical practice and facilitates the application of theory to practice for nursing students.
- BSN-prepared registered nurse
- Unencumbered license in the state where rotation will take place
- 1+ year of experience
- Bridges the gap between theory and actual practice
- Orients student to practice setting, organizational policies, key personnel, and institutional policies
- Assists student in planning clinical assignments based on course objectives and student articulated learning needs
- Provides supervision of student on a one-to-one clinical basis until such time as student and preceptor deem direct supervision is no longer necessary
- Provides daily feedback to student
- Reviews all student documentation in clinical records and co-signs same
- Submits a Student Evaluation Form to clinical faculty of the practice experience, as requested
- Serves as a role model to the student
- Maintains an open line of communication with the student’s clinical faculty member
- Collaborates with faculty to review the student’s progress toward meeting clinical learning objectives
- Provide feedback to the nursing program regarding clinical experience for the student and suggestions for program development
- Assume overall responsibility for teaching and evaluation of the student. Assure student compliance with standards on immunization, screening, OSHA standards, CPR, and current liability insurance coverage, as appropriate
- Be available to discuss the clinical program requirements and objectives with the preceptor
- Assess the adequacy of space and appropriateness of clients for the student’s learning objectives and clinical experiences
- Communicates with preceptor regarding the student’s conduct and progress
- Schedules on-site visits when deemed necessary by the faculty, student, or preceptor
- Provide feedback to the preceptor regarding performance as a preceptor and the clinical learning experience
- Reviews goals/objectives for fulfilling clinical requirements
- Provides the preceptor with written objectives and evaluation forms for the clinical experience
- Provides proof of nursing license if applicable, immunization status, and any other documentation required by the clinical site, as necessary
- Reviews existing agency protocols with preceptor
- Document relevant clinical details in the course’s logbook
- Arrives at a designated site on time and dressed professionally
- Respect the confidential nature of all information obtained during the clinical experience
Yes. All clinical rotations are associated with a specific course and Clinical Faculty.
Each course has associated clinical objectives to help guide you and the students during the preceptorship. The course objectives are outlined in the Preceptor Guide, which will be provided. Contact the Clinical Faculty for any additional questions related to the clinical outcomes.
Preceptors have opportunities for immediate feedback and for a more formal assessment of student performance in the form of evaluations at various intervals during the semester.
Students must complete various requirements as outlined by Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, including physical exams, background checks, immunization verifications, drug screenings, etc. Students are also expected to meet any specific requirements for their clinical rotation site, if relevant.
All currently enrolled Saint Joseph’s College of Maine students are covered under the Medical Professions Liability Insurance. (A copy is on file in the School of Nursing office at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine).
The student should report the incident to your agency and follow the internal procedure. The incident should also be reported to the Clinical Faculty.
Contact the student’s Clinical Faculty via email or phone so that we may assist in finding the answer.
Please notify the student as soon as possible and have the student notify the Clinical Faculty.
Please notify the Placement Specialist and Clinical Faculty as soon as possible and have the student notify the Placement Coordinator.
We do not compensate preceptors financially.
The time commitment varies by course and program. We are grateful for any hours as a preceptor you can provide.
There are no requirements for the frequency of preceptorship; many preceptors take students intermittently. We are grateful for the value you provide in each preceptorship.
