 So, you have finally said yes to a student who needs a PMHNP preceptor! (Or you’re at least considering it.) Great! Thank you! Providing quality education to these future mental health providers is vital, and there is a great need for more mental health providers. But, precepting a PMHNP student is very different than precepting a Family Practice student. So, now you are asking, “How do I precept a PMHNP student?” Whether you are a psychiatrist, a PMHNP, or a therapist, here are some important things to consider first if you are going to precept a PMHNP student:
1. Patient Permission:
2. Decide how you will precept.
3. Will students be able to see the patients and visa versa?
4. Will students be able to participate in the visit?
Those are some of the things you will want to consider when you precept a PMHNP student. You’ll find some video vignettes on precepting in general from NONPF, in case you want to check that out, too. This is a great article that goes into the topic in more detail as well. We’ll talk about more specifics on precepting the PMHNP student in future blogs, so make sure to follow PreceptorLink®! And hopefully, you’ll be a PreceptorLink® preceptor! Thank you for precepting! We’re happy to advise you if you ever need it. We have decades of experience when it comes to precepting NP students! Just email or call us at [email protected] or 760-604-0913 About the Author: Lynn McComas, DNP, ANP-C, is an experienced nurse practitioner and an expert on the topic of precepting. Determined to make a difference in “the Preceptor Problem,” Lynn went on to obtain her Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) at the esteemed Duke University, where she focused on finding solutions to the preceptor shortage. She is the owner and founder of PreceptorLink®. The company’s goal is to simplify and streamline the process of preceptor matching while maintaining quality and professionalism throughout. www.PreceptorLink.com
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 Med management is not the only component of the Psych Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) student’s education. Learning how to develop a therapeutic relationship with patients is also a vital part of their education. And who better to help teach this to a PMHNP student than a seasoned clinical therapist? A quality therapist can contribute to a well-rounded clinical experience for PMHNP students. However, finding a therapy preceptor for a PMHNP student can be incredibly challenging.
I do frequently hear from therapists who want to precept Nurse Practitioner (NP) students, but administrative hurdles can stand in the way. Many times, Administrators don’t understand some of the benefits of allowing a therapist to precept a PMHNP student. So, what you can say to your boss or Administration to showcase the benefits of precepting and encourage them to say yes? And what can a PMHNP student say to a therapist to help convince him or her to precept them? (Share this article with a potential therapist!) Here are some ideas: Collaboration and Improved Care:
Building a Pipeline of Potential Hires:
Investing in the Future:
Utilizing Your Expertise:
Mutual Learning and Growth:
Show Initiative and Be Flexible:
Highlight Your Enthusiasm:
By framing precepting as an investment in the practice, the future of mental healthcare, and your professional development, you can convince your boss to give it the green light. Remember, your enthusiasm for precepting will be contagious. About the Author: Lynn McComas, DNP, ANP-C, is an experienced nurse practitioner and an expert on the topic of precepting. Determined to make a difference in “the Preceptor Problem,” Lynn went on to obtain her Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) at the esteemed Duke University, where she focused on finding solutions to the preceptor shortage. She is the owner and founder of PreceptorLink®. The company’s goal is to simplify and streamline the process of preceptor matching while maintaining quality and professionalism throughout. www.PreceptorLink.com  If you precept long enough, there is a good chance you will have an NP student who needs to be counseled or have their behavior addressed. Handling difficulties with a student during a clinical rotation can be challenging, but it's important to know how to handle the situation if it occurs. It’s essential for the preceptor to approach the situation professionally, constructively, and with the best interests of the preceptor, student, patients, and institution in mind. Before we get into the details, one thing I’ve heard from students several times before is that they had no idea there were issues or that the issues were that significant. So, whether this was something that was not understood by the student, not taken seriously by the student, or never clearly addressed with the student, following these steps will help avoid any confusion. Here are steps and best practices for preceptors facing such issues: 1. Self-Assessment and Documentation: Before taking any steps, assess your feelings and perceptions. Make sure your concerns are based on objective observations and not personal biases. Document specific incidents or areas of concern in detail. This can help the student understand your exact concerns. This documentation can also be crucial in case other parties need to be involved. 2. Private Discussion with the Student: Initiate a private, one-on-one conversation with the student. The key here is to be: - Clear and Specific: Outline your observed behaviors or performance issues. - Constructive: Instead of just pointing out problems, suggest ways for the student to improve. - Empathetic: Understand that students can have off days, and external pressures can affect performance. Listen to their side of the story. - Non-confrontational: Use "I" statements instead of "you" statements to reduce defensiveness. For instance, "I noticed that…" instead of "You always…". 3. Set Clear Expectations and Develop an Action Plan: Together with the student, create a plan to address the areas of concern: - Goals: What should the student achieve by the end of the rotation? (Or end of week or month) - Steps: How can they achieve these goals? - Timeline: By when should they achieve each step? - Feedback sessions: Regularly scheduled check-ins to evaluate progress. Determine how often the feedback should occur and follow up accordingly. 4. Ongoing Feedback: Regular feedback is crucial. Praise improvements and address new or continuing issues promptly. This helps the student understand that you're not just focused on their weaknesses but also appreciate their strengths. 5. Involve Faculty if Necessary: If the problems persist despite your interventions, or if there are serious concerns about patient safety or professional behavior, it might be time to involve the student's academic faculty. - Communication: Ensure you communicate your concerns clearly and provide your documentation. - Collaboration: Work collaboratively with the faculty to decide on the next steps. They might provide additional resources, recommend remedial work, or suggest other interventions. Precepting a challenging student can be difficult. Fortunately, this is not a frequent occurrence! But if you need it, there are also links on our Resources page with videos on Precepting the Challenging Student. While I hope that things do not escalate, there are times when the student needs to be removed or dismissed from the clinical rotation. We’ll discuss that challenging topic in an upcoming issue. We’ll also discuss things from the student’s perspective on Managing Preceptor Problems in Student Clinicals because they can happen on both sides! Stay tuned. In the meantime, keep on learning, and thanks for precepting! About the Author: Lynn McComas, DNP, ANP-C, is an experienced nurse practitioner and an expert on the topic of precepting. Determined to make a difference in “the Preceptor Problem,” Lynn went on to obtain her Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) at the esteemed Duke University, where she focused on solutions to this problem. She is the owner and founder of PreceptorLink®. The company’s goal is to simplify and streamline the process of preceptor matching while maintaining quality and professionalism throughout. |
About Lynn:As a longtime NP with a desire to help and make positive changes to her beloved profession, Lynn often writes opinion pieces about the NP profession. Archives
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