Overcoming the Shortage of Primary Care Preceptors for Advanced Practice Students

There is currently a shortage of primary care preceptors for advanced practice students across the country. Thousands of eligible applicants are denied entry to nurse practitioner programs each year due to the shortage of primary care clinical placements (AACN, 2013). This creates a dilemma for nursing faculty, but also has been shown to be an issue for our interprofessional counterparts in pharmacy and physician assistant programs (PAEA, 2013). Educators much leverage the technology and resources available to create alternative primary care experiences for students. A university completed a PDSA cycle looking at an alternative solution for pediatric nurse pracitioner students to complete primary care clinical requirements. The pilot study included a small cohort of students and used simulated patients (SPs) to create primary care clinical experiences. These experiences were used in conjunction with clinical hours completed in pediatric specialty clinics and medical camps along with online modules which covered normal growth and development, anticipatory guidance, and immunization schedules. This podium/poster presentation will provide a framework for developing alternative clinical experiences across disciplines.