Across the U.S., nurse practitioner students face the same problem. Like medical doctors, they need to complete clinical rotations to graduate. Unlike doctors, they don't have access to federal funding to support that training, and their schools often leave them to find their own clinical preceptors. The stakes are high. For many students, it's the only time they'll work with real patients as an NP before entering the workforce. And if they can't get the hours, their graduation will be delayed. So students beg on Facebook for placements, drop off cookies at front desks for potential preceptors—and, when they find someone who's willing, often pay the person themselves. For the public, the ramifications are greater. Even some hospital leaders acknowledge there's so little quality control that patients can't be sure their NP is properly trained to treat them. Struggling to ensure they're prepared to handle the duties assigned them, students have few places to find help.
