Clinical Experiences

Nurse practitioners can be distinguished from other primary care providers by their focus on wellness promotion and illness prevention from holistic, family, and community perspectives. During the clinical portion of the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) curriculum, you will learn how to conduct physical examinations, perform minor medical procedures (such as casting, suturing and biopsy), treat illnesses, and prescribe medication.

Clinical Experience in Your Home Community
As an FNP student you will complete 675 preceptored clinical hours in your home community.

Your learning experiences will be supervised by a local preceptor (physician, nurse practitioner, or nurse midwife) who is responsible for assuring that you receive an outstanding learning experience.

Faculty site visitors from the College of Graduate Nursing visit your location each semester to evaluate your progress, interactions, and patient encounters.

We focus on ambulatory, primary-care practice during the FNP clinical component, and you will work with a variety of populations, including geriatric, adult, and pediatric. You also will gain extensive experience in obstetrics and gynecology.

Clinical Experience Sites
Most students obtain multiple preceptored clinicals to obtain the widest possible experience in practice patterns, skill sets, and specialties. You will have your choice of working in community clinics, private practices, urgent care or rehab centers, hospitals, Indian reservations, military sites, specialty clinics, or family practices in your home community.

Plus, if you live in an area where we have not placed student before, we work with you to obtain preceptors nearby so that you can work and study in your home community.

The relationships formed during your clinicals will not only prepare you for clinical practice, but also will create a professional network, positioning you for future employment.