A Message from Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager
The Winter 2023 issue of the Frontier Quarterly Bulletin celebrates preceptors and the essential role they play for our students. It included a special message from Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN, who explains the importance of preceptors and lists the main reasons to be a preceptor. Read Dr. Slager’s message below.
Each of us has our own reasons for why we chose a career in healthcare, but common amongst us is a shared desire to serve others. We are heartened by the mission of Frontier Nursing University to care for underserved people and provide care to all those in need. We all chose to answer the call to serve. It is not an easy road to travel, and all of us relied on the support of others – friends, family, classmates, instructors, and preceptors – to achieve our goal of becoming nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives.
How can we thank all the people who helped us achieve our goals? We can thank them by being devoted and skilled professionals, yes, but also by paying it forward to those who come after us. Even with our more than 8,700 alumni, Frontier Nursing University cannot meet the needs of all of the healthcare deserts in our country. That is why we continue to educate and prepare 2,500 students per year to answer the same call we did. Those are 2,500 students who are reliant upon the support of their friends, family, instructors, and, yes, preceptors.
Frontier’s Clinical Outreach and Placement Services team is ready to answer your questions and guide you through the process. That process begins by simply registering to be a potential preceptor. You are eligible to do so one year after you have graduated from your educational program.
Registering as a potential preceptor comes with no commitment other than being open to a student contacting you about possibly having you as their preceptor. As you know, FNU students come into the clinical setting highly trained and well-prepared, which is supported by our preceptor survey results. Precepting comes with an honorarium and free CEs, but mostly it comes with the satisfaction of giving back to those who supported you by paying it forward. It is a rewarding experience and one that is vital to each and every FNU student.
Even if every FNU alumnus precepted just one FNU student, think of the impact that would have on our communities across the country. So, we are asking you to once again answer the call to serve, this time as a preceptor sharing your knowledge, expertise, experience, and dedication to students so that they, too, might provide excellent and compassionate care in their own communities.
Thank you for representing FNU every day through your passion and commitment to your patients. Thank you also, in advance, for registering as a potential preceptor for FNU students. I assure you that you won’t regret it.
With gratitude,
Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN Dean of Nursing
Dr. Slager’s Top Reasons to Precept
- Seeing a student’s “light bulb” come on is so exciting.
- You get to evaluate potential new hires.
- Someone needs YOU as badly as you needed your preceptor.
- Taking a student is an inexpensive investment in your practice’s future.
- Opportunity to be a role model.
- Students bring the most up-to-date information to your practice.
- Students’ enthusiasm breathes energy into a practice.
- Your patients love the added attention – they get two for the price of one!
- Having trouble finding the perfect partner for your practice? Take a student (or three) and see if there is a match.
To learn more about becoming a preceptor for Frontier Nursing University, visit our website.