Precept Nurse Practitioner Students
Villanova University’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing invites experienced clinicians to partner with us as preceptors for our Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Nurse Practitioner programs. By serving as a preceptor, you play a vital role in shaping the next generation of advanced practice nurses while contributing to the future of high-quality, patient-centered care.
Why Become a Preceptor?
Precepting is a meaningful professional opportunity that offers both personal and professional rewards:
- Eligibility for 15% Tuition Discount: Preceptors are eligible for the reduction on Post-Masters DNP tuition at FCN.
- Professional Recognition: Preceptors are eligible for a courtesy faculty appointment at Villanova University, with access to the library’s resources. Preceptors are honored at our annual preceptor appreciation event.
- Influence the Future of Practice: Share your expertise and clinical judgment while helping students develop into confident, competent nurse practitioners.
- Give Back to the Profession: Support the growth of the NP workforce and contribute to improving access to care in your community.
- Stay Current and Engaged: Teaching students fosters reflection, keeps you up to date with current evidence-based practice, and enhances your own clinical and leadership skills.
- Access to Continuing Education Opportunities at FCN: As a clinical preceptor, you have free access to various on-campus educational activities, and can earn ANCC approved CE hours for the activities. These include the following events:
- Nataril Family Health and Human Values lecture – held every fall and spring semester.
- Annual Research Symposium – held every April.
- Strengthen Your Pipeline: Many preceptors find that hosting students is an excellent way to identify and recruit future colleagues.
Flexible Commitment
We recognize the demands of clinical practice and strive to make precepting both manageable and rewarding. For each clinical semester, we ask preceptors to host students for a minimum of 8 hours per week. This schedule supports meaningful continuity with patients and allows students to progressively build skills over time, while maintaining flexibility for preceptors and practice sites.
Programs Seeking Preceptors
We are actively seeking preceptors across all four MSN-NP tracks:
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP)
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Clinical experiences span a variety of settings and patient populations, with a strong emphasis on primary care, prevention and interprofessional collaboration.
Partner With Us
Villanova faculty provide ongoing support, clear communication and structured evaluation tools to ensure a positive experience for both preceptors and students. We are committed to building strong, collaborative relationships with our clinical partners.
If you are interested in becoming a preceptor or would like to learn more, we welcome the opportunity to connect with you. Join us in preparing the next generation of nurse practitioner leaders.