Preceptor’s Role
The preceptor’s initial role is to evaluate the student’s level of knowledge and assessment skills. As the student progresses from novice toward proficiency in assessing patients, identifying a diagnosis, and formulating a management plan, the preceptor evaluates the student's
- Psychomotor skills
- History, physical data, and organization
- Interpretation of data
- Proposed management plan
Guiding the student in gathering reliable assessment data involves observing the student while he or she is eliciting a history and performing a physical exam and then validating the assessment. The student presents findings to the preceptor, who evaluates the student’s interpretation of the assessment data. Incorrect information is corrected by discussion and re-examining the patient as appropriate.
Providing positive feedback reinforces the student’s skills and confidence in successful clinical learning. Students need time to practice their skills and test their abilities. It is expected that students would improve over time, demonstrating higher levels of proficiency and efficiency in clinical reasoning.
Verification of Hours (via CORE ELMS)
All clinical hours are logged and verified via Regis College’s CORE ELMS tracking system Verification of Hours report page. Preceptors are required to verify student attendance and participation by confirming logged hours using CORE ELMS. Select Getting Started: CORE ELMS for information on Activating Your CORE ELMS Account.
- When the student logs their daily hours in CORE ELMS, CORE ELMS automatically generates an email to the preceptor informing them they have hours to confirm from the student. The email contains a link that will connect you to the CORE ELMS Verification of Hours page, where you can review and approve the hours.
- Preceptors can also verify hours by going directly to the Hours Tracking tab in your CORE ELMS account. This is handy if you are tracking more than one student, as students log their hours daily. Students must log each day’s hours in CORE ELMS within 14 days.
Midterm and Final Clinical Evaluations (via CORE ELMS)
Regis preceptors are required to conduct both a midterm and final or summative clinical evaluation of the student.
- The midterm evaluation is formative and meant to provide opportunities for growth.
- The final evaluation should be given on the last day of clinical rotation and is meant to summarize the student’s overall performance and growth.
As with the Verification of Hours, formal feedback will utilize the objectives identified in the CORE ELMS clinical evaluation tool. Select Getting Started: CORE ELMS for information on Activating Your CORE ELMS Account.
To prepare midterm and final student evaluations:
- Log in to CORE ELMS and go to the “Evaluations” section, then click on “Evaluation of Student” to fill out the appropriate competency evaluation form. As mentioned above, you will also receive midterm and final evaluation reminder emails from noreply@corehighered.com, which will contain a link to the evaluation form.
- When your evaluation is complete, make sure to press the SUBMIT button at the bottom of the page to complete the submission, and allow it to be seen by faculty.
- Evaluative feedback should be constructive, appropriate for the level of student, timely, include identification of positive actions as well as areas for growth, and focus on specific actions rather than personal traits.
- Observe the student, critique case presentations, review documentation, and review feedback from patients and other personnel at the clinical site to inform the student’s evaluations.
- Use of anecdotal notes is encouraged as references to specific situations where the student demonstrated particularly strong or weak skills.
- The preceptor is to contact the clinical faculty member whenever there is significant concern about the student’s performance and ability to meet the clinical objectives.
- Preceptors may be contacted by clinical faculty for more details if required.
- Confirm with faculty the student's satisfactory fulfillment of the clinical objectives.
- All evaluations must be completed in CORE ELMS before the end of the semester for the student to receive a course grade.
Remember: In addition to these evaluations, preceptors are expected to provide formative, ongoing performance feedback to students throughout their clinical rotation. This allows the student the opportunity to enhance his or her skills over time.
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The Regis Clinical Faculty Member’s Role
Student evaluations are ultimately the responsibility of the clinical faculty assigned to the student, with input from the preceptor.
- The clinical faculty will contact each preceptor at least three times over the course of the clinical rotation (either via telephone or email), including once at the start of the clinical rotation to share contact information, review the evaluation process and tools, identify due dates for the evaluations, and schedule future meetings. Other contact will be to evaluate adequacy of experiences, patient type and mix, and preceptor/student interactions to ensure students are meeting competencies related to the NP role and population focus.
- The clinical faculty will also make at least one site visit (virtually or in-person) per semester per student to formally evaluate the student with patients as well as speak with the preceptor. The preceptor would receive notification and collaborate with the clinical faculty to establish a visit day and time, either in person or via a video conferencing tool.
- The preceptor should notify the faculty in a timely manner to discuss problems regarding student performance and to clarify any issues that may arise.
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