STAT News (08/24/26) Connolly, Colleen

A growing shortage of clinical preceptors is creating a significant bottleneck in the education of nurse practitioners, despite strong demand for these providers amid ongoing healthcare workforce shortages. Nurse practitioner students are required to complete hundreds of supervised clinical hours to graduate, but many struggle to find qualified preceptors willing to mentor them, often delaying graduation and, in some cases, forcing students to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for placements. While accrediting bodies require nursing programs to support students in securing clinical experiences, many schools rely on students to find placements themselves, unlike medical schools, which typically coordinate clinical training through hospital partnerships. The shortage is driven by limited funding for nursing education, increasing clinician burnout, and a lack of compensation for preceptors. In response, private placement-matching companies have emerged, but their services can add substantial costs for students. Educators and healthcare leaders argue that stronger partnerships among nursing schools, health systems, and clinics, along with greater support and compensation for preceptors, are needed to create a more sustainable pathway into the profession.

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