Become a Preceptor

A preceptor is one of the most important figures in a graduate nursing student's transition from classroom to clinic, helping them learn practical skills, master patient interaction, and navigate new work environments. By serving as a mentor to the next generation of nurse leaders, you'll sharpen your own practice while earning benefits like continuing education credits. 

Contact Us

Dany Hilaire
Assistant Dean
Clinical Placements and Community Partnerships
617-552-4088

Practice Areas

Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners
provide primary preventive and chronic illness care for individuals throughout the entirety of adulthood, forming lasting bonds with patients over the course of their time together. 

Family nurse practitioners
study and improve the health of individuals and families while identifying risk factors and preventing illness. They help patients throughout the entire lifecycle, diagnosing and managing common acute and chronic primary health care challenges.

Pediatric nurse practitioners
work with infants, children, adolescents, and their families, promoting wellness, preventing illness, conducting well-visit checkups, and treating common diseases and injuries.

Psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioners
focus on health and wellness, lead caregiving teams—paying particular attention to patients’ emotional, cognitive, and social functioning—and play key roles in clinical evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment. They also help people and communities recover after trauma or distress.

Women’s health nurse practitioners
provide comprehensive care to women, supporting their general health across the lifespan. They also provide sexual and reproductive health care to men.

I precept for the love of the job, and for the love of teaching. But I also do it to keep me on my toes.
Cynthia Tefft, M.S. ’82

Benefits

As a preceptor for BC students you are a role model and mentor for the next generation of advanced practiced nurses. Your thought leadership and clinical training are an invaluable part of the student experience and we value your partnership.

BC preceptors have access to the following: 

Full graduate-level tuition credit(s) (based on a minimum of 240 precept hours)

25% discount on selected Professional Development and Continuing Education courses

Discounts or fully compensated registration for the Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners spring conference

Each preceptor receives a recertification credit in advanced practice indicating the hours precepting a BC student

All BC preceptors also enjoy:

Recognition as an Advanced Practice Clinical Preceptor

Invitation to Preceptor Appreciation Events, Pinnacle Lecture Series, and networking opportunities 

Access to Boston College’s museums and cultural events, as well as opportunities to give guest lectures

Faculty letters of reference, editing of manuscripts, and résumé reviews

Voice magazine 

A chance to attend BC home football games and “POPS on the Heights” through preceptor raffle

Responsibilities

The Connell School of Nursing values our relationship with each clinical preceptor and considers them to be a true strength of our program. Our preceptors create tangible benefits for everyone involved: Students gain real-world experience that’s only available in a clinical setting; preceptors inspire the next generation of nurses; and our faculty are strengthened by the working relationships they develop with preceptors and their strong clinical expertise.

Preceptor responsibilities include:

  • Providing a mentoring and supportive learning environment for M.S. and D.N.P. students.
  • Providing clinical instruction in conjunction with course clinical objectives.
  • Reviewing course objectives and individual learning goals with students.
  • Providing ongoing feedback to students regarding their clinical performance.
  • Formally evaluating students' clinical performance at mid-term and end of semester.
  • Providing a student with honest, timely feedback.

FAQ

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Precepting with Boston College

Hear from current preceptors about their experiences precepting Boston College students.

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BC nursing student with preceptor

Meet Our Staff

Dany Hilaire

Dany Hilaire
Assistant Dean, Clinical Placement and Community Partnerships

Deborah Wenstrom

Deborah Wenstrom
Assistant Director, Clinical Placement

Ted Hannigan

Ted Hannigan
Clinical Placement Specialist

Amanda Love

Amanda Love
Clinical Placement Specialist