Student Nurse Preceptor

**UPDATE**

The Fall 2024 preceptorship program is accepting applications through January 10, 2025.

For Winter and Spring quarters, we are unable to share details of payment allocations or continuation of the program until we have more information on the state budget. As reference, Washington State is currently experiencing a budget shortfall of $10-12B over the next four years. As we await the Governor’s budget and legislative direction, we will be holding on the 2025 preceptorship program. Once we are assured of the program’s direction, we will communicate with our nursing and academic partners via the WABON website and GovDelivery emails.

If you are planning to precept in Winter or Spring, please continue to use our usual submission process so that if/when this is opened, you will have submitted the necessary documentation. More communication to come as soon as information is available.

Become a Nurse Preceptor for Student Nurses

Volunteer with your employer to become a preceptor for student nurses and get a monetary incentive for your time and effort.

We are now accepting submissions for fall 2024 only. 

• The summer cycle closed on September 13, 2024. No submissions from summer 2024 or before are accepted.
• Please follow the instructions carefully when applying for reimbursement.

Fall 2024 reimbursement cycle information:

For the fall cycle, you can earn $900 for precepting student nurses.

• You must complete at least 80 hours of precepting clinical instruction per student.
• The deadline to apply for the grant reimbursement for fall 2024 is January 10, 2025.
• Deadline is firm. We must receive all required documents and information by this date to qualify for reimbursement.

More information

• Presentation: WSSNPG winter 2024 updates: changes to the submission process (PDF)
• Presentation: WSSNPG winter 2024 preceptor procedure updates (PDF)

WSSNPG Informational Sessions

• October 16, 2024 at 1:00 pm
• No Sessions in November and December
• January 15, 2025 at 1:00 pm
• February 19, 2025 at 1:00 pm

      Join via Zoom
      Meeting ID: 811 2295 3952
      Passcode: 650001

Washington State Student Nurse Preceptorship Grant (WSSNPG)

The Washington legislature has set up a grant for student nurse preceptorship. This grant funds nurses who precept nursing students in health care settings. 

The amount varies from cycle to cycle, but usually ranges from $500 - $1000 one-time reimbursement per student precepted. 

The goal of the preceptor grant program is to:

• Help reduce a shortage of healthcare settings for students.
• Bring more nurses into the Washington state workforce.

Who is eligible?

• Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNP)
• Registered Nurses (RN)
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN)

Local, State, and Federal government nursing employees:

• You should consider contacting your local, state, or federal employer to confirm that accepting a grant payment is not in violation of ethics laws, such as the Code of Ethics for Municipal Officers, RCW 42.23, the Ethics in Public Service Act, RCW 42.52, or the Supplementation of Federal Salary Prohibition in the United States Code, 18 U.S.C. 209.

All nursing employees:

• You should consider discussing the preceptor grant with your employer prior to applying for or accepting grant payment.  Some employers may have policies that prohibit an employee from accepting payment as a term of employment.

Requirements to be a student nurse preceptor

To be a nurse preceptor you must:

• Have an active license.
• Have at least one year of clinical or practice experience.
• Be employed at an approved practice site.

More information:

• Preceptor promotional flyer (PDF)
• WA State Student Nurse Preceptorship Grant policy (PDF)
• WAC 246-840-533

How to qualify for reimbursement 

Information on how to get the student nurse preceptor reimbursement.

To qualify for the reimbursement, you must:

• Meet all requirements to be a student nurse preceptor.
• Volunteer to be a student nurse preceptor with your employer.
  • Employer must be an approved practice site by an approved education program.
• Complete at least 80 qualifying hours of precepting clinical instruction per student. 
  • A student nurse preceptor may precept up to 2 students per term.
• Submit all required documents by the reimbursement cycle deadline of your preceptorship. (See Reimbursement cycles table below.)

In addition, your clinical practice hours must:

• Occur in a facility approved by a Washington State nursing program.
  • Out-of-state programs don't qualify, even if the clinical hours take place in Washington.
• Be in the final term of clinical for RN and LPN pre-licensure students.
  • ARNP students can be in any clinical cycle for reimbursement.
• Refresher course clinical preceptors are not eligible for payment
• RN-BSN programs are not eligible for payment

How to apply for reimbursement 

You can apply for reimbursement only for the current cycle. Previous cycles won't be accepted. See Reimbursement Cycles below for timeframes and deadlines. 

1. Register for a Statewide Vendor Number (SVN) with the Office of Financial Management (OFM) via the Vendor/Payee Registration Form.
   .
   • You must get a personal SWV (we don't accept Business SWVs).
   • It can take up to 10 business days to get.
   • You only need to apply once - it doesn't expire.
   • You must update your SWV number registration information every 2 years to be valid.
   • Contact OFM for any contact information changes, such as address, email, phone, etc.
   • Tips on Registering for your Statewide Vendor Number (PDF)
      
2. Complete the online Preceptor Hours Reporting Form by cycle deadline*.
   • You will be redirected to receive a confirmation email at the end of the application. Please enter your email for your record of the submission.
   • You can apply for reimbursement only for the current cycle. Previous cycles won't be accepted. See Reimbursement Cycles below for timeframes and deadlines.
   • The Nursing Program will be responsible for sending us the Preceptorship Verification of Hours Form. Preceptors are only responsible for the Preceptor Hours Reporting Form.
   • Once we receive the Deans and Directors' verification form, it may take up to 10 weeks for the preceptor's team and the Office of Accounting to complete the reimbursement.

*We must receive all required documents and information by cycle deadline to qualify for reimbursement.

Reimbursement Cycles

We are currently accepting reimbursement submissions for the fall 2024 cycle only.

Reimbursement cycles	Preceptorship end date	Documentation deadline*
Summer	July 1 - August 31	September 13
Fall	September 1 - December 31	January 10
Winter	January 1 - March 31	April 11
Spring	April 1 - June 15	June 13

*Deadline is firm. We must receive all required documents and information by this date.

All nursing programs must have vetted and completed documentation submitted by due date for preceptors to receive the grant payment.

Details: 

• Preceptorship end date: the timeframe your preceptorship ended in.
• Documentation deadline: date you must have your reimbursement paperwork turned in. 

Reimbursement Resources

• Statewide Vendor/Payee Services
• Vendor Registration Process-Useful Information
• Statewide Vendor Number Lookup
• Vendor/Payee Direct Deposit

Preceptor Resources

Online training resources and information on being a preceptor.

Preceptors: Helping new nurses transition to practice

Free self-paced learning module from WABON. 

• Developed using materials developed by Shandra L. James, DNP, RN, and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).

• Overview of the wide range of roles and responsibilities of the preceptor and suggestions about how to fulfill each role.

Go to course: Preceptors: Helping New Nurses Transition to Practice

Preceptor Education Program (PEP)

Free self-directed interprofessional program created by Western University in Canada.

• 8 interactive learning modules
• Modules include downloadable resources, learning exercises, video case scenarios, and references. 

Go to modules: Preceptor Education Program (PEP)

Dean and Director Resources

• Dean and Director Resources page
• Preceptor Verification of Hours form (.docx) The form must only be submitted by the nursing programs.

FAQs

What is a nursing preceptor?

A nursing preceptor is a practicing licensed nurse who provides personal instruction, training, and supervision for nursing students during clinical rotations.

Am I eligible to precept a student?

You are eligible to precept a student if you are a licensed LPN, RN, or ARNP that meets requirements of WAC 246-840-533, and employed at an approved clinical practice site. An approved practice site is a facility with an affiliation agreement with an approved Washington state nursing educational program.

How many times can I apply for this grant?

You can apply for this grant up to 2 times per payment cycle, for a maximum of 8 payments per year. 

I did not get my payment. What do I do? 

Payments can take up to 8-10 weeks after each reimbursement cycle. Please contact the Preceptor Program directly if you have any questions regarding your payment. WABONPreceptorship@doh.wa.gov.

Is the grant taxable?

The grant funds are taxable. You will receive a 1099-NEC (Non-Employee Compensation) form during tax season. For any other tax questions, please consider contacting a tax advisor.

Preceptor Grant Team

• Victoria L. Hayward, MSN, RN, CNOR
• Kaknika Pisith, Grant Specialist

Contact information

• Email:   WABONPreceptorship@doh.wa.gov
• Phone: 564-669-4870, Kaknika Pisith, Grant Specialist
• Phone: 564-669-1016, Victoria Hayward, MSN, RN, CNOR