Welcome to the Sinclair School of Nursing Preceptor Portal
Preceptors are essential partners in Mizzou Nursing’s mission to advance health through teaching, practice and scholarship. As defined by the Missouri State Board of Nursing, preceptors act as role models and mentors assisting faculty in supervising students. You help advanced practice nursing students integrate classroom learning with real-world decision-making during clinical rotations. Nurse practitioner students complete required hours in primary care and outpatient settings with patient loads increasing as they progress. Faculty monitor competencies weekly and may adjust sites or preceptors to ensure outcomes are met. Over time, students typically require less direct supervision, often supporting clinic flow.
Why Precept
Becoming a preceptor for the Sinclair School of Nursing is a chance to make a lasting impact on future advanced practice nurses. Preceptors serve as mentors and clinical teachers helping students bridge academic knowledge with real-world care. Through guided patient encounters, you foster clinical reasoning, confidence and evidence-based practice. Beyond shaping individual learners, preceptorship strengthens the nursing workforce to meet growing health care needs across Missouri and beyond.
If you are passionate about teaching and want to help shape the future of advanced nursing practice, we invite you to join the Mizzou Nursing preceptor community. Precepting offers a meaningful way to share your clinical expertise, mentor graduate students and contribute to the development of tomorrow’s nurse leaders. To learn more or begin the process, click the link below to complete the Preceptor Interest Form and connect with our team. Your partnership makes an extraordinary difference in preparing the next generation of Mizzou nurse practitioners.
Preceptors serve as clinicians and educators, modeling evidence-based ethical care while guiding students in applying classroom knowledge to practice through observation, feedback and mentorship. Students are responsible for contacting agencies, sending preceptor application and contract links, verifying agency contracts and ensuring faculty approval before beginning clinical work. They submit and revise goals and objectives, provide approved copies to preceptors, negotiate schedules and activities, share performance assessment tools and comply with agency and Mizzou Nursing policies. Students maintain communication with faculty, keep appointments and submit logs or journals as required. Advanced practice students must complete at least 33 percent of clinical hours under a master’s-prepared nurse and work with at least two preceptors; travel may be required if qualified preceptors are unavailable locally.
- Preceptors should have a master’s degree or higher (preferred).
- Must hold an active, unencumbered license, with advanced practice authorization if required, and have at least one year of experience in the specialty.
- National certification is preferred.
- Leadership DNP students may work with executive-level or doctorally prepared leaders.
- Work with at least two preceptors during the program.
- Complete at least 33% of total hours under a master’s-prepared nurse.
- Preceptors must provide documentation of education, licensure, and certification when applicable.
- State requirements for advanced practice clinical experiences vary; students are responsible for knowing their state’s Nurse Practice Act.
- Missouri does not regulate advanced practice education, but many states do.
- All preceptors must complete an application reviewed by faculty.
- Students cannot begin clinical work until the university and sponsoring agency approve the signed contract.
Serving as a preceptor for the Sinclair School of Nursing is a chance to shape the future of nursing while advancing your own career. By mentoring nurse practitioner students, you strengthen the workforce and help meet growing health care needs across Missouri and beyond. Precepting also offers professional benefits. Many boards, including AANP and ANCC, recognize precepting for continuing education credits. It enhances your portfolio – demonstrating leadership, lifelong learning and commitment to patient-centered care.