There is new funding available for the nurse preceptorship grant program. The requirements for the program have also changed and the documentation deadlines have been extended.
In 2022, the Washington State Legislature created a $6 million grant program, split between fiscal years 2022 and 2023, to provide funding to nurses who are willing to precept nursing students in health care settings. The grant program is managed by the Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission (NCQAC). It is intended to incentivize more nurses to become preceptors and increase the number of clinical placement opportunities for students. Following a technical error and subsequent correction, the NCQAC has now received full funding for fiscal years 2022 and 2023 and has more money to disburse.
This year, the Legislature passed E2SSB 5582, which reduced the required number of qualifying clinical hours per student from 100 to 80. The Certification of Hours (COH) form is no longer due in five days. COH forms from fall 2022, winter 2023 and spring 2023 terms will be accepted until June 15, 2023, though no forms will be accepted after that. Timeframes will be updated and posted on the Student Nurse Preceptor website. In 2023, the legislature provided an additional $6 million to continue funding for the grant program, to be split between fiscal years 2024 and 2025.
For nurse preceptorships ending on or before June 15, 2023, the NCQAC has extended fall 2022 and winter 2023 documentation due dates to June 15, 2023. If a nurse provided 80 or more hours of clinical preceptorship during fall 2022, winter 2023 and/or spring 2023 and has not applied for reimbursement, they may apply until June 15.
Preceptor grant applications are open to nurse preceptors who provided 80 or more hours of clinical preceptorship to:
- A pre-licensure student during fall 2022, winter 2023 and/or spring 2023 during the final clinical rotation, or
- An ARNP student during fall 2022, winter 2023 and/or spring 2023 for clinical rotation during any term.
For preceptorships occurring after June 15, 2023, the minimum qualifying hours of precepting clinical instruction is per student will be 80. As such, this grant program works best for precepting senior practicum, or one student and one nurse, versus a cohort format where the student has a different preceptor each shift. This does not preclude precepting students in cohorts, as long as the clinical instruction hours do not overlap and the minimum number is met. The grant is open to advanced registered nurse practitioners, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who are willing to precept nursing students in health care settings.
Requirements:
- Have an active license
- Have at least one year of clinical or practice experience
- Be employed at an approved practice site
How to qualify for reimbursement:
- Meet the eligibility criteria in WAC 246-840-533
- Volunteer to be a student nurse preceptor with employer (employer/facility must be an approved practice site by a nursing education program)
- Precept ARNP, RN, or PN students enrolled in a licensed and accredited Washington public or private not-for-profit school of nursing
- Complete the minimum qualifying 80 hours of precepting clinical instruction per student:
- Clinical hours must occur in a facility approved by a Washington State nursing program (out-of-state programs do not qualify, even if the clinical hours take place in Washington)
- Clinical hours must be in the final term of clinical practice instruction for RN and LPN pre-licensure students
- Clinical hours may be in any term of clinical practice instruction for ARNP students
How often nurse preceptors may apply:
- Each reimbursement cycle (see the reimbursement cycles on the Student Nurse Preceptor website). There are four per year.
A nurse preceptor may precept up to two students per reimbursement cycle. If precepting more than one student, clinical hours may not overlap.
How to apply for reimbursement:
- Register with the Office of Financial Management (OFM) to receive a statewide vender number (SWV) by filling out the Vendor/Payee Registration Form (nurse preceptors must have a SWV to get paid)
- Complete the Certification of Hours (COH) (PDF) form
- The education program Dean or Director must complete and sign the nursing education program portion of the COH form to certify the preceptor hours following completion of the preceptorship
- Nurse preceptors must complete the preceptor portion of the COH form
- Ensure the form is filled out correctly (See the Certification of Hours (COH) form EXAMPLE PDF)
- Submit the completed COH form to PGVerifications@doh.wa.gov
Reimbursement amount will vary depending on the number of preceptors applying for the grant during the fiscal year.
Submission due dates:
- COH forms no longer need to be submitted within five days
- Preceptors are encouraged to submit the COH as soon as possible after the preceptorship ends
- Timeframes for summer, fall and winter quarters will be updated and posted on the Student Nurse Preceptor website
- For spring quarter, all documents are due by mid-June. Exact dates will be updated and posted on the Student Nurse Preceptor website.
More information and resources:
- Visit the Student Nurse Preceptor page on the Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission’s website for more information about the program and how to apply for reimbursement.
- WAC 246-840-533
- WA State Student Nurse Preceptorship Grant Policy (PDF)
- Statewide Vendor/Payee Services
- Vendor Registration Process-Useful Information
- Statewide Vendor Number Lookup
- Vendor/Payee Direct Deposit
For more information, please contact Katerina LaMarche (Katerina LaMarche)
