Application: Funds to Support Precepting
AN OVERVIEW
The pandemic has been grueling on all of us, especially for California-based midwifery students. California nurse-midwives precept student midwives from California-based programs (UC San Francisco and Cal State Fullerton) and distance learning programs (Frontier Nursing University, Georgetown University, and Shenandoah and others).
According to a recent survey sent to students and program directors in California by Devon Herbst (Chair of the Midwifery Workforce Development and Education Committee), more than 50% of the students in California are in distance learning programs. More than 90% of the midwifery students in the state have difficulty finding preceptors to complete their programs.
Because more than 90% of student midwives can't find preceptors, midwifery students migrate to other states for academic completion. This migration creates a considerable obstacle to keeping graduating midwives in California. We need more midwives, not fewer. It is time for CNMs and CNM practices across California to engage in conversations about strategies to precept student midwives within their organizations. The more preceptors we have available, the more we can diversify and encourage the growth of the midwifery profession in California.
According to a recent survey sent to students and program directors in California by Devon Herbst (Chair of the Midwifery Workforce Development and Education Committee), more than 50% of the students in California are in distance learning programs. More than 90% of the midwifery students in the state have difficulty finding preceptors to complete their programs.
Because more than 90% of student midwives can't find preceptors, midwifery students migrate to other states for academic completion. This migration creates a considerable obstacle to keeping graduating midwives in California. We need more midwives, not fewer. It is time for CNMs and CNM practices across California to engage in conversations about strategies to precept student midwives within their organizations. The more preceptors we have available, the more we can diversify and encourage the growth of the midwifery profession in California.
STUDENT PERSPECTIVES ON THE PRECEPTOR CRISIS
Frontier Nursing University student Merilee Vance shares her story:
“When I started my clinical search, I was fairly new to the state; therefore, I wasn't working and didn't know any CNMs or RNs. I reached out to our clinical advisor at Frontier, and she gave me a list of former clinical sites in California. I started searching within a short radius of my location and realized I was more in trouble than originally thought. I only heard back from a handful of sites that were full or no longer taking students. Several places told me they couldn't believe that we weren't automatically placed by our school because the other two schools in the state have secured the majority of clinical sites. After about a year of no success, I decided to split up my last two classes to have more time to find a site. Unfortunately, this delayed my graduation by a term. My Regional Clinical Faculty advisor through Frontier lived in Phoenix and told me I would likely find a site there because there are no midwifery schools in Phoenix. The second site I called was able to take me as a student, and I started just a couple of months later! During my clinical site search in California, I was hoping to find a website where current, available CNMs were listed or some assistance that would have made me feel less alone in my search. I placed a bio on the California ACNM site but didn't hear from anyone. Not knowing anyone in the area was a barrier but having all of the sites taken "locked up" by the in-state schools was my biggest obstacle. I can only look to pay it forward when I can precept. I want to help students find placement in any way I can."
Despite the work that in-state schools do to help place their students in clinical sites, they also face challenges in securing preceptor placement. Summer Felcyn-Ghenco from Cal State Fullerton shares:
"I am a senior Women's Health Nurse Practitioner student. My experience with the shortage of preceptors has been profound and has negatively affected my academic experience. I was able to find a clinical site that requires me to drive 3 hours, and I'm only scheduled a few times a month. The preceptor shortage has left me with feelings of academic abandonment and doubt regarding my future in this field. If my clinical placement circumstances don't improve quickly, I won't be able to graduate on time. I have struggled with fears about how this shortage will impact my future job opportunities and my practical abilities. We absolutely must do better!" Although Summer is a WHNP student, her experience reflects the difficulties faced by many student midwives.
Another respondent to the survey shares:
"Midwifery care has its roots in empowering communities. It's hard to believe that we, as a profession of midwives, would make it so challenging for students to get clinical placement. If we want midwifery to grow, we need to provide the care and support for the student learning process. We need to help the next generation of midwives learn and grow so our profession can benefit.”
We can and must do better for students, which may mean taking on the leadership at our institutions. Our institutions need us, and we must embrace our power and advocate so we can support student midwives and midwifery education programs!
“When I started my clinical search, I was fairly new to the state; therefore, I wasn't working and didn't know any CNMs or RNs. I reached out to our clinical advisor at Frontier, and she gave me a list of former clinical sites in California. I started searching within a short radius of my location and realized I was more in trouble than originally thought. I only heard back from a handful of sites that were full or no longer taking students. Several places told me they couldn't believe that we weren't automatically placed by our school because the other two schools in the state have secured the majority of clinical sites. After about a year of no success, I decided to split up my last two classes to have more time to find a site. Unfortunately, this delayed my graduation by a term. My Regional Clinical Faculty advisor through Frontier lived in Phoenix and told me I would likely find a site there because there are no midwifery schools in Phoenix. The second site I called was able to take me as a student, and I started just a couple of months later! During my clinical site search in California, I was hoping to find a website where current, available CNMs were listed or some assistance that would have made me feel less alone in my search. I placed a bio on the California ACNM site but didn't hear from anyone. Not knowing anyone in the area was a barrier but having all of the sites taken "locked up" by the in-state schools was my biggest obstacle. I can only look to pay it forward when I can precept. I want to help students find placement in any way I can."
Despite the work that in-state schools do to help place their students in clinical sites, they also face challenges in securing preceptor placement. Summer Felcyn-Ghenco from Cal State Fullerton shares:
"I am a senior Women's Health Nurse Practitioner student. My experience with the shortage of preceptors has been profound and has negatively affected my academic experience. I was able to find a clinical site that requires me to drive 3 hours, and I'm only scheduled a few times a month. The preceptor shortage has left me with feelings of academic abandonment and doubt regarding my future in this field. If my clinical placement circumstances don't improve quickly, I won't be able to graduate on time. I have struggled with fears about how this shortage will impact my future job opportunities and my practical abilities. We absolutely must do better!" Although Summer is a WHNP student, her experience reflects the difficulties faced by many student midwives.
Another respondent to the survey shares:
"Midwifery care has its roots in empowering communities. It's hard to believe that we, as a profession of midwives, would make it so challenging for students to get clinical placement. If we want midwifery to grow, we need to provide the care and support for the student learning process. We need to help the next generation of midwives learn and grow so our profession can benefit.”
We can and must do better for students, which may mean taking on the leadership at our institutions. Our institutions need us, and we must embrace our power and advocate so we can support student midwives and midwifery education programs!
THE RESEARCH
According to a 2021 survey completed by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB), there are 1204 CNMs in California, more than any other state in the US! According to midwifery program leads, CSUF accepts 12 midwifery students a year, and UCSF accepts 12-16 students. CSUF and UCSF turn away dozens of students each year because of the shortage of clinical sites. Frontier currently has 52 students based in California, and at least half of them cannot find preceptors.
Why are students and midwifery education programs having such a difficult time?
It's essential to recognize the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing shortages, burnout, and the work it requires to precept a new midwife. Most preceptors are not financially compensated for their work, nor do their employers support the education of midwifery learners as part of their mission. Additionally, many CNMs must train OB and family medicine residents and medical students. Training residents fosters collaborative care teams but negatively impacts CNMs ability to precept student midwives.
According to the recent Midwifery Workforce Development and Education Committee survey, the most significant barriers that students are facing in finding preceptors include:
Many students share that they are being turned away from sites because some practices will only take students from certain schools. Though CSUF and UCSF midwifery program directors shared that their schools do not have exclusive contracts with clinical sites for their students, the administrators of clinical sites are setting up barriers to accepting midwifery students.
Why are students and midwifery education programs having such a difficult time?
It's essential to recognize the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing shortages, burnout, and the work it requires to precept a new midwife. Most preceptors are not financially compensated for their work, nor do their employers support the education of midwifery learners as part of their mission. Additionally, many CNMs must train OB and family medicine residents and medical students. Training residents fosters collaborative care teams but negatively impacts CNMs ability to precept student midwives.
According to the recent Midwifery Workforce Development and Education Committee survey, the most significant barriers that students are facing in finding preceptors include:
- Lack of response to emails inquiring whether a person or site is taking students
- Practices not accepting students, taking limited numbers of students, or only taking students from specific schools
- COVID-19 pandemic training restrictions established at the start of the pandemic limit hosting trainees despite school vaccine requirements for students
- Lack of accountability amongst some schools in identifying student placement, especially since this is a requirement by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME)
Many students share that they are being turned away from sites because some practices will only take students from certain schools. Though CSUF and UCSF midwifery program directors shared that their schools do not have exclusive contracts with clinical sites for their students, the administrators of clinical sites are setting up barriers to accepting midwifery students.
LET’S ALL BE PART OF THE SOLUTION
The California Nurse-Midwives Association (CNMA) and the California Nurse-Midwives Foundation (CNMF) are working synergistically to find solutions and help build our workforce.
CNMA’s Midwifery Workforce Development and Education Support Committee is developing short and long-term strategies and solutions for building and diversifying the CNM workforce in California, including plans to increase the number of clinical placement sites and preceptors. We are dedicated to ensuring this is done equitably. Please consider joining this committee! If interested, contact either Co-Chair, Melanie Phipps or Kim Dau.
CNMA’s Midwifery Workforce Development and Education Support Committee is developing short and long-term strategies and solutions for building and diversifying the CNM workforce in California, including plans to increase the number of clinical placement sites and preceptors. We are dedicated to ensuring this is done equitably. Please consider joining this committee! If interested, contact either Co-Chair, Melanie Phipps or Kim Dau.
APPLY FOR PRECEPTOR FUNDING SUPPORT
CNMF recognizes that precepting often comes at a cost, whether accepting students as an individual preceptor or advocating for precepting at your institution. We partnered with Anthem and currently have $16,000 to support precepting and mentoring for students in distance learning programs. Click here to fill out a 1-page application.
We are exploring the best strategy to encourage sites to open up now while also looking at long-term strategies. A short-term plan may mean supporting individual CNMs (time for onboarding, orienting, decreased schedule templates) or supporting your ability to advocate for your institution to open up for student precepting. Please fill out the application and let us know what you need to become a preceptor in the short term, and share your ideas on how we can address this going forward.
Midwifery education programs offer logistical assistance and ongoing support for preceptors and students. Click here and scroll to “Contact Us” to connect with a program lead. We encourage you to reach out directly and NOT wait for a student or education program to reach out to you! The programs will do their best to match students with available preceptors.
We are exploring the best strategy to encourage sites to open up now while also looking at long-term strategies. A short-term plan may mean supporting individual CNMs (time for onboarding, orienting, decreased schedule templates) or supporting your ability to advocate for your institution to open up for student precepting. Please fill out the application and let us know what you need to become a preceptor in the short term, and share your ideas on how we can address this going forward.
Midwifery education programs offer logistical assistance and ongoing support for preceptors and students. Click here and scroll to “Contact Us” to connect with a program lead. We encourage you to reach out directly and NOT wait for a student or education program to reach out to you! The programs will do their best to match students with available preceptors.
CONNECT WITH US
-
CSU Fullerton
-
Frontier
-
Georgetown
-
Shenandoah
-
UCSF
<
>
Angela Sojobi, PhD, DNP, CNM, RN
Assistant Professor
P: 657-278-7599 M: 657-278-3336 | F: 657-278-3338
800 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92831
http://nursing.fullerton.edu
Assistant Professor
P: 657-278-7599 M: 657-278-3336 | F: 657-278-3338
800 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92831
http://nursing.fullerton.edu
Amy Alise Howe MSN, CNM, IBCLC
She/Her
Amy.Howe01@frontier.edu
DNP Class #43
(661) 993-0306
Frontier Nursing University
State of Residence: CA (PST)
Preferred communication: email
She/Her
Amy.Howe01@frontier.edu
DNP Class #43
(661) 993-0306
Frontier Nursing University
State of Residence: CA (PST)
Preferred communication: email
Jana Deschler, Clinical Placement Specialist (jmd408@georgetown.edu)
Melicia Escobar, Clinical Faculty Director (melicia.escobar@georgetown.edu)
School of Nursing & Health Studies
3700 Reservoir Road | St. Mary's Hall 420D | Washington, DC 20057
Melicia Escobar, Clinical Faculty Director (melicia.escobar@georgetown.edu)
School of Nursing & Health Studies
3700 Reservoir Road | St. Mary's Hall 420D | Washington, DC 20057
Becky Zentmayer
Administrative Assistant & Clinical Placement Coordinator Midwifery Programs
1460 University Drive
Winchester, VA 22601
Phone: 540-665-5449
Fax: 540-665-5519
email: rzentmay@su.edu
Administrative Assistant & Clinical Placement Coordinator Midwifery Programs
1460 University Drive
Winchester, VA 22601
Phone: 540-665-5449
Fax: 540-665-5519
email: rzentmay@su.edu
Kim Quang Đâu, CNM, FACNM
Kim.Dau@ucsf.edu
Associate Clinical Professor
Director, Nurse-Midwifery/WHNP Program
Dept. of Family Health Care Nursing
she, her, hers
Kim.Dau@ucsf.edu
Associate Clinical Professor
Director, Nurse-Midwifery/WHNP Program
Dept. of Family Health Care Nursing
she, her, hers
