Clinical Collaborations

Clinical placements enrich the learning experience for students by giving them a real-world experience with patients in a health care environment. At Emory, we are dedicated to guiding our students through the clinical placement process.

Our students train in numerous clinical sites domestically and internationally in a wide range of clinical settings. Through the school's Lillian Carter Center for Global Health & Social Responsibility, we send students to partner institutions in Peru, Haiti, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Ethiopia. The available clinical experiences means you will finish your degree with practical clinical training and will be prepared for nursing, research, and leadership.

Clinical Compliance

All students are required to fulfill health requirements, background checks, and drug screenings for clinical agency placement. Clinical agencies may also require students to complete additional compliance and/or credentialing requirements. Students who are not in compliance by outlined deadlines, or who fall out of compliance during their program, will not be allowed to participate in clinical experiences. Click here to access the clinical compliance checklist.

To attend clinical, you must be clinically compliant with Emory SON in your Complio account and complete your clinical site-specific credentialing requirements. If you have any questions or concerns about compliance, please reach out to your Clinical Compliance Coordinator at SON-Compliance@emory.edu.

Pre-Licensure Students

Pre-Licensure students are degree seeking non nurses, who are seeking to obtain their RN licensure.  There are 4 different Pre-Licensure programs:

  • Traditional BSN (BSN)
  • MN InEmory Program (InEmory MN)
  • MN Pathway Program (MN+MSN or MN Pathway)
  • MN Program (MN)

Pre-Licensure students will be placed in group clinical experiences in variety of clinical and community settings during their first 3 semesters. A group of nursing students placed together in a clinical setting. This experience is led by a master’s prepared Clinical Instructor.

During the 4th semester students will complete a precepted clinical experience in a variety of clinical, hospital, community, and outpatient settings. In this experience student are paired with a BSN prepared Registered Nurse (preceptor) who serves as a mentor and supervisor.

Most clinical experiences will take place within a 75-mile radius of Emory’s campus. Students must arrange their own transportation to their clinical placement.

Transportation Policy

Students are responsible for their transportation to clinical sites. Many clinical sites are located across the metro area and may require travel outside of the Emory network. Travel and parking costs are not reimbursed. Those without personal transportation are not guaranteed priority clinical placement.

Clinical Placement Process Overview

A chart showing the progression of the process
The progression goes from Compliance to Placement Request to Placement Approvals, to Placement Matching and Clinical Assignment to Credentialing & Renewable Compliance Requirements to Clinical and to Clinical Evaluation and Follow Up

Frequently Asked Questions

What Types of Clinical schedules are offered?

Depending on the clinical course you take, clinicals can be on either the Weekday, Weekend, Day, midday, or Night shift      

What is a group-led experience?

A group of nursing students placed together in a clinical setting. This experience is led by a master’s prepared Clinical Instructor.

How many students will be in my clinical group?

6-8 students

What is a Clinical Instructor

 An Emory SON faculty member assigned to serve as your Point of Contact (POC) for your academic progression and provide clinical instruction during your clinical rotation.  This is your instructor during your group rotation.

What is a Preceptor?

Registered Nurse (RN) assigned via partnering hospital/unit for you to work with/shadow during your clinical rotation. This is a one to one experience

What is a Clinical Placement Coordinator?

The Clinical Placement Coordinator is your partner in ensuring that you have a valuable clinical experience and helps you to navigate through the clinical placement process.

When do I start Clinical?

 Lab for first 7 weeks and hospital for 6-7 weeks

How long are clinical days?

1st Semester: 8-10 hour days

2nd-4th Semester: 8-12-hour days

How will I be notified about my clinical Assignment?

Via email

When will I be notified?

3-4 weeks before clinical start

What information will be included in my assignment?

Clinical Instructor Information and site

Clinical site credentialing requirements

Will I have to submit more paperwork to go to clinical?

Yes, each hospital has additional paperwork you will need to complete. This information will be communicated to you after you’re assigned to a clinical group.

What if I don’t have a car?

We cannot accommodate personal travel needs. Per the SON Handbook, Students are responsible for their transportation to clinical sites. Many clinical sites are located across the metro area and require travel outside of the Emory network. Travel and parking costs are not reimbursed. Those without personal transportation are not guaranteed priority clinical placement. There are free shuttle services that serve the Emory University Hospital, Emory University Hospital–Midtown and Grady Memorial Hospital. The schedule can be found at http://transportation.emory.edu or by calling 404.727.PARK (7275).

What is Compliance, Credentialing and Clinical?

Get to know the 3 C's (view infographic):

Your clinical practicum requires work experience in a hospital or healthcare setting to provide hands-on experience in various fields of nursing.

Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and contracted clinical partners require several documents to ensure clinical readiness. These documents are provided through processes know as Compliance and Credentialing.

Here is a quick guide to recognize the difference:

Compliance:

  • Requirements prior to initial enrollment
  • Emory School of Nursing requirements to ensure clinical readiness
  • Uploaded to Complio
  • Compliance Checklist: https://bit.ly/3Kgn5L5

Credentialing:

  • Requirements needed before beginning clinical
  • Standards come from the clinical site
  • Provides documented proof to the clinical site
  • Uploaded to site preferred system (ACEMAPP, SYMPLR, etc.)

Compliance MUST be maintained throughout the duration of the program. Credentialing MUST be completed prior to beginning each clinical rotation. In order to continue clinical rotation, both compliance and credentialling must be up to date

Tip: While you are uploading items to Complio, you can update student health at the same time. As the two systems are separate, keep everything together and update together.

Questions about Credentialing? Contact your clinical placement coordinator.

Questions about Compliance? Contact son-compliance@emory.edu

For more information, please refer to the student handbook located on the emory nursing resources webpage.

Post-Licensure APRN Students

APRN students require specialized clinical placements to gain clinical skills as a nurse practitioner or midwife. Securing placements is a collaborative effort between students, faculty, and our clinical affairs team. We encourage all students to develop a list of sites that they may be knowledgeable of or reach out to personal networks and connections that may be available to precept. If any clinical site is arranged by the specialty director and placement office but is declined by the student, this will result in an interruption of the plan of study and the placement office and specialty director will not seek a substitute rotation for the semester. Students who have declined their clinical placement will need to request a leave of absence until the following semester.

APRN Students enrolled prior to Summer 2023

This section applies to APRN students who began their program prior to Summer 2023 semester, including students matriculating from a prelicensure program.

The Clinical Affairs team partners with faculty to coordinate rotations for local and distant advanced practice nursing students during your program.  To better assist, we also encourage students to develop a list of possible sites that may be available to precept.

During the program, local students are expected to travel up to 150 miles from the School of Nursing for local clinical rotations.  Given the large number of health profession students in the Atlanta Metro Region and the competition for sites, agencies and providers, we ask that all local student placements be coordinated with our clinical placement team.  Students should not reach out to local Georgia sites to arrange their own placements.  If the students identify a possible local placement, they should contact their Placement Coordinator and they will partner with you to determine if placement is possible.

To assist you with your placement process, please see our Post-Licensure Online Resource tool

APRN Students enrolled Summer 2023 and after

This section applies to MN and APRN students who began their program on and after Summer 2023 semester except CRNA, Nell Fellow and Perfusion.

As a APRN student, you have the ability to complete you clinical education in locations near your home and can identify your preferred clinical site and preceptors in accordance with your program standards.  It is important to note that you have an active, required role in finding your clinical placements, with the support of the Clinical Affairs team.

When securing a site/preceptor, the following steps should be followed:

  • Step #1

    Student initiates a search in their place of residence for their desired specialty as well as develop a list of possible sites that they have a better knowledge of and can use personal networks and connections to identify a preceptor or clinical site.  Review the guidelines specific to your specialty. Once identified, utilize the Post Licensure Online Resource Portal for next steps.
  • Step #2

    If the student is not able to identify a preceptor, students should connect with the clinical affairs team and faculty regularly to review potential placements.
  • Step #3

    If despite all efforts in securing a preceptor, and the team has exhausted all their viable options, the students may use third party placement agencies to secure preceptors and placements for a fee paid by the student directly to the third-party placement agency. The school can connect you with an agency if needed and will reimburse students for fees up to $1,000 per rotation.

While a clinical placement is not guaranteed, every effort is made to work together to secure clinical placements for every student.

To assist you with your placement process, please see our Post-Licensure APRN Online Resource Portal

Please note: Due to Board of Nursing regulations, clinical placements may not be accommodated in all areas of the country.

Clinical placements cannot be completed in:

New York, Tennessee or Oregon.

State Board of Nursing approval is needed for the following states:

Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington, Washington DC, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Map of States and Clinical Placement Requirements


Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my clinical placement request?

Yes, you may change your clinical placement request by informing both your Specialty Director and Clinical Placement Coordinator prior to making any changes. Please be mindful this may affect your clinical rotation clearance.

How do I find a preceptor?

We encourage all students to develop a list of sites that they may be knowledgeable of or reach out to personal networks and connections that may be available to precept.

We understand that finding a clinical placement can be challenging and overwhelming task. Our commitment to you is to be a valuable resource and collaborator in this process. Emory has an extensive network of healthcare facilities, preceptors, and institutions. Connect with your Clinical Placement Coordinator for additional information.”

What types of preceptors are acceptable?

A licensed MD, DO, NP, CNM or PA can precept our NP students. Please refer to your specialty program's guidelines for additional information. The Specialty Director must vet all preceptors.

What do I do if a preceptor requests payment?

Emory does not pay preceptors. In the event a preceptor has this request, please refer to your Clinical Placement Coordinator. If you contract with a third-party company to find your preceptor, they will collect a fee for their business costs and to pay the preceptor. Discuss further with your Clinical Placement Coordinator.

I hold a single state license in the state I live in. What do I need to do to practice in another state?

Please refer to your state's Board of Nursing to ensure that you have the appropriate licensure.

I want to apply for a multistate license. What should I do?

Please refer to your state's Board of Nursing to determine requirements. Additionally, please discuss with your Specialty Director.

How soon should I submit my preceptor and clinical placement site?

Finding a preceptor can be a lengthy process. We strongly encourage you to identify your preceptor and submit your Clinical Placement Request as early as possible. click the following link to complete the Clinic Placement Request form.

How do I get started in finding a preceptor?

Please click on the Post Licensure Resource Tool for step by step instructions.

Can I only consider a facility that Emory already has a contract with?

You may submit a clinical placement with most healthcare facilities. However, you may not request a clinical rotation in New York, Tennessee, or Oregon. Please refer to the Out-of-State Rotation Map.

The site where I want to rotate says it does not have a contract with Emory. What do I do?

If you have a preceptor, who you have identified, you only need to complete the Clinical Rotation Request.

Should I be nervous that I will not find a placement?

Absolutely not! We have available resources to aide our students. There are certainly geographic areas in the U.S. that are more saturated with other nursing students or that have fewer facilities. However, you will be partnering with your Specialty Director and Clinical Placement Coordinator to brainstorm possibilities.

Am I able to relocate to another location while I am in the program?

If you are considering relocating, we strongly encourage you to first consult your Specialty Director and Clinical Placement Coordinator to identify any factors like state licensure that could possibly cause a delay in the start of your clinical rotation. Your Specialty Director can help you navigate all the different facets of a relocation.

What is a Clinical Placement Coordinator?

The Clinical Placement Coordinator is your partner in ensuring that you have a valuable clinical experience and helps you to navigate through the clinical placement process.

Are there any required visits to campus?

Yes! There will be on-campus intensives required for each specialty.

What are the requirements for a preceptor?

Click the following weblink to see requirements on Becoming a Preceptor.

What should I say to potential preceptors when reaching out to seek placement opportunities?

It is vital that students use their Emory email address when reaching out to healthcare facilities or preceptors via email. This demonstrates active enrollment at Emory SON and shows a commitment to seeking placement opportunities. We highly recommend all students to use the provided scripts, which outlines key details such as your nursing background, resume, specialty, and anticipated clinical dates. Here is a Preceptor Letter outline.

Meet the Team

Cynthia Harris, MHA, BSN, RN
Director, Clinical Placement
cynthia.lorraine.harris@emory.edu

Monica Stokes, MBA
Sr Program Coordinator:  Post Licensure Programs
monica.stokes@emory.edu

Ashley Landers, MBA
Post-License Placement Coordinator: AGNP-AC & ENP
ashley.landers@emory.edu

Lakeitcha Jackson, MHA
Post-License Placement Coordinator: AGNP-PC (Mental Health)
lakeitcha.jackson@emory.edu

Tamera Jacobs, NNP, PNP-PC, PNP-AC & WHNP
Post-License Placement Coordinator: NNP, PNP-AC, PNP-PC & WHNP
tamera.jacobs@emory.edu

Jaya Martin, CNM, MSN
Post-License Placement Coordinator: CNM
jaya.Martin@emory.edu

David Bell
Post-License Placement Coordinator: FNP
dwbell@emory.edu

Monique Brown, MHA
Post-License Placement Coordinator: CRNA
monique.brown@emory.edu

Jennifer Neely
Sr. Compliance and Graduate Student Credentialing Coordinator
jennifer.neely@emory.edu

Lorita Bellamy
Graduate Student Credentialing Coordinator
lorita.bellamy@emory.edu

Eliana Lillevik
Compliance Coordinator
eliana.lillevik@emory.edu

Catherine Stanback, MPA
Sr. Program Coordinator, Pre-Licensure Placements
catherine.stanback@emory.edu

Kenya Summerour, MBA
Pre-Licensure Clinical Placement Coordinator
kenya.summerour@emory.edu

Kimberly A. Thomas, MPA
Pre-Licensure Clinical Placement Coordinator
kimberly.a.thomas@emory.edu

Diminga Boglin
Sr. Affiliation Agreements Coordinator
diminga.boglin@emory.edu