Catherine W. Wood School of Nursing gains precepting opportunity from Duke University Health System

Hospital, and I am excited to be a part of that environment. I plan to work at Duke in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, the same unit where I will complete my preceptorship this spring.”

The discussions between Engel and Wise have morphed into additional opportunities with Duke medicine. Engel has been able to share what Duke is looking for from a hiring perspective. This partnership is mutually beneficial. It will expose students to real world scenarios while giving a glimpse of what working for Duke might be like. On the other hand, Duke will be able to see a student’s work ethic and interactions with patients and employees. It is an on-the-job interview!

The College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences regularly seeks to develop new partnerships with clinical sites in an effort to give students a variety of exposure. Campbell University’s Catherine W. Wood School of Nursing recently executed a precepting contract with Duke University Health System. Students began participating in the preceptorship this semester.

Dr. Sam L. Engel, associate dean for Graduate Programs in the School of Education & Human Sciences, connected Dr. Stacy Wise, chair and director of the Catherine W. Wood School of Nursing, with his wife, Jill Engel, service line vice president – Heart & Vascular Duke University Health System. The two hit it off immediately. Engel shared that she could offer precepting spots in heart and vascular services.

Campbell students will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with a Duke nurse. “Duke has received the nation's highest recognition for nursing excellence, and having the opportunity to learn from and work closely with their nursing team is a wonderful experience for us,” said Harnett County native, Hannah McLamb (’23 BSN Candidate). “I am excited that I will have the familiarity of Duke's campus and have worked with the best care teams.”

After graduation, McLamb (pictured above) plans to work in Duke's Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. She is certain that her preceptorship at Duke will provide the foundation needed to effectively care for and manage critically ill patients and their families. McLamb hopes this opportunity will make her transition into practice much smoother.

It is common for healthcare students to learn under the direct supervision of a Campbell faculty member at a clinical site; however, Campbell nursing students have never been afforded this opportunity at Duke since Duke has its own nursing school. “This preceptorship will expose students to evidence-based cutting edge medicine at a major medical center,” Dr. Wise noted.

Chris Smith (’23 BSN Candidate) shared, “Entering Nursing school on the back end of the COVID pandemic afforded our class more hospital exposure opportunities throughout our academics. We have been fortunate to spend time in most of the hospital systems around our area, including Harnett Health, WakeMed, Cape Fear Valley Health, UNC Health Johnston, UNC Rex, and First Health.”

“Adding the #1 ranked hospital in North Carolina, Duke University Hospital, to this list further highlights Campbell University’s continued commitment to ensuring our nursing students receive the best academic and professional opportunities across the state. Most of our preceptorship opportunities at Duke are in the cardiology field, where Duke is nationally ranked, and surgeons implanted the first new-generation artificial heart in the U.S. in July 2021.”

Smith (pictured at right) continued, “Learning from the care teams of these cutting-edge procedures is an opportunity only available at Duke University

Dr. Tonya Willingham, assistant professor and experiential education director with the nursing program, commented on how tight clinical space is. “There is a nursing shortage, and obtaining preceptorships is valuable. There is a lot of competition in the greater triangle area.”

Willingham is overseeing the Duke preceptorship. In 2018, Campbell hosted a graduate student from East Carolina University. Willingham mentored the student and, after completing her graduate program, Krystal Edge was hired by Campbell as nursing faculty. Edge now directs the Campbell nursing course in which students complete their preceptorship.

The North Carolina Board of Nursing requires that students complete 120 hours of direct patient care within a year of graduating. Traditionally, nursing schools place students in preceptorships in their last semester. “Hospitals want preceptorships for recruiting purposes while schools want them to help students develop clinical judgment. In addition, these opportunities allow students to establish independence,” Willingham concluded.

When Wise joined Campbell in 2021, one of her goals was to grow clinical site opportunities for students. “I am excited about how things are evolving! This is only the beginning. As a Duke graduate, being able to collaborate with my alma mater and my current employer has been a wonderful experience.”