Requesting an Out-of-Area Clinical Placement

An out-of-area clinical placement is defined as the establishment of a clinical practicum site located outside of the greater Seattle area. Out-of-area placements are special requests, usually planned far in advance for a student's final quarter of study.

Summary
Students initiate a discussion with their faculty/clinical advisors about their interest in an out-of-area placement. In order to plan and research the placement, this discussion takes place as close as possible to the beginning of your program of study. To accommodate the necessary contracts, placement plans must be developed at least 6 to 8 months in advance.

The final decision regarding your out-of-area placement is at the complete discretion of your faculty advisors. Faculty will consider your satisfactory progression through your program of study and inform you of their decision as soon as possible before the date of your planned experience. If your request for an out-of-state experience is approved, you must provide more detailed information to the faculty and/or staff making the placement, including the e-mail, telephone numbers, and/or addresses of out-of-area preceptors currently available. You must also make arrangements to acquire RN licensure in that state prior to your clinical experience.

Out-of-Area Request Process

1. At least 6 to 8 months in advance, initiate a discussion with your faculty/clinical advisors about your interest in an out-of-area placement.
2. If your faculty/clinical advisor approves the plan, the following steps will be taken to arrange the placement:
   • Established Sites
     If you are interested in attending a site with which the UW School of Nursing already has established an affiliation contract, the faculty member will make the arrangements.
   • New Site
     If you would like to explore opportunities at a site with which the School of Nursing has not previously worked, your faculty advisor may direct you to make the initial contact with your site or preceptor of interest. Once you have established a tentative arrangement with a preceptor, inform the your faculty/course advisor. Provide them with the name and contact information of your preceptor and the site. They will contact your potential preceptor, clarify the plan (start and end dates, days per week, expectations, etc.), and arrange for the affiliation contract, preceptor packet and other necessary paperwork. Affiliation contracts can take 8-16 weeks to establish, so start early if you want a new site.
3. Students are responsible for making final arrangements as needed, including those required for out-of-state licensing, housing, and transportation.