What to Do if Your Aspen Preceptor Withdraws
A preceptor withdrawal is disruptive, but the first response should protect your completed work and academic record. Pause new hours, document what happened, contact the Office of Field Experience, and confirm the replacement approval process before resuming practicum or immersion activity.
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Pause first and preserve the record
Stop scheduling new practicum or immersion activity under the withdrawn preceptor. Do not shift supervision informally to a colleague, even if that person works at the same site. Aspen approval connects the student, preceptor, site, course, and project. A new supervisor can change that approved arrangement and may require updated documents or a new approval letter.
Save the withdrawal message, your approved schedule, the existing approval letter, and any communication with the site. Export or capture your current ProjectConcert entries and gather supporting reports or signatures already completed. Do not edit dates to make the record look continuous. The goal is a clear boundary between work completed under the approved preceptor and any work that may occur after Aspen approves a replacement.
Contact OFE and your program with a concise summary
Tell the Office of Field Experience and the appropriate faculty or program contact what changed, when the preceptor stopped supervising, how many hours were completed, and whether the site can still host the project. OFE assists with placement questions, approval requirements, and alternative locations. Ask for written direction on whether completed work remains usable and exactly what must be submitted for a replacement.
Do not assume that accepted ProjectConcert entries automatically transfer to a new preceptor or that all completed work will remain eligible. Aspen decides how the academic record is treated. A short factual timeline helps the university answer: original approval date, first and last supervised dates, hours recorded, reports signed, reason given for withdrawal, site status, and any potential replacement already identified.
Information to send in the first message
- Course and program, including MSN specialty or DNP immersion course.
- Original site, preceptor, approval letter, and approved project focus.
- Completed hours and the current status of ProjectConcert records.
- Last date of supervision and whether the site remains willing to participate.
- Any course deadline that may be affected.
Confirm what can remain from the original placement
There are several possible outcomes, and only Aspen can confirm which applies. The site and project may remain suitable while a new qualified employee becomes the preceptor. The project may remain usable but move to another site. Some documented hours may remain eligible, or Aspen may request clarification, signatures, or other evidence before deciding. Treat every element separately rather than assuming the whole placement survives or fails together.
For MSN work, the replacement must be a site-affiliated RN with a master's degree and expertise relevant to the specialty. For DNP immersion, the replacement needs to be on site, doctoral prepared, affiliated with the site, and experienced in leadership and the project area. If the new person changes the project access, direct-care opportunity, data access, or supervision plan, flag that in the request. DNP students must also protect the IRB boundary and cannot collect or analyze data before required IRB approval.
Build the replacement packet before restarting
A replacement may require a revised or new Preceptor Agreement, the new preceptor's CV and license report, and updates to the Student Profile or other materials. If the site changes, a Site Affiliation or Practicum Site Agreement may also be needed. The exact packet depends on Aspen's instructions, so use OFE's current checklist rather than an old copy saved from the first placement.
Wait for the updated Practicum Approval Letter or DNP Immersion Approval Letter before beginning with the new preceptor. Keep the original and replacement records distinct in ProjectConcert and follow Aspen's instructions for reports and signatures. Our OFE process guide explains the roles, while the hours and approval guide helps organize the sequence.
Search efficiently if the site cannot supply a replacement
Ask the original site whether another qualified professional in the same department can support the project, but do not pressure the withdrawing preceptor or assume a coworker will qualify. Then work outward through professional contacts and specialty-aligned settings. Keep the request specific about project scope, hours remaining, schedule, and the qualifications Aspen requires. The remaining hours may be fewer, but the approval standard is not reduced.
Our service offers both in-person and virtual practicum routes. Confirm the individual format, site, preceptor, and planned activities with Aspen and the Office of Field Experience before starting. DNP students should also follow Aspen's current on-site preceptor and project approval requirements. If you are also falling behind, separate the replacement problem from the scheduling problem and use the behind on practicum hours guide to prepare questions for your program.
Ask for help with the replacement search
If the original site has no qualified replacement, we can search for specialty-aligned prospects and help organize their information for review. We are an independent service, and we cannot decide whether prior hours remain usable. We assist but never guarantee placement, timing, or Aspen approval. Students pay only when matched, with service pricing explained on the cost page. Share the nonconfidential facts in a free placement review, including your remaining hours, location, program, and OFE instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Do my completed Aspen practicum hours still count?
Only Aspen can confirm that. Preserve ProjectConcert records and supporting signatures, then ask OFE and your program in writing whether the completed work remains usable and whether any additional verification is required.
Can another person at the same site supervise me immediately?
Not without approval. A replacement must meet the program's qualifications, submit any required documents, and be covered by an updated Practicum Approval Letter or DNP Immersion Approval Letter before you resume hours.
Should I delete or change incomplete ProjectConcert entries?
Do not alter the record to hide the interruption. Preserve what is entered, save supporting materials, and follow Aspen's written instructions for correcting, completing, or separating records under the original and replacement preceptors.
Does your service offer both in-person and virtual practicum routes?
Our service offers both in-person and virtual practicum routes. Confirm the individual format, site, preceptor, and planned activities with Aspen and the Office of Field Experience before starting. DNP students should also follow Aspen's current on-site preceptor and project approval requirements.
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