Nurse Practitioner Clinical Preceptor

Department: Clinical Services | Reports To: Chief Operating Officer / Chief Nursing Officer | FLSA Status: Exempt

About the Role

The Nurse Practitioner Clinical Preceptor serves as a full-time clinical educator embedded within Lowell Community Health Center’s outpatient primary care setting. This role is dedicated to the supervised onboarding, clinical training, and professional development of newly hired nurse practitioners transitioning into community health practice. The NP Preceptor practices clinically alongside new NP staff, ensuring high-quality patient care while providing structured, competency-based mentorship. This position is central to the Health Center’s workforce development strategy and its commitment to building a skilled, mission-aligned clinical team.

Responsibilities

• Clinical Preceptorship & New Staff Onboarding
  • Serves as the primary preceptor for newly hired NPs during their onboarding period, providing direct clinical supervision across the full scope of outpatient primary care.
  • Supervises learner-conducted patient encounters in real time, assuring that documentation and coding align with requirements.
  • Establishes individualized onboarding plans with progressive autonomy benchmarks, competency milestones, and defined transition-to-independent-practice timelines.
  • Conducts structured, scheduled feedback sessions and formal competency evaluations at defined intervals throughout the onboarding period.
  • Identifies clinical knowledge or skill gaps early and develops targeted remediation plans in coordination with clinical leadership.
  • Reviews patient cases and documentation, providing timely and constructive feedback.
  • Guides NPs in managing complex patients, including those with multiple chronic conditions, behavioral health needs, and social determinants of health challenges.
• Clinical Oversight
  • Observes and evaluates patient encounters to assess clinical competence and professional growth.
  • Ensures safe, effective, and patient-centered care delivery.
  • Assists new NPs in identifying appropriate consultation, referral, and escalation pathways.
  • Monitors adherence to clinical quality measures, risk management standards, and regulatory requirements.
  • Participates in chart reviews, documentation audits, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Clinical Education & Curriculum
  • Develops and maintains a structured NP onboarding curriculum grounded in FQHC operations, chronic disease management, SDOH screening, behavioral health integration, and preventive care.
  • Facilitates case-based learning, clinical skills training, and orientation to Health Center protocols, standing orders, and EHR workflows.
  • Incorporates quality improvement frameworks (PDSA, Lean) into the onboarding experience.
  • Continuously refines the preceptorship program based on outcomes data and feedback from new hires and clinical leadership.
• Workforce Development & Leadership
  • Partners with clinical and HR leadership to strengthen NP recruitment, onboarding, and retention.
  • Tracks and reports preceptorship metrics including onboarding duration, competency attainment, and new hire retention rates.
  • Contributes to clinical policy, protocol, and standing order development.
  • Participates in staff meetings, quality committees, practice councils, and organizational initiatives as assigned.
  • Models a culture of continuous learning and reflective practice.

Qualifications

• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN); Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) highly preferred.
• Current NP licensure and certification (FNP, AGPCNP, or PNP preferred for primary care scope).
• Minimum 7 years of NP clinical experience in an inpatient and/or outpatient setting, with significant outpatient primary care experience.
• At least 2 years in a community health, FQHC, or safety-net setting.
• Prior experience mentoring or onboarding new clinical staff.
• Current BLS certification.
• Strong working knowledge of FQHC operations, UDS reporting, and value-based care models.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with collaborative care models (CoCM) and SDOH screening and intervention.
• Familiarity with HRSA Health Center Program requirements and compliance expectations.
• Bilingual proficiency.

Skills

• Clinical excellence and commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills across multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency in adult learning principles with ability to tailor teaching to individual learner needs.
• Sound judgment and adaptability in a fast-paced, resource-constrained community health environment.
• Commitment to Lowell CHC’s mission of service to underserved populations.

Working Conditions

This position requires on-site presence. Schedule flexibility may be required to accommodate clinical supervision needs. The role operates within a team-based care model in a Federally Qualified Health Center environment.

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Sick, personal, and paid holidays.
• Health insurance.
• Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance.
• 403B retirement plan.
• Flexible spending accounts.