Finding Geriatrics Preceptors and Adult-Gerontology Clinical Rotations

So, you’ve made it this far in your Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP) program, congrats!

You’ve tackled pathophysiology, survived pharmacology, and maybe even shed a tear (or five) over SOAP notes. But now, you’re facing the next big hurdle: finding a geriatrics preceptor. And let’s be real, it’s brutal.

Between hearing, “Sorry, we don’t take students,” and “We’re full this semester,” the struggle is real. And yet, securing a solid preceptor is non-negotiable, your clinicals are where you bridge the gap between textbooks and real-world practice.

But don’t panic. We’ve got you.

We will break down how to identify qualified AGNP preceptors, navigate the networking game, and use online platforms to simplify your search. 

We’ll also cover specialized services—like NPHub—that actually make the process easier. Because let’s be honest, finding a preceptor shouldn’t feel harder than getting into NP school in the first place.

The growing need for Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners (AGNPs)

Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners (AGNPs) play a crucial role in healthcare, specializing in the care of adolescents, adults, and older adults across various clinical settings.

Whether in primary care or acute care, AGNPs are trained to manage complex health conditions, promote preventive care, and improve quality of life for aging populations.

Despite the rising demand for providers with expertise in adult and geriatric care, currently, nearly 70 percent of NPs are certified as FNPs, while only 7 percent hold certification as Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NPs (AGPCNPs)f), and just 2.9 percent are certified in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP). Certification exams are crucial in validating the qualifications of AGNPs. The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers certification exams for AGNPs, ensuring that graduates are prepared to meet the standards for advanced practice nursing roles.

Meanwhile, nearly 90 percent of NPs are trained in primary care, despite the increasing need for providers skilled in managing multimorbidity and complex chronic illnesses in older adults.

This disparity contributes to a shortage of NPs trained to manage conditions that disproportionately affect older adults, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, and Alzheimer’s.

The financial incentives are there: AGPCNPs earn a median base salary of $110,000, while AGACNPs see a median of $126,000, but the real challenge is ensuring enough trained professionals enter the field.

With an aging population and a healthcare system struggling to meet demand, the need for AGNPs has never been greater.

Subspecialties of Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners

Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners (AGNPs) specialize in caring for adolescents, adults, and older adults, but their roles vary significantly based on their chosen subspecialty.

The two primary paths are Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP).

Both AGPCNPs and AGACNPs are prepared for advanced practice roles within the framework of advanced practice nursing through a combination of coursework, clinical experience, and interprofessional collaboration. 

Clinical knowledge is crucial in preparing AGNPs for their subspecialties, integrating evidence-based practices, theoretical perspectives, and the management of diverse patient populations to enhance diagnostic reasoning and treatment choices.

AGPCNPs focus on longitudinal primary care in outpatient settings, managing preventive, chronic, and acute illnesses. They commonly practice in primary care, geriatrics, and hematology/oncology clinics, treating conditions like anxiety, hypertension, and abdominal pain. Their goal is to promote health, prevent disease, and manage complex chronic conditions across a patient’s lifespan.

AGACNPs, on the other hand, specialize in critical and acute care, primarily in inpatient settings but increasingly in outpatient specialty clinics. They often work in critical care, cardiology, and hospitalist roles, managing patients with hypertension, heart failure, and diabetes. Their training equips them to handle rapidly deteriorating conditions, perform diagnostic procedures, and provide high-intensity interventions.

Choosing between these specialties depends on career interests, desired clinical settings, and a preference for either long-term, relationship-based care or fast-paced, high-acuity patient management.

Scope of practice: What AGNPs Do in Health Promotion

Both AGPCNPs and AGACNPs are highly trained to manage the complex health needs of adults, but their responsibilities differ based on their subspecialty.

AGPCNPs provide comprehensive primary care, developing long-term management plans based on evidence-based practice, coordinating care for geriatric syndromes, and addressing multi-system health problems. Their role ensures continuity of care, emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention.

AGACNPs manage acute and critical illnesses, focusing on emergent conditions and high-risk patients. Their responsibilities include performing diagnostic procedures such as electrocardiograms and imaging, managing ventilation, and monitoring hemodynamic stability. They also order, perform, and interpret various diagnostic tests as part of managing acute and critical illnesses. They are also trained in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) for critical situations.

Both AGPCNPs and AGACNPs require expertise in aging theory, care transitions, ethical considerations for older adults, and the integration of technology in healthcare.

Where AGNPs work

Hospital setting

• Older adults have three times the hospitalization rate of the general population, making them a major focus of hospital-based care.
• AGNPs were initially integrated into hospital teams to address physician shortages and are now key members of interdisciplinary teams.
• Acute care NPs spend over 85% of their hospital time on direct or indirect patient care, with comparable service utilization and patient satisfaction to physicians.

Emergency Department

• The ED is a critical setting for older adults with cognitive impairments, functional limitations, and frailty, requiring AGNP expertise in rapid assessment and intervention.
• AGNPs in the ED work alongside physicians, pharmacists, and interdisciplinary teams to manage high-risk geriatric patients, reducing readmissions and improving patient outcomes.
• With a projected 141% increase in non-primary care NP roles over the next seven years, demand for AGNPs in emergency care, physical medicine, and rehabilitation is expected to grow.

Post-acute and long-term care

• AGNPs play a key role in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and long-term care (LTC) settings, providing early evaluation and treatment to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations.
• They manage neuropsychiatric conditions like dementia and complex chronic illnesses, often taking a lead role in care coordination and patient safety.
• AGNPs in long-term care help maintain functional status, enhance access to care, and improve quality of lifefor older adults.

Transitions of care

• AGNPs play a crucial role in preventing 30-day hospital readmissions, which affect one in five Medicare beneficiaries and increase healthcare costs.
• NP-led transitional care protocols, including standardized assessments, home visits, and follow-up calls, have been shown to reduce hospital stays and improve patient outcomes.
• Studies show AGNP-led transitional care results in better cost savings, quality of life, and patient satisfactioncompared to physician-only usual care.

Specialized competencies and skills of Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners (AGNPs)

Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners (AGNPs) go beyond the standard competencies of general nurse practitioners, developing specialized expertise through advanced educational tracks in nursing practice to manage the unique needs of adults and older adults. Their role requires an advanced understanding of aging theory, multimorbidity management, policy navigation, and ethical decision-making, allowing them to provide high-quality, patient-centered care across diverse healthcare settings.

Advanced competencies in Adult-Gerontology Care

AGNPs require a strong scientific foundation in aging theory and age-related changes, enabling them to recognize the physiological and psychological shifts that impact patient health. This knowledge allows for age-specific assessment, early detection of cognitive decline, and proactive intervention for chronic and acute conditions.

Beyond clinical expertise, leadership in geriatric care models is a core competency. AGNPs spearhead quality improvement initiatives in elder care, refining delivery models to enhance patient safety and optimize health outcomes. Their expertise extends to technology integration, ensuring that older adults, including those with cognitive or sensory impairments, benefit from advancements in digital healthcare and assistive devices.

Policy expertise is another critical skillset, as AGNPs navigate the complexities of Medicare, Medicaid, long-term care regulations, and end-of-life legal considerations. This knowledge allows them to advocate for their patients effectively and ensure compliance with healthcare policies that impact older adult populations.

Ethics plays a major role in AGNP practice. These practitioners are trained to guide decision-making around advanced directives, patient autonomy, and end-of-life care, ensuring that ethical principles remain at the forefront of patient interactions and care planning.

Unique knowledge and specialized skills in managing chronic health conditions

To provide comprehensive care, AGNPs must master age-specific assessment tools and develop proficiency in managing complex geriatric conditions. These include:

• Geriatric syndrome management, addressing conditions such as frailty, falls, incontinence, and pressure ulcers.
• Multimorbidity assessment and management, focusing on patients with multiple chronic illnesses requiring careful coordination.
• Age-specific cognitive screening tools, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) exam, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Mini-Cog, which help identify cognitive decline and mental health conditions in older adults.
• Polypharmacy and deprescribing expertise, ensuring safe medication management and reducing adverse drug interactions.
• Advanced care planning and palliative/end-of-life care, facilitating discussions around hospice care, patient goals, and care transitions to support aging individuals and their families.
• Seamless transitions of care, helping older adults navigate hospital discharges, long-term care placements, and home-based care options to prevent hospital readmissions and improve continuity of care.
• Collaboration with caregivers and family systems, ensuring a holistic, team-based approach to elder care.

As the aging population grows, AGNPs play an essential role in addressing healthcare disparities, reducing hospitalizations, and improving patient outcomes. 

Their ability to combine clinical expertise with policy navigation, ethical leadership, and advanced geriatric assessment skills makes them indispensable in managing the complex health needs of adults and older adults across primary, acute, and long-term care settings.

Guide to finding geriatrics preceptors

Finding a preceptor is one of the biggest challenges for NP students. If you don’t secure one, your graduation gets delayed, and you could end up paying extra tuition. Instead of waiting until the last minute, follow these five steps to improve your chances of finding a preceptor on your own.

1. Start early and get organized

Many students underestimate how long it takes to find a preceptor. Start searching at least 6 months in advance to give yourself enough time. Make a list of potential preceptors and clinics, and track your outreach efforts in a spreadsheet.

2. Leverage your network

Ask colleagues, former classmates, and professors if they know preceptors willing to take students. Connect with local NP groups, attend networking events, and join Facebook or LinkedIn groups for NP students—many preceptors post opportunities there.

3. Contact clinics and providers directly

Cold calling or emailing clinics may feel uncomfortable, but it works. Research local providers in your specialty and reach out professionally. Send a short, clear email explaining who you are, what you need, and why you’re interested in their clinic. Follow up every 7–10 days if you don’t get a response.

4. Be prepared with the right documents

Many preceptors hesitate to take students because of administrative burdens. Have your CV, school requirements, and any necessary paperwork ready. Making the process as easy as possible increases your chances of getting a yes.

5. Use a paid preceptor matching service

If time is running out or you’re not getting responses, paid services like NPHub can secure a preceptor for you quickly. Instead of spending months searching, you can get matched in as little as 20 minutes and have preceptor approval within 5–7 business days.

How NPHub makes the process easy

Finding a preceptor on your own can take months, with endless emails, rejections, and unanswered calls. 

At NPHub, we take that burden off your shoulders, matching you with a qualified preceptor in as little as 20 minutes. We handle all the paperwork and coordination, so you don’t have to worry about the administrative hassle. 

Most students receive preceptor approval within 5 to 7 business days, allowing them to focus on their education instead of scrambling for a placement.

We understand how stressful this process can be and with our flexible payment plans, securing your clinical rotation is affordable and accessible, no matter your financial situation.

Don’t let a missing preceptor delay your graduation and cost you more in tuition. If you’re tired of searching with no results, let NPHub do the work for you.