How placement works for Walden nurses, step by step
From your first intake call to your last signed hour, here is the full path: we match you with a qualified preceptor and site within five days, then walk you through the Meditrek application, the affiliation agreement, CastleBranch onboarding, and logging hours your preceptor signs off. You pay nothing until you are matched.
Last updated: June 22, 2026 · Reviewed by the Walden Preceptor placement team
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Tell us your program. We map the whole practicum. No payment until you are matched.
The short version
Walden expects you to secure your own preceptor and site, nominate them in Meditrek, and get approved by the Office of Field Experience before you can finalize registration for a practicum course (Walden field-experience guide). That single requirement is where most students lose months. We carry the search and the paperwork so you can focus on the clinical work. The steps below follow the real Walden sequence, with what we handle and what stays in your hands at each stage.
Intake and program mapping
We start with a free consult. You tell us your specialty, your state, your term start date, and the course you are heading into. We confirm your hour requirement (640 hours across four 160-hour courses for the NP tracks, a 100-hour capstone for RN-to-BSN, a minimum of 1,000 post-bachelor hours for DNP) and the clinical settings your course needs. New Kansas APRN students who started on or after March 1, 2025 plan for 750 hours. We build your map so nothing surprises you mid-term.
We secure your preceptor and site
This is the heavy lift. Walden requires at least one approved preceptor and site per course before you submit your application (Walden field-experience guide). We source a qualified, license-matched preceptor in a setting that fits your course, confirm they meet your specialty requirements, and aim to have you matched within five days. You review and approve the match before anything moves forward.
Affiliation agreement check
Before a site is usable, Walden needs an affiliation agreement on file or a path to one. We check the Meditrek affiliation-agreement database to see whether your site already has an agreement, requires Walden to finalize the placement directly, or assigns its own preceptor. Sites that need Walden to secure the placement want request forms at least two months before deadlines, so we flag those early and start the paperwork.
The Meditrek application
You nominate your preceptor and site in Meditrek (edu.meditrek.com/waldenu/student) and submit your practicum application. The Office of Field Experience reviews and approves it, and that approval has to land before you can finalize course registration (course-success). We prepare the application with you, make sure the preceptor qualifications are documented correctly, and help you respond fast to any review questions so approval is not the thing holding up your enrollment.
CastleBranch onboarding
Compliance runs through CastleBranch (myCB) at walden.castlebranch.com, the system Walden uses to manage background checks, drug screens, immunizations, and trainings (Walden field-experience guide). You order the package for the state where your practicum happens. Background checks and drug screens are good for 12 months and can take several weeks, so we keep you on a checklist and timeline. We help you track immunizations (MMR, varicella, hepatitis B, Tdap, COVID-19, annual flu) and trainings (HIPAA, OSHA, CPR/BLS), plus any state-specific items like fingerprinting or abuse screenings.
Hours logged and signed off
Once approved and enrolled, you do the clinical work and record it. NP students enter time logs and patient logs in Meditrek; other tracks enter time logs. Your preceptor signs off your hours in the same system and completes a midterm and a final evaluation. We keep an eye on your pace against the caps so you finish on time and your evaluations land before the deadline.
What you handle vs what we handle
Placement is a shared job. Walden keeps certain steps in your hands by design, and we take on the parts that eat your time. Here is the split.
| Step | You | Walden Preceptor |
|---|---|---|
| Finding a preceptor + site | Approve the match | Source and confirm a qualified match |
| Affiliation agreement | Sign where required | Check the database, start request forms early |
| Meditrek application | Submit and respond | Prepare it, document qualifications, chase approval |
| CastleBranch compliance | Order and upload your documents | Build your checklist and timeline, track deadlines |
| Logging hours | Do the clinical work, enter logs | Monitor pace and evaluation deadlines |
How long does the whole thing take?
The match itself is fast, five days is our target, and you pay nothing until it happens. The slower pieces are outside the match: CastleBranch background checks can run several weeks to a few months, Meditrek approval has to clear before you register, and sites that need Walden to secure placement want forms two months ahead. The honest answer is to start two to three months before your term begins. Start earlier if you are in a state with fingerprinting or extra clearances.
| Milestone | When to start |
|---|---|
| Intake and match | 3 months before term (match in ~5 days) |
| Affiliation request (Walden-secured sites) | At least 2 months before the deadline |
| CastleBranch package | As early as possible (can take several weeks) |
| Meditrek application approval | Before you finalize registration |
| Hours complete | By Week 10 of the 11-week term (Week 6 for undergrad terms) |
The rules that shape your timeline
- You can log a maximum of 12 practicum hours in a single day.
- Hours have to be spread over at least eight weeks; you cannot cram them.
- Graduate practicum hours must be done by Week 10 of the 11-week term. Tempo Learning students work within a 13-week approval window.
- Your preceptor must complete the final evaluation in Meditrek by the deadline, or the course is graded as an F, so we track that date with you.
- Walden does not accept background checks or drug screens done outside CastleBranch.
How long does it take to get matched with a preceptor?
We aim to match you with a qualified preceptor and site within five days of intake, and you pay nothing until you are matched. The compliance and approval steps around the match add their own time, so start two to three months before your term.
Does Walden assign my preceptor for me?
For most sites, no. Walden expects you to secure your own preceptor and site, then nominate them in Meditrek for review, with support through coaching, checklists, and an affiliation-agreement database. Some sites require Walden to finalize the placement directly, and a few assign the preceptor themselves, which is why we check the affiliation database first.
What is Meditrek and what do I do in it?
Meditrek (edu.meditrek.com/waldenu/student) is Walden's field-experience portal. You submit your practicum application for approval before you can register, then during the term you enter time logs and patient logs (NP tracks). Your preceptor signs off hours and completes a midterm and final evaluation there.
When do I need to start the process?
Two to three months before your term start. Meditrek approval has to happen before you finalize registration, and CastleBranch background checks can take several weeks. Sites that need Walden to secure placement want request forms at least two months ahead.
What happens after I am matched?
We help you confirm the preceptor meets your course requirements, check the affiliation-agreement status, prepare your Meditrek application, and keep your CastleBranch onboarding moving. Once you are approved and the term starts, you log hours and your preceptor signs them off.
Sources
- Walden Academic Guides: Find a Preceptor and Site
- Walden Academic Guides: Field Experience Course Success (Meditrek)
- Walden Academic Guides: Onboarding and Compliance (CastleBranch)
- Walden Practicum Manual: MSN Practicum Requirements
You do the nursing. We carry the placement.
The search, the affiliation paperwork, the Meditrek prep, the CastleBranch checklist: that is the part that stalls term after term. We take it on, match you in about five days, and stay with you through your signed hours. No payment until you are matched.
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