Walden practicum placement and preceptors in Tennessee
Tennessee is a restricted practice state for nurse practitioners, so the clinics where you will train work under a physician-collaboration model. That does not stop you from finishing strong here. This page explains how Tennessee NP authority works, who the Board of Nursing is, and how we place Walden students with a preceptor and site so your Meditrek hours move forward.
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NP practice authority in Tennessee
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners classifies Tennessee as a restricted practice state. A Tennessee nurse practitioner who prescribes must hold a certificate of fitness and practice with a collaborating, supervising physician rather than independently. This is the lowest of the three AANP tiers, below reduced and full practice authority.
What does the supervision look like in practice? Under Tennessee rules, the supervising physician does not have to be physically present at all times, but must be available for consultation or arrange a substitute. The physician reviews at least twenty percent of the charts the NP writes every thirty days, visits any remote site at least once every thirty days, and develops clinical guidelines together with the NP. There are also limits on prescribing certain controlled substances without prior consultation.
Here is the part that matters for you as a Walden student: this framework governs your future license, not your student practicum. As a student you train under your preceptor's supervision, not your own authority. But the model is worth understanding, because most Tennessee primary care, psychiatric, and acute settings already run on physician collaboration, which shapes the kind of preceptors and sites available to you.
Category
Restricted practice. NPs prescribe and practice with a supervising physician, per AANP.
Credential
Practicing NPs hold a certificate of fitness and a Tennessee APRN license.
For students
You train under a preceptor, so state authority limits do not restrict your learning.
The Tennessee Board of Nursing
Nursing in Tennessee is regulated by the Tennessee Board of Nursing, which sits within the Tennessee Department of Health. The Board licenses registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses, issues the certificate of fitness that allows an APRN to prescribe, and writes the advanced practice rules in chapter 1000-04 of the state regulations.
A few things are useful to confirm directly with the Board before you start:
- Your preceptor holds a current, unencumbered Tennessee license in a role that can supervise a student, such as an NP, physician, or physician assistant.
- Their specialty matches your Walden track, so an FNP student trains in family or primary care, a PMHNP student in psychiatric and behavioral health, and so on.
- The supervising physician arrangement at the site is current, since the certificate of fitness rules tie an NP's prescribing to that collaboration.
The Department of Health runs an online license verification lookup. We check every preceptor's license there as part of vetting, and you can confirm it yourself in a minute before you nominate them in Meditrek.
Finding a preceptor and clinical site in Tennessee
Walden expects you to secure your own preceptor and clinical site, then nominate them in Meditrek for the Office of Field Experience to review. Walden supports the process but does not generally assign preceptors to you. That is the gap we close.
We recruit and confirm preceptors across the state so you are not cold-calling clinics between assignments. We work in the major metros and the smaller markets alike:
Major metros
Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga have dense primary care networks, hospital systems, and behavioral health clinics that take Walden students.
Regional and rural
Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Jackson, Johnson City, and Kingsport widen your options if the metros are full or you want a placement closer to home.
Once we identify a match, here is how it runs:
- We confirm the preceptor's Tennessee license, specialty fit, and willingness to take a student for your course dates.
- You nominate the preceptor and site in Meditrek. No practicum registration happens until the Meditrek application is approved.
- We help put an affiliation agreement in place between Walden and the site, which many clinics require before a student arrives.
- You start logging hours, and your preceptor signs off on them in Meditrek.
Practicum requirements tied to Tennessee
Your hour totals come from Walden and your track, not from Tennessee. The state shapes where and under whom you train, plus the compliance items a given site demands.
| Item | What it means in Tennessee |
|---|---|
| NP track hours | 640 hours across four 160-hour practicum courses for FNP, PMHNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP, and PNP students. |
| DNP hours | A minimum of 1,000 post-bachelor's practicum hours tied to your doctoral project. |
| RN-to-BSN | The 100-hour capstone practicum in NURS 4300. |
| Meditrek | You nominate your preceptor and site here; no practicum registration without an approved application. |
| CastleBranch (myCB) | Health and background compliance, with state and site-specific requirements that vary by Tennessee clinic and system. |
| Affiliation agreement | The contract between Walden and your Tennessee site, which we help coordinate. |
Tennessee health systems often layer their own onboarding on top of CastleBranch, such as flu and TB documentation, a facility orientation, or an EHR module. We flag the site's list early so nothing stalls your start date.
Virtual and in-person practicum in Tennessee
NP clinical hours are hands-on by design, so the bulk of your Tennessee practicum happens face to face in a clinic, a hospital unit, or a behavioral health setting where you see patients under your preceptor. That is true across FNP, PMHNP, and the adult-gero and pediatric tracks.
Some pieces flex. PMHNP students sometimes blend telepsychiatry into their hours where the site and preceptor allow it, which can widen options in rural East and West Tennessee. Coursework and simulation stay online. When you talk to us, we will be honest about which of your hours realistically need to be in person in your area and which can mix in telehealth.
Common questions from Walden students in Tennessee
Does Tennessee allow nurse practitioners to practice independently?
No. Tennessee is a restricted practice state. A nurse practitioner who prescribes must hold a certificate of fitness and work with a collaborating, supervising physician under Board of Nursing rule 1000-04 and Board of Medical Examiners rule 0880-06. This affects your future license, not your Walden practicum, but it shapes the supervised settings where you will train.
Can I complete my Walden practicum hours in Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee has a large supply of clinics and health systems across Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and the Tri-Cities. You secure your own preceptor and site, nominate them in Meditrek, and an affiliation agreement is put in place before you log hours.
How many practicum hours does my Walden NP track require in Tennessee?
Walden NP tracks (FNP, PMHNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP, PNP) require 640 hours across four 160-hour practicum courses. The DNP requires at least 1,000 post-bachelor's hours, and the RN-to-BSN includes a 100-hour capstone in NURS 4300. The hour totals come from Walden, not from Tennessee.
Does my preceptor need a Tennessee license?
Yes. A preceptor must hold a current, unencumbered Tennessee license appropriate to their role, such as an NP, physician, or PA, and match your specialty. You can confirm a license on the Tennessee Department of Health verification portal before you nominate them in Meditrek.
Sources and official references
- AANP State Practice Environment, practice authority categories
- AANP Tennessee state page
- Tennessee Board of Nursing, Department of Health
- Tennessee Board of Nursing rules, chapter 1000-04, certificate of fitness
- Tennessee clinical supervision rule 0880-06-.02
- Walden Office of Field Experience and practicum guidance
- Walden CastleBranch compliance portal
Let us find your Tennessee preceptor
We confirm the license, handle the affiliation agreement, and get you ready to nominate in Meditrek. Matched in five days, and you pay nothing until you are matched.