The DNP is 1,000+ post-baccalaureate hours. At most online programs, finding the preceptor is on you.
National University DNP support

DNP preceptors and project sites for National University

We help DNP students enrolled at National University find program-approvable project mentors, preceptors, and practicum sites. The school makes every approval decision, and our independent role is to source a match around the requirements you confirm.

National University DNP students: California practice environment and the 1,000-hour AACN post-baccalaureate floor
National University sits in California. DNP practice environment and the 1,000-hour AACN post-baccalaureate floor.

National University DNP program snapshot

  • Program: Doctor of Nursing Practice
  • School: National University
  • Directory location: San Diego, California
  • National accreditation evidence: CCNE
  • Roster verified: July 21, 2026
  • Approval authority: National University

Treat this as an identity and accreditation snapshot, not as a statement of school policy. The official school website and the student's current course documents remain the sources for pathways, deadlines, hours, and placement rules.

Start with the current National University DNP requirements

As of the July 21, 2026 roster check, CCNE accreditation records include a DNP program at National University. Accreditation answers the inclusion question. Your current catalog and placement office must answer the separate questions about entry route, specialty, deadlines, and site approval.

Begin with the course number, term dates, required practice setting, mentor or preceptor credentials, location limits, and every form your program expects. If the course includes both a scholarly project and direct-care practice, separate those needs so each proposed person and site can be evaluated for the work they will actually supervise.

Make the scholarly project the placement spine

Project-site fit begins with the approved practice problem. A student needs a setting that can support the proposed intervention, provide appropriate access, and permit evaluation of the result. Depending on the question, that may be a health system, clinic, public agency, long-term care organization, or community service rather than a traditional clinical rotation site.

The project mentor must fit both the proposed work and National University's current credential rules. A DNP-prepared nurse, physician, nurse executive, quality leader, or another qualified practice expert may fit in some programs, but the title alone never establishes eligibility. We screen for role alignment and send the documented candidate to the program for its own review.

Map supervised practice hours before sourcing

At least 1,000 supervised post-baccalaureate practice hours are part of AACN's DNP framework, but that is not a school-specific course total. Prior qualifying master's hours and the hours assigned to the DNP pathway vary. Ask National University to confirm the student's remaining requirement and build the placement request from that answer.

Direct-care practice and systems practice do not always call for the same supervisor. Population-focused care may need a board-certified nurse practitioner or physician, while leadership or quality work may fit another qualified expert. Use the DNP clinical hours guide for the cumulative framework, then apply the program's current role criteria.

Build an approval-ready match in California

A local search can start in San Diego and extend to eligible sites elsewhere in California when the program and state authorization rules allow it. Geography is only one filter. The proposed site must also support the course objectives, the mentor must meet current credential and conflict rules, and both parties must be willing to complete the school's approval documents.

The DNP placement guide for California describes the wider mix of project settings and supervised practice sites. Use it for search context, then apply the exact rules confirmed by the program.

We organize the candidate's setting, role, credentials, availability, and relationship to the project before submission. That gives National University a complete proposal to evaluate. It does not replace an affiliation agreement, compliance review, background requirement, state authorization check, or any other step the school requires.

What to confirm before outreach begins

  • Your exact DNP pathway and practicum course
  • The remaining approved practice hours shown by your program
  • Whether the need is a project mentor, direct-care preceptor, systems mentor, or a combination
  • Required credentials and disallowed relationships
  • Approved state, setting, population, and project parameters
  • Submission deadline and all site or preceptor forms

Recheck every item against the documents for the student's actual term because catalog and placement instructions can change. The official source links below are the starting point. Our search follows the requirements supplied for this program and does not import another university's rules.

Independent DNP placement support for National University students

If a suitable mentor or practicum site is still missing after you confirm the requirements, send us the course, dates, location, setting, population focus, project topic, and approval documents. Our placement process starts with that evidence, and the program retains final authority over every match.

PreceptorDNP is not affiliated with or endorsed by National University and has no university authority to approve a site. Submitting a matching request begins candidate sourcing only; it does not guarantee placement, paperwork completion, or school approval.

Questions

Frequently asked

Does National University approve the preceptor or project mentor?

National University makes its own approval decisions. We identify and document a candidate around the current requirements you provide, then the program reviews the person, site, and paperwork.

How many DNP practice hours does National University require?

AACN sets a floor of at least 1,000 supervised post-baccalaureate practice hours, but the total and treatment of prior qualifying hours varies by program. Confirm your current National University degree audit and handbook rather than relying on a generic number.

Can you find both a DNP project mentor and a clinical preceptor?

Yes, when the current course requirements call for both roles. We screen each candidate for the work that person will supervise and submit the match for program approval.

Are you affiliated with National University?

No. PreceptorDNP is an independent placement service. We do not represent National University, and we cannot guarantee that the school will approve a proposed mentor, preceptor, or site.

Request a preceptor

Tell us your program. We'll start sourcing.

No cost to request, and nothing is billed until a match is confirmed and your school signs off. We'll reply within one business day.

We do not guarantee placement. Final approval rests with your program.