Can SAU students do clinicals in Oregon?
Yes. Spring Arbor's current nursing list authorizes Oregon, whatever an older copy or an outside directory may say. Oregon's board puts no gate in front of NP programs from other states, but Oregon stands outside the nurse compact, so your clinical hours need an Oregon RN license.
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Tell us your Spring Arbor track and where you live. A placement advisor replies with what your preceptor and site need to look like for Spring Arbor to approve them.
01Oregon's place on SAU's list
SAU's state authorization page, read on September 24, 2026, counts Oregon among the authorized states for every nursing program. The four left out are New York, Arizona, Alabama and Louisiana.
Older information still circulates. A May 2024 copy of that same SAU page showed Oregon as not authorized, and at least one outside program directory still says so. SAU's live page is the one that counts; if you want certainty, ask admissions or your advisor to confirm it in writing.
| Program | Oregon status | Clinical piece |
|---|---|---|
| FNP, AGPCNP, PMHNP, PNP-PC (MSN and RN-to-MSN) | Authorized | An Oregon preceptor you propose; faculty approve |
| Nurse Educator and MSN/MBA | Authorized | NUR 780B practicum with a local preceptor |
| Post-master's certificates | Authorized | Hours set by the certificate |
| DNP | Authorized | Not among the DNP page's excluded states |
| RN-to-BSN | Authorized | No outside preceptor |
NUR 780B is the code in SAU's 2023-24 catalog; ask your advisor if the current catalog numbers it differently.
02What the Oregon board expects
Very little before placement. The Oregon State Board of Nursing's APRN questions page is blunt on this: a graduate APRN program from another state does not need OSBN's approval to put a student in an Oregon clinic. Its advance-notice form, under OAR 851‑021‑0090(1), is for programs that prepare PN and RN candidates; NP programs and non-licensure programs such as an RN-to-BSN are outside that step.
Two expectations do touch SAU. OSBN wants faculty who teach in Oregon to hold an active Oregon nursing license, and wants schools enrolling Oregon students to meet Higher Education Coordinating Commission or NC-SARA requirements; SAU states on its authorization page that it is NC-SARA approved. Students report (2019) that SAU could not run clinicals in some states without a clinical instructor licensed there, so ask the program director how your Oregon rotation will be supervised.
The old rule that required out-of-state NP students to get board authorization first, OAR 851‑050‑0009, was repealed effective July 1, 2021.
03Full practice, and where to look
AANP lists Oregon as full practice, so an Oregon NP needs no physician agreement to see patients, and an NP-run clinic is a legitimate place to ask. Physicians and PAs can precept SAU's NP students too, which widens the field further.
Legacy Health, Samaritan Health Services, OHSU, Kaiser Permanente Northwest and Providence Oregon are the large systems. The Portland area holds the most people, then Salem, Eugene-Springfield and Bend.
One trap: the Portland metro spills into Vancouver, Washington. SAU's Washington approval is for Washington residents only, so an Oregon resident should keep clinical sites on the Oregon side of the river.
04An Oregon license, not a compact one
Oregon remains outside the Nurse Licensure Compact, and NCSBN's map shows no pending bill. Another state's multistate license carries no practice rights in Oregon, so hours here need an Oregon RN license, which is also what SAU's 2023-24 catalog means by a license valid where you practice. Our license page has the rest.
05Why Spring Arbor students in Oregon choose us
We look for Oregon preceptors who match your SAU track, then get the CV, license copy, site details and agreement paperwork in order ahead of SAU's four-week cutoff. Faculty make the decision, and nothing is missing when they do. See how it works, then send your details through the contact form.
Questions Spring Arbor students ask
Does Spring Arbor still turn away Oregon students?
No. The current state authorization page lists Oregon as authorized for nursing. Oregon was on the excluded list in a May 2024 copy of that page, and some third-party directories have not caught up. If a website says otherwise, ask SAU admissions to compare it with the live page.
My compact license is from Idaho. Does it cover clinicals in Oregon?
No. Oregon is outside the compact, so a multistate license issued by another state carries no practice rights there, and Oregon hours need an Oregon RN license. SAU's FAQ also expects you to train in your home state, so an Idaho resident should talk to the program before planning any Oregon hours.
Does OSBN approve my preceptor?
No. OSBN says out-of-state APRN programs need no board approval to place students. SAU's program faculty sign off on the preceptor and site, rotation by rotation, based on the clinical agreement, affiliation and preceptor verification paperwork, due under the 2023-24 catalog no later than four weeks before the course. See preceptor approval.
I live in Portland. Can I use a clinic in Vancouver, Washington?
Not under SAU's Washington approval, which both SAU and the Washington board restrict to people who live in Washington. Plan on Oregon sites, and raise anything across the river with the program director before you contact the clinic.
Related pages
Last checked 2026-09-24
We check these pages against Spring Arbor's own published sources. SAU's nursing faculty and current catalog have the final word.
More preceptor leads, sooner, for your SAU clinicals.
Tell us your Spring Arbor track, where you live and when your clinical course starts. We look for a preceptor and site that fit SAU's rules for your track and help you get the paperwork in on time.
- Matched to your track: FNP, AGPCNP, PMHNP, PNP, Nurse Educator or DNP
- Clinical agreement, affiliation and preceptor verification forms ready early
- In your home state, near where you live
Start your placement plan
A placement advisor replies with what an SAU-ready preceptor and site look like for you.