Preparing and supporting preceptors of senior undergraduate nursing students

Janes, Beverley A. (1996) Preparing and supporting preceptors of senior undergraduate nursing students. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

There is little research investigating the preparation and support needs of nurses who assume responsibility for preceptoring nursing students. The descriptive literature identifies important strategies for preparation and support, but little verification has come from preceptors themselves as to the value of these strategies. Because preceptorship experiences are commonly employed as a clinical teaching strategy for undergraduate nursing students, it is important to investigate the needs of the nurses who act as preceptors in order to better assist them to feel satisfied with their contributions. -- The purpose of this study was to describe the current methods of preparation and support provided to nurses who preceptor senior undergraduate nursing students in Newfoundland, and to explore, from the preceptors' perspectives, if these methods met their needs. A naturalistic mode of inquiry was employed using two sources of data; written preceptor preparation documents used by schools of nursing in the province, and interviews with 18 preceptors from a variety of practice settings across the province. -- A major finding of the study is that not all preceptors received the preparation and support desired during their preceptorship experiences. Many of the preparation and support strategies desired by preceptors were identified in written school of nursing documents. However, there was incongruence between what was stated that preceptors received as preparation and support, and what preceptors felt they received. Other findings indicate the need for schools of nursing to closely evaluate the network of communication strategies used to prepare and support preceptors. Interaction among nurse educator, nurse administrator, and preceptor was identified as critical to the preceptor's feelings of being supported in the role. Key support elements are identified in a model that also includes the importance of interaction among preceptor, nurse educator, and student as well as among preceptor, nurse educator, nurse administrator, and preceptor co-worker.

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