Preceptorship and PREPP.

The transition from student to qualified practitioner is a difficult time for nurses. In order to facilitate a less traumatic change in role and status, the UKCC has advocated a period of support under the guidance of preceptors.     

Preceptorship: a review of the literature

Preceptorship is an important part of the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing's (UKCC) post-registration and practice recommendations Therefore, there is a great need for educationalists and clinical practitioners to explore the issues surrounding preceptorship and come to informed decisions on how they intend to implement preceptor programmes There is a need to identify existing knowledge and its application to practice based on the commonly occuring themes within the theoretical and empirical literature This paper reviews the current literature addressing these themes of role definition, preceptor selection, preceptorship programmes, the preceptorship experience and the limitations of preceptorship in clinical practice     

Preceptorship and interpersonal conflict: a multidisciplinary study

BACKGROUND: The impetus for the study was the concern of teachers about the potentially deleterious effects of conflict in the preceptee-preceptor relationship. Preceptorship, in which students work alongside designated professionals in clinical settings, can provide opportunities to integrate theoretical and practice knowledge, and can play a part in professional development. However, students may experience communications and interpersonal problems with their preceptors and, if the conflict thereby generated is not challenged and resolved, negative outcomes can occur for students, preceptors and teachers. AIM: The purpose of the study was to explore the nature of conflict in preceptorship experiences. METHODS: A modified, simultaneous quantitative/qualitative triangulated method was used, with the quantitative results reported in this paper. A total of 548 questionnaires were mailed to students and preceptors in the final clinical experience of undergraduate programmes in four disciplines. The return rate was 42.7% (234 questionnaires). FINDINGS: Data revealed the prevalence of conflict, the degree to which this affected preceptorship relationships, factors occurring in the practicum that may contribute to conflict, the degree to which the conflict was resolved, and the outcomes of conflict. CONCLUSIONS: It is only through an understanding of the dynamics involved in conflict, and its negative effects on students, that teachers, preceptors and students alike can respond proactively to conflicts and become adept at seeking and implementing effective solutions.     

The public health nursing practice manual: a tool for public health nurses

Public health nursing is recognized as an important and critical component of the public health workforce, and today, it makes up the largest single category of public health professionals, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Preparation of generalist public health nurses with the knowledge base, skills, and training to effectively respond to public health challenges is essential. The County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services, Public Health Nursing Section, in response to this need, implemented the Public Health Nursing Practice Manual to provide public health nurses with interventions and guidelines to articulate their role and practice as outlined by the framework of the Public Health Nursing Practice Model developed by Los Angeles County. Identification and development of new methods to support the practice of nursing is imperative in facilitating a more sophisticated and expanded level of practice, as well as providing a means of improving, protecting, and enhancing the quality of health for all people. The Public Health Nursing Practice Manual is an effective tool to monitor performance improvement and provide standardization of the generalist public health nurse practicing in Los Angeles County.     

Preceptorship: a viable alternative clinical teaching strategy?

The difficulty experienced by many baccalaureate student nurses in making the role transition from student to graduate nurse continues to pose problems for nursing education and nursing service personnel alike. A variety of instructional strategies described in the literature which claim to enhance the effectiveness of student learning in the clinical setting and promote role adjustment immediately upon graduation have been used by nursing faculty and nursing service personnel. Preceptorship is one such strategy. The author reviews the evolution of preceptorship within the nursing profession and explores factors which are provoking current interest in this concept. Available empirical data regarding the effect of preceptorship on student and graduate nurse performance in the clinical setting are presented and implications for nursing education discussed.