Evaluating a preceptorship programme in South West Ireland: perceptions of preceptors and undergraduate students

Aim  The study sought to evaluate stakeholder perspective of preceptor preparation and attributes.
Background  In Ireland, undergraduate students are supported by a named preceptor on clinical placement. A preceptor is a registered nurse who has completed a teaching, assessment and preceptorship programme. Preceptor preparation is costly in terms of facilitation and staff release/replacement. To date, in Ireland, research has not explored the effectiveness of preceptor preparation.
Method  An utilization-focussed approach was adopted incorporating a two-phase research process; Phase 1 being exploratory while Phase 2 aimed to validate inductions derived from the previous stage.
Results  The programme is effective in meeting its learning outcomes. The findings are categorized into four theme areas: the importance of preceptor characteristics, the demonstration of these characteristics, knowledge demonstrated by the preceptors and the skills demonstrated by the preceptor.
Conclusion(s)  Preceptors, to be effective within the preceptor/student relationship, need to integrate both their professional and personal attributes to effectively socialize students to the profession of nursing.
Implications for nursing management  The preceptor role is invaluable within nurse education. This study supports the release of registered nurses to attend preceptor preparation programmes. It highlights the importance of nursing management in preceptor selection, release, support and monitoring in order to create an effective clinical learning environment.     

Adverse events in health care: a literature review

Aim  This paper aims to develop understanding of the nature, costs and strategies to reduce or prevent a range of adverse events experienced by people within the healthcare system.
Background  Care interventions are not always based on safe practice and adverse events can and do occur that cause or place at risk patients lives and well-being. The nature of adverse events is diverse and can be attributed to a multitude of individual and system contributory factors and causes.
Evaluation  A review of the literature was undertaken in 2006 and 2007 using the following databases: Pubmed, CINAHL, Biomed Ovid, Synergy and the British Nursing Index. This paper evaluates the literature that pertains to adverse events and seeks understanding of this complex issue.
Key issues  Published statistics confirm that globally, professional errors in clinical practice and care delivery occur at an unacceptably high level and result in considerable human and financial consequences.
Conclusion  Reaching understanding of the multiple factors that contribute to unsafe clinical practice situations requires a cultural shift in organizations.
Implication for Nursing Management  Reasons for adverse events are complex and require healthcare managers to evaluate the system issues which impact on the delivery and organization of care.