Preceptorship Program Research Articles

Implementing the organizational readiness for change survey during a novel midwifery preceptor program in Sierra Leone: stakeholder results

BackgroundSierra Leone has one of the world’s highest maternal and infant mortality rates and suffers from a shortage of well-trained health professionals, including midwives. Prior to engaging in systematic interventions, it is critical to measure organizational readiness to gauge members’ psychological and behavioral preparedness to implement change. We aimed to measure the organizational readiness for implementing change and compare results among midwives and administrative leaders at two schools of midwifery in Sierra Leone prior to the rollout of a midwifery preceptor program.MethodsThe Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change (ORIC) survey is a validated 12-item questionnaire designed to assess two domains of organizational readiness for change: change commitment (motivation) and change efficacy (capacity). All survey items begin with the same prompt and a five-item Likert scale response, with seven questions about change commitment and five about change efficacy. Data collection occurred in two schools of midwifery in Sierra Leone during two day-long meetings with stakeholders. Statistical analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon rank-sum test to compare independent samples: School 1 versus School 2 (site), midwife versus other roles (role).ResultsParticipants included 42 respondents (mean age 41 years, 95% female). Surveys were distributed evenly between the two sites. Occupations included midwifery faculty (n = 8), administrators (n = 5), clinicians (n = 25), and clinical educators (n = 4). Domain 1 (change commitment) had a mean score of 4.72 (SD 0.47) while Domain 2 (change efficacy) had a mean score of 4.53 (SD 0.54) out of a total potential score of five. There were no statistically significant differences between site responses for Domain 1 (p = 0.5479) and Domain 2 (p = 0.1026) nor role responses for Domain 1 (p = 0.0627) and Domain 2 (p = 0.2520).ConclusionStakeholders had very high overall readiness for change across all ORIC questions for both change commitment and change efficacy. Mean scores for change commitment were slightly higher which is not surprising given the low-resourced settings stakeholders work in while training students. High mean scores across sites and roles is encouraging as this novel preceptor program is currently being rolled out.

Implementing Preceptorship in Baccalaureate Nursing Program in Middle-Low-Income Countries: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND: Preceptorship is critical for developing the next generation of nurses to provide high-quality patient care. However, challenges in implementing preceptorship programs in low-middle-income countries (LMICs) exist, affecting the quality of nursing care provided to patients. OBJECTIVES: To (1) explore the extent of literature on key strategies for effective implementation of undergraduate preceptorship nursing education in LMICs and (2) identify existing evidence and gaps in the literature about the implementation of preceptorship in LMICs. METHOD: This scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) methodological framework. We used the following databases: CINHAL, PubMed, MEDLINE, and ERIC to conduct a systematic search of articles in 2023. The search strategies were focused on the following aspects: “preceptorship,” “baccalaureate nursing program,” “implementation strategies,” and “Low-middle-income countries.” Criteria for including the studies were a) preceptorship in undergraduate/ baccalaureate nursing programs, b) primary quantitative and qualitative studies, and c) implementation of preceptorships in LMICs. RESULT: Twenty-three (n=23) studies met the inclusion criteria. Five themes were identified from the analysis of the data: 1) Setting clear guidelines for preceptorship, 2) Preceptor professional development, 3) Strengthening preceptor roles in the development of future nursing force, 4) Preceptorship experience in clinical placement environment, and 5) Collaborative approach to preceptorship. CONCLUSION: This scoping review highlighted the importance of structured guidelines for preceptorship programs in elevating the quality of nursing education in LMICs. There is a paucity of evidence on preceptor professional development related to integrating evidence-based pedagogy in student supervision.

Effectiveness of a pediatric critical care pilot preceptor program: Improved confidence and competency outcomes among a cohort of professional nurses in Blantyre, Malawi

BackgroundAvailability of high-level pediatric training for nurses in Malawi is limited. To address this gap, a novel pediatric critical care nurse preceptor program was developed and implemented by pediatric nurse specialists. AimEvaluate the effectiveness of a pediatric critical care nurse preceptor program, via change in nurses' knowledge, skills, confidence, and precepting competence. DesignA 12-month pediatric critical care nurse preceptor program with assessments at baseline, end of intensive (3 months), and end of program (6 months). SettingBlantyre, Malawi. ParticipantsNurses with two or more years of pediatric nursing experience (N = 20) nominated by unit managers. MethodsQuantitative data were collected throughout program implementation. Assessments included: (1) multiple choice knowledge test, (2) Objective Structured Clinical Examinations in two areas (vital signs and airway, breathing, circulation, disability, exposure assessments; and blood gas and electrolyte analysis), (3) group simulations (cardiopulmonary resuscitation or respiratory distress), (4) Likert-scale clinical confidence survey, and (5) Likert-scale precepting competence survey. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA with pairwise comparisons. For Likert-scale surveys, median confidence scores were compared using a Friedman test with post hoc pairwise comparisons using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. ResultsParticipants demonstrated significant improvement in clinical knowledge (p < .001), vital signs and airway, breathing, circulation, disability, exposure assessment (p = .001), blood gas and electrolyte analysis (p = .001), CPR (p < .001) and respiratory distress (p < .001) simulations, clinical confidence (p = .002), and precepting competence (p = .041). ConclusionThis pediatric critical care nurse preceptor program was effective in improving participants' confidence and competence (knowledge and skills) in pediatric critical care nursing and precepting. Results suggest the program's potential to address the shortage of highly trained pediatric critical care nurses in Malawi. This lays groundwork for refining and expanding preceptorship, ultimately improving pediatric critical care nursing education in resource-limited settings.

The Impact of an Online Preceptorship Training Program on Preceptor Self-Efficacy Among Nurse Case Managers Working in an Acute Care Setting.

The U.S. health care system is experiencing a critical workforce shortage of nurse case managers exacerbated by an older workforce and looming retirements and the growth of this specialty. This quality improvement project aimed to develop an online case manager preceptor training program and examine its impact on the nurse case manager preceptors' self-efficacy. This project was implemented at a 395-bed acute care, community-based hospital in the northeast. The target population for the intervention included a convenience sample of 13 nurse case managers who were assigned a preceptor role. The intervention was an abbreviated version of an online preceptorship program by Lippincott. The Preceptor Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.96, measured nurse preceptors' confidence in various skills including fostering critical thinking and providing feedback. Data from pre- and post-intervention PSEQ surveys were analyzed using a Wilcoxon rank sum test in SPSS version 28. The Wilcoxon rank sum test revealed a statistically significant improvement in preceptor confidence scores ( p =.043) between pre- and post-intervention PSEQ results. This project demonstrated feasibility of an online nurse case manager preceptor training program while also identifying improved preceptors' self-efficacy. Future research can include investigating the impact of a preceptor training program on the nurse case manager learners receiving role training from the trained case manager preceptor.

The effect of the preceptorship training program on the participation of clinical nurses in training nursing internship students: a quasi-experimental study

IntroductionClinical education is a fundamental part of nursing professional education. One method of education is the implementation of the preceptorship program, in which clinical nurses are responsible for educating nursing students. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the preceptorship training program for the participation of clinical nurses in the education of nursing students.MethodsThis quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2023 at the teaching hospital in Tehran, Iran. The sample consisted of 66 nurses from a teaching hospital selected using the accessible method and randomly were put into two groups. The workshop addressed the educational needs of preceptors and students, their readiness for their role, and strategies to effectively support students. Prior to the study, the nurses’ level of participation was assessed utilizing a valid IMSOC questionnaire that gauged their involvement in guiding nursing students. The participation rate was reassessed after one month using the same questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 19.FindingsThe two groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic characteristics. The average score for nurses’ participation in the education of students before the intervention was 101.84 ± 15.42 in the test group and 107.24 ± 10.53 in the control group; these two groups were not significantly different (P = 0.10). After the intervention, the scores reached 118.90 ± 15.11 in the test group and 106.21 ± 11.96 in the control group, indicating a significant difference (P < 0.001). A comparison of the nurses’ participation scores in the test group indicated a significant difference from the pretest to the posttest, with the improvement in all nurses’s participation scores (P < 0.001). However, in the control group, this difference was not significant (P = 0.41).ConclusionThe preceptorship training program is effective in light of increasing the participation of clinical nurses in the education of nursing students. This program can improve various aspects, such as motivation, satisfaction, commitment, implementation, and obstacle removal. Considering the importance of clinical training for nursing students and the essential role of preceptors, it is recommended that managers and health trustees in all university hospitals implement a preceptorship training program to increase the participation of clinical nurses in the education of nursing students.

Assessing the Impact of Preceptorship on Nursing Education and Practice in Ghana

Objective: This analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of preceptorship programs on nursing education and practice in Ghana, considering challenges, opportunities, and outcomes. Method: A comprehensive literature review and synthesis of findings from studies and case examples from Ghana and other West African countries were conducted. Findings: Preceptorship programs have the potential to enhance student learning outcomes, clinical competence, and confidence. However, challenges such as resource limitations and inadequate support for preceptors need to be addressed. Case studies demonstrate the benefits of preceptorship, including improved patient outcomes and strengthened collaboration between academia and practice. Conclusion: Preceptorship programs can transform nursing education and practice in Ghana, but their success requires investment, support, and collaborative efforts from stakeholders. Recommendations: Nursing education institutions and healthcare facilities should prioritize preceptorship initiatives, allocate resources, provide support for preceptors, and engage students and educators in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of these programs to optimize their quality, relevance, and impact.

Development and initiation of a preceptor program to improve midwifery and nursing clinical education in sub-saharan Africa: protocol for a mixed methods study

BackgroundExpanding the quality and quantity of midwifery and nursing clinical preceptors is a critical need in many sub-Saharan educational settings to strengthen students’ clinical learning outcomes, and ultimately to improve maternal and child mortality. Therefore, this study protocol was developed to establish a year-long, four step, precepting program to (1) improve partnership building and program development (2) provide an evidence-based course to expand competency and confidence in precepting students (3) select preceptors to become train the trainers and (4) secure accreditation for the program, ultimately to engage and support cohorts of preceptors and continue to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the program over five years.MethodsQualitative and quantitative approaches will be used including evaluation of preceptors, faculty and leadership involved with the program, as well as students taught by preceptors. Data will include validated self-assessment scales, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), satisfaction surveys, and direct clinical observation, in-depth interviews and/or focus group discussions (preceptors); feedback forms (students); process mapping and organizational readiness for implementing change surveys (faculty and leadership). Median change in scores will be the primary outcome for quantitative data. Content analysis within a deductive framework to identify key implementation and adoption themes will be used for qualitative data analysis.DiscussionThis study aims to assess the readiness and early effectiveness for implementing a preceptor program for midwifery and nursing in Sierra Leone and Malawi. Determining the effectiveness of this program will guide future adaptations in order to strengthen the program for sustainability and potential scale-up.

Exploring Nursing Students' Expectations on Preceptoring and Preceptorship Program: A Mixed Method Study.

This study addresses the imperative in contemporary nursing education to prepare students for diverse healthcare settings by exploring nursing students' expectations and perceptions of preceptorship programs, emphasizing the role of evidence-based educational strategies. The research aims to bridge the existing literature gap and contribute valuable insights into strategically designing preceptorship programs aligned with nursing students' needs, preferences, and aspirations, ultimately enhancing precepting practices and relationships within nursing education. Employing a sequential explanatory mixed method, 140 nursing students, from various colleges in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) participated in the study. A structured questionnaire, encompassing demographic information, a need assessment survey, and a survey on expectations on preceptors was administered. A focus group discussion was conducted to identify perceived barriers to the utilization of preceptorship practices in nursing colleges. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, exploratory factor analysis, and content analysis of the focus group discussion. The majority of participants expressed a high need for a preceptorship program, providing empirical evidence to support the development of a nurse educator preceptorship program in colleges and institutes. Preceptorship was identified as a significant contributor to career growth and achievement for nursing students, serving as a valuable tool to establish professional competency throughout their careers. There is a complex demand and high expectations for the core role of nurse educators as preceptors in the field of nursing education. This pioneering study sheds light on the need and perception of nursing students for a preceptorship program in the nursing curriculum.

An Analysis of Orientation and Preceptorship Influence on Nurse Job Satisfaction Across Two States.

A large public nursing data set was used to determine whether orientation and/or preceptor programs impact job satisfaction among registered nurses in Maine and Massachusetts. There was no association between orientation and preceptor programs and satisfaction, nor evidence that new nurse status modified the relationship. There is a need for evaluation of orientation and preceptor programs' structure and effectiveness, and innovation is needed in promoting job satisfaction, thereby increasing nurse retention.

Development and Evaluation of The Implementation of a Preceptorship Program for The Novice ICU Nurse Intensive Care Unit -A Secondary Publication

This study focused on the development and evaluation of the implementation of a preceptorship program adapted to ICU practice in the Ab.-T. region to provide preceptors with tools to support novice nurses. This action research was made possible with the involvement of the centers, preceptors, and novice nurses throughout the development and implementation of the program. This approach enabled participants to take ownership of the training content and fully utilize various tools. The program was implemented throughout the CISSS, where this study was subsequently carried out. Several novices mentioned that the program reinforced their sense of security and made them feel more equipped to handle complex care situations. The preceptors said they were better equipped to offer clinical support and novices were better prepared to work in the ICU. It is important to evaluate the development of the novice nurses’ skills following their participation in this program and the long-term impact of this preceptorship.

Participant Evaluation of a Multi-disciplinary Oncology Preceptorship Training Program for Oncology Health Professionals from Kumasi, Ghana

A critical shortage of skilled healthcare workers is a primary cause of disparate global cancer outcomes. We report participant evaluation of a multidisciplinary preceptorship program. In collaboration with the city of Kumasi, Ghana, Mayo Clinic and the City Cancer Challenge hosted a preceptorship program for comprehensive multidisciplinary breast and cervix cancer training. A total of 14 healthcare workers from Kumasi received two weeks of training at Mayo Clinic in November and December 2021. Each participant and preceptor were requested to complete an anonymous post-participation survey. Of the 14 trainee participants, 10 (71%) completed the survey. All respondents found the program “valuable and applicable to their clinical practice.” Ninety percent reported they were able to “review effective and critical elements in the development and expansion of the multidisciplinary team” and able to “solve practical clinical cases as a team”. General themes of satisfaction included: (1) organization and administration, (2) clinical observations and demonstrations, (3) guidelines development, and (4) recognizing the central importance of cultivating a team-based approach. Of the 40 preceptors, 16 (40%) completed the survey. All respondents reported they felt the training would meaningfully “influence patient care in Ghana”, that participation “added value or joy to their clinical practice,” and all wished to “participate in future preceptorship programs”. After a focused two-week program, trainees reported high satisfaction, usefulness from observing specialized cancer care, and value in closely observing a multidisciplinary oncology team. Preceptors reported the experience added joy and perspective to their clinical practice and wished to participate in future programs.

Experiences of preceptorship in Singapore: A qualitative exploratory study of preceptors’ experience in precepting nursing students during pre-registration of clinical placement in an acute hospital

BackgroundPreceptors play an important role in teaching and guiding nursing students to transit to the role of registered nurses. Nursing students are trained to acquire the skills and knowledge in providing good quality care to patients. However, the preceptors in the clinical area may face challenges in providing care to their patients in addition to their preceptor role. It is vital to explore and gain insights on the preceptorship experience to better understand their challenges and facilitate their preceptorships and the learning experience of the nursing students. AimsThis study explored the preceptors’ experience to understand their challenges and support received in the facilitation of the preceptorship and learning experience of the nursing students in an acute care hospital in Singapore. MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted from June to October 2021 with ten registered nurses working in an acute hospital. Thematic analysis was conducted. ResultsThree main themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (1) preceptor-student relationship; (2) barriers and challenges to successful preceptorship; and (3) outcomes of successful preceptorship. ConclusionsThis study provided valuable insights in the experience of the preceptors in Singapore. Recommendation for nursing management and leaders to establish support system in promoting recognition of preceptors, establish dialog sessions between stakeholders. Nursing education to provide support and to review the efficacy of the current preceptorship program to identify correlation with successful precepting experience for both preceptors and nursing students. Despite challenges faced by the preceptors, their experience had been positive and they are committed in precepting the nursing students.

Expatriate professional nurses’ experiences of preceptorship in a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia

Background: Professional nurses relocate to foreign countries as expatriate nurses due to host countries’ push or pull factors. Preceptorship programs are designed to support newly hired nurses in transitioning into a new health-care environment. Aims: This study aimed to understand expatriate professional nurses’ preceptorship experiences in a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the goal of providing recommendations to enhance the preceptorship program and facilitate better adaptation among expatriate nurses. Setting and Design: This study was conducted at a tertiary military hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and employed a phenomenological research approach. Materials and Methods: Based on inclusion criteria, ten expatriate professional nurses were selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected through unstructured, audio-recorded, verbatim transcribed interviews, observations, and field notes. Statistical Analysis: Colaizzi’s seven-step methodology was employed for data analysis. Results: The results identified three themes: (1) participants experienced both positive and negative aspects of preceptorship, encountering personal adjustment challenges and issues with the initial orientation program; (2) preceptors’ abilities and dedication played a crucial role in assisting participants in adjusting to their new workplace; and (3) participants reflected on their preceptorship experience, expressing their expectations and opinions of the preceptorship program. Conclusions: Preceptorship is an effective onboarding strategy to support expatriate nurses in their adaptation process, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and continued management support.

A Nationwide Survey of Clinical Dietitians' Perceptions of Precepting

Clinical preceptor shortages are a limiting factor for programs in dietetics. Perceptions on precepting were obtained from 378 registered dietitian nutritionists. The top benefits of precepting included improved teaching skills, staying current/stimulated in the profession, and increased awareness of practice area. Frequently reported barriers included inadequate compensation, time, and reward. People who had not precepted in the past year indicated higher perceived benefits of precepting. Those who indicated they would discontinue precepting reported significantly fewer benefits and more barriers than those who would continue. Finding and addressing barriers among a program's preceptor pool may be key to promoting preceptorship.

Early exposure to anesthesiology: a summer preceptorship program for first-year medical students

Introduction A 4-week summer preceptorship offered first-year medical students early exposure to anesthesiology following their preclerkship courses in pharmacology and cardiopulmonary physiology. The main objective was to provide students with clinical skills and prepare them for rotations while immersing them in a unique experience, introducing a specialty not covered in core rotations. Methods Participants were selected via their responses to an application. In addition to shadowing anesthesiologists, curriculum components included weekly faculty lectures on core aspects of anesthesiology (introductory basics, perioperative drugs, airway, and crisis management); multiple simulation labs (workstation setup, intubation clinics, intravenous and central line placement, ultrasound techniques); research opportunities; and mentorship from physicians and senior medical students. The program culminated in each student successfully leading a simulated case to receive a certificate of completion. Results A survey of 15 participants revealed significant improvements in ability to intubate (P < 0.05), ability to perform a transthoracic echocardiogram (P < 0.05), interest in anesthesiology as a specialty (P < 0.05), and preparedness for future rotations (P < 0.05). Discussion This program accelerates clinical exposure for preclerkship students, providing insights into anesthesiology early in their medical journey. It provides research and mentorship, fosters professional growth, and enhances individual competitiveness for residency program applications.

Escape the Room! Utilizing Gamification in a Preceptor Training Workshop.

Gamification is an innovative pedagogy involving immersive technology that acknowledges learner-centric milieus and dynamic teaching practices. Gamification is positioned well in nursing education because learners can translate tools from team experiences, communication, and critical thinking questions into the healthcare setting. This article introduces an escape-the-room format that was constructed for a preceptor program at a large academic medical center. The results of the implementation encourage gamification as an engaging methodology in clinical education.

Preceptor Course Structures and Processes Contributing to Newly Licensed Nurse Outcomes.

This article describes a preceptor program implemented across a health care system with standardized structures and processes that contribute to newly licensed nurse outcomes, including role satisfaction and retention. A quantitative design used two psychometrically tested instruments with data collected through Internet-based surveys. Newly licensed nurses' perceptions of their preceptors were consistently favorable. Newly licensed nurse retention from 2019 through 2022 was 93% at 1 year. Preceptor programs are a critical element in facilitating the transition of newly licensed nurses to professional practice. The success of the program is dependent on the quality of preceptors, who must be carefully selected, educated, and evaluated for the role. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2023;54(10):448-453.].

Preparing Primary Care Registered Nurse Preceptors for Emerging Care Coordination and Chronic Disease Self-Management Roles.

Nurse educators must prepare the future RN work-force to practice in emerging primary care roles. This program evaluation report describes the approach taken to develop and evaluate a novel preceptor education program designed to prepare RNs to precept nursing students in primary care coordination and disease self-management roles. The program was designed as a three-stage hybrid learning intervention with the goals of preparing RNs to (a) provide primary care coordination and disease self-management support and (b) precept nursing students. Evaluation tools were designed to reflect specific learning objectives of these goals pre- and postintervention. Preliminary evaluation data indicate the preceptor program provided a useful set of educational activities to prepare primary care RN preceptors for their new roles. Participants reported increased confidence levels in primary care coordination and disease self-management and student precepting responsibilities. Nursing students' evaluations showed positive primary care clinical experiences. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2023;54(10):454-461.].

Aesthetic Gynaecology: What Women Want?

The demand for aesthetic gynecology is growing among patients and medical professionals. It is becoming a field of increasing interest. In obstetrics and gynecology, there are currently few superspecialization or fellowship training programs that teach this subject; nevertheless, improvements have been made in aesthetic and plastic surgery training that foresee the need to add specialized training in this sector. In the US and the UK, numerous reputable certification and preceptorship programs are now where many surgeons start their careers. To give physicians interested in surgical and non-surgical therapies certification training, new programs were introduced globally in 2016-2017. We provide an overview of both surgical and non-surgical "aesthetic gynecology" treatments, as well as the opinions of the top gynecologic associations on this new field of study.

Evaluation of Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent Allied Health Professionals preceptorship programmes: a mixed method UK study

AimThis study aimed to evaluate current preceptorship provision across AHP professions in the Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent (SSOT) region of England to improve consistency, share and optimise best practice.BackgroundPreceptorship, defined as a period of structured transition from newly qualified to an independent practitioner, is thought to improve recruitment and retention of staff and ultimately improve patient care. During the COVID pandemic, SSOT recognised the potential for graduates to lack confidence having had reduced clinical exposure as pre-registration students, and so a likely increased need to support newly qualified staff, and to evaluate existing AHP preceptorship provision.MethodsAn explanatory sequential mixed methods design, utilising a cross sectional survey questionnaire and two subsequent focus groups, explored existing AHP preceptorship in SSOT in 2021.Following ethical approval respondents were recruited via professional networks who completed an online survey questionnaire. Two subsequent focus groups enabled an in-depth exploration of survey results. Descriptive statistics summarised survey data and thematic analysis was used to describe focus group findings.ResultsSSOT AHPs (n = 217; 26% preceptees; 47% preceptors) participated in the survey questionnaire and 17 AHPs in the focus groups. 57% of preceptees rated existing preceptorship programmes to be “somewhat, or not effective”. Preceptors reported feeling unprepared for their role. Both preceptees and preceptors reported that, post pandemic, most existing programs required revisions to be fit for purpose. Ten pragmatic summary recommendations were made.ConclusionsAllied Health Professions Preceptorship in SSOT was found to be inconsistent, poorly understood and inadequate. Revisions to preceptorship programs across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent NHS Trusts have been instigated to reflect changes in AHP practice since the COVID pandemic.