From 'getting to know you' to 'soloing': The preceptor-student relationship

Abstract

A preceptored practicum for senior students is seen by many to be an important transition to the graduate nurse role, although there is very little literature describing the development of the student during these clinical experiences. Furthermore, the exact role of preceptors in facilitating students' learning and socialisation into the nursing profession is not well defined. This descriptive exploratory study sought to elucidate the meaning of the experience of preceptorship to senior baccalaureate nursing students during their senior practicum. To that end, audiotaped interviews were conducted with 15 senior Canadian baccalaureate nursing students at the end of the first, second and third months of their practicum. Students were asked to describe a recent significant incident from their practice experience, the context of the situation, and why the incident was significant. The research team analysed the interview transcriptions, extracted significant statements, and identified themes and patterns relating to the students' perceptions of their experiences. The relationship with the preceptor was perceived by students as pivotal to their development as a nurse. Emerging themes that described this experience were: 'developing a productive relationship', 'creating a safe environment for learning', 'teaching strategies employed by preceptors', and 'soloing'. An understanding of the experiences of senior student nurses during their practicum will assist both faculty staff and preceptors to develop strategies to facilitate student growth and comfort during the experience.

Bridging theory and practice in the supervisory relationship: a sociocultural perspective

“…Marie’s mentor worked as shift co‐ordinator, Rebecca’s was a part time staff nurse who probably had insufficient time to manage a student as well. These and other narratives illustrate that environments fostering self worth also encourage students to develop their identity as successful learners (Lave & Wenger 1991, Conrad & Phillips 1995, Ingleton 1995, Spouse 1996, Crawford et al . 1999).…”

Nursing student evaluations of the quality of mentoring support in individual, dual and group mentoring approach during clinical training: A prospective cohort study

“…The results of this study clearly indicate that the three groups of nursing students exposed to different mentoring approaches significantly differed in the reported quality of mentoring support, which is in accordance with other research. 8,13,25,34 The highest-quality level of mentoring support (average = 4.8) was found in Group 2 students, who were mentored by a single official mentor. The lowest grade in Group 2 (4.5) was higher than the highest grade in Group 1 (4.4), and especially in Group 3 (3.9).…”

“…25,30 In the Crawford qualitative study, results showed that students perceived their relationship with their mentor as pivotal to their development as a nurse. 8 They developed supportive and caring relationships, which resulted in students expressing deep respect for their mentors and vice versa. Saarikoski states that the individual mentor-student relationship is a key element in satisfaction and professional socialisation, and they describe positive effects of individual mentoring such as continual feedback, respect, and confidence regarding student satisfaction and the learning outcomes.…”

An exploration of the clinical learning experience of nursing students in nine European countries

“…There is considerable evidence that a one-to-one relationship is of prime importance to the students learning and professional development in clinical practice (Campbell et al, 1994;Crawford et al, 2000;Allan et al, 2008). Confidential supervision sessions are considered important, because they enable the student to talk about their own experiences and feelings (Shatkin, 1995;Saarikoski, 2003).…”