
HealthStream offers performance learning management solutions to help develop your healthcare staff into leaders and reduce turnover.
View All ProductsHealthStream works with healthcare organizations to create engaging and high-quality training videos for your staff and management.
View All ProductsImprove care quality and save money by making informed decisions about your healthcare facility and staff with HealthStream's reporting analytics solution.
View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
View All ProductsThe leadership development program from HealthStream helps mold your high-potential healthcare employees into proven leaders.
View All ProductsFulfill compliance requirements with a variety of programs and courseware designed to address critical regulatory requirements as well as educate staff to recognize and mitigate risks.
View All ProductsBy increasing your healthcare staff's focus on quality and safety with HealthStream, they can help to reduce medical errors and readmission rates.
View All ProductsLearn about what HealthStream's healthcare policy management software and how it can help aid your organization efforts.
View All ProductsHealthStream's education helps address diversity, equity, and inclusion within your organization, as well as promoting health equity in the communities you serve.
View All ProductsDeliver custom or industry designed product training directly to patient and resident care environments to reinforce proper use.
View All ProductsTeach your healthcare staff about the revenue cycle and claim management through targeted training and video tools from HealthStream.
View All ProductsNurture the skills of your nurses and medical staff to help mold them into effective leaders with development training from HealthStream.
View All ProductsIn all areas of resuscitation, from neonatal to elderly care, clinical deterioration is a risk that can be avoided with the help of HealthStream's training programs.
View All ProductsHealthStream's EMS Program offers a comprehensive, CAPCE accredited EMS course library that meets National Registry annual recertification.
View All ProductsMake sure your clinicians have the support they need to provide competent care with clinical competency training and development from HealthStream.
View All ProductsThe suite of healthcare onboarding solutions available from HealthStream aids in nurse retention and improved patient outcomes.
View All ProductsGive your healthcare staff the decision support and skills training they need with the online products available from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream's solutions allow your healthcare workforce to be confident and competent with the knowledge they are upholding the highest of standards.
View All ProductsHealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All ProductsHealthcare scheduling software designed to optimize staffing requirements & elevate patient care
View All ProductsPrecisely align staffing and needed resources to enable efficient patient flow and high-quality, cost-effective patient care.
View All ProductsHealthStream’s free nurse schedule app, NurseGrid™, is built to help you care for your staff and engage with their specific needs.
View All ProductsMitigate risk and elevate your quality of care. Improving both clinical and business outcomes starts with a smarter, more integrated approach to regulatory training, continuing education and quality management.
Learn MoreA preceptorship is a challenging role even for the experienced staff nurse. It is important to keep in mind that precepting requires a different set of skills that may or may not automatically be possessed by the preceptor. In addition to being proficient at patient care, an effective preceptor must also become a teacher, organizer, colleague, and friend. Like preceptees, the preceptor requires proper instruction and tools to be successful. This includes ongoing training and guidance in the form of coursework, mentoring, and partnerships/learning activities with other preceptors.
In a study on the role of nurse preceptors—770 preceptors were surveyed—researchers concluded “preceptors were often caught in challenging situations, experiencing high levels of inner turmoil before asking for assistance or making a judgment call on student performance” (Paton & Binding, 2009). Ultimately, the authors found that preceptors need “support, clarity, and understanding of their new role, which was distinct from their role as a clinical expert” (Paton & Binding, 2009). Another study of 131 nurse preceptors taking part in a hospital preceptor education workshop revealed that after three to six months participants experienced greater confidence and comfort in their roles and even provided increased quality in their coaching of critical thinking skills to their preceptees (Sandau, Cheng, Pan, Gaillard, & Hammer, 2011).
Training programs should prepare preceptors to take on three overarching roles
Staff nurse role model. Preceptors must be strong communicators and be taught the importance of consistently communicating their organizational methods and reasoning to preceptees. They will be tasked with teaching and modeling correct patient care standards; how to fulfill job duties; how to effectively use resources and equipment; and how to integrate with the team. In this role, successful preceptors provide regular check-ins. (AACN, 2013)
Socializer. Preceptor training should prepare the preceptor to shift from independent duties to having a partner at his/her side who will need to learn the culture of the hospital. The preceptor is responsible for introducing preceptees to other staff members, creating social experiences with them, and showing them how to function in the hospital. This means spending both social and professional time with the preceptee, being empathetic to their struggles, listening to his/her questions, and finding ways to boost his/her self-confidence.
Educator. The educator is the most important and involved role for the preceptor. Preceptor training should walk the preceptor through assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating a preceptee’s job performance. The following is a breakdown of each of the educator’s sub roles.
References
AACN. (2013). AACN: The preceptor challenge: The AACN Preceptor Development Program.
Paton, B., & Binding, L. (2009). Keeping the center of nursing alive: A framework for preceptor discernment and accountability. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, (40)3, 115-120.
Sandau, K., Cheng, L., Pan, Z., Gaillard, P., & Hammer, L. (2011). Effect of a preceptor education workshop: Part 1. Quantitative results of a hospital-wide study. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, (42)3, 117-126.
Learn more about HealthStream clinical development solutions.
HealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All Learning & PerformanceHealthStream offers performance learning management solutions to help develop your healthcare staff into leaders and reduce turnover.
View All ProductsHealthStream works with healthcare organizations to create engaging and high-quality training videos for your staff and management.
View All ProductsImprove care quality and save money by making informed decisions about your healthcare facility and staff with HealthStream's reporting analytics solution.
View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
View All ProductsThe leadership development program from HealthStream helps mold your high-potential healthcare employees into proven leaders.
View All ProductsWhen you enact HealthStream's quality compliance solutions, you can do so with the confidence your healthcare organization will meet all standards of care.
View All Quality & ComplianceFulfill compliance requirements with a variety of programs and courseware designed to address critical regulatory requirements as well as educate staff to recognize and mitigate risks.
View All ProductsBy increasing your healthcare staff's focus on quality and safety with HealthStream, they can help to reduce medical errors and readmission rates.
View All ProductsLearn about what HealthStream's healthcare policy management software and how it can help aid your organization efforts.
View All ProductsHealthStream's education helps address diversity, equity, and inclusion within your organization, as well as promoting health equity in the communities you serve.
View All ProductsHealthStream offers professional training and education on how to best optimize your reimbursement process within your healthcare organization.
View All ReimbursementTeach your healthcare staff about the revenue cycle and claim management through targeted training and video tools from HealthStream.
View All ProductsImprove the preparedness of your staff, increase survival rates, and cut costs with the advanced resuscitation training services from HealthStream.
View All ResuscitationNurture the skills of your nurses and medical staff to help mold them into effective leaders with development training from HealthStream.
View All ProductsIn all areas of resuscitation, from neonatal to elderly care, clinical deterioration is a risk that can be avoided with the help of HealthStream's training programs.
View All ProductsHealthStream's EMS Program offers a comprehensive, CAPCE accredited EMS course library that meets National Registry annual recertification.
View All ProductsExpand the decision-making skills and effectiveness of your healthcare workforce with HealthStream's clinical development programs and services.
View All Clinical DevelopmentMake sure your clinicians have the support they need to provide competent care with clinical competency training and development from HealthStream.
View All ProductsThe suite of healthcare onboarding solutions available from HealthStream aids in nurse retention and improved patient outcomes.
View All ProductsGive your healthcare staff the decision support and skills training they need with the online products available from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream's solutions allow your healthcare workforce to be confident and competent with the knowledge they are upholding the highest of standards.
View All ProductsHealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All ProductsDelivers everything you need to request, gather, and validate information about a provider to create a single source of truth for downstream processes.
View All CredentialingMake sure your healthcare staff can schedule out appointments and work schedules with ease using HealthStream's line of software solutions.
View All Scheduling & Capacity ManagementHealthcare scheduling software designed to optimize staffing requirements & elevate patient care
View All ProductsPrecisely align staffing and needed resources to enable efficient patient flow and high-quality, cost-effective patient care.
View All ProductsHealthStream’s free nurse schedule app, NurseGrid™, is built to help you care for your staff and engage with their specific needs.
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