Preceptor and Educator
Finding a Preceptor, Getting the Most From a Preceptorship, From Preceptor to Mentor, Getting the Most From a Preceptorship.
Finding a Preceptor
Often, the student's advisor or professor may make suggestions based on connections with affiliating agencies. Choosing a preceptor solely based on proximity or ease of formulating a contract with the individual is not the best strategy. Graduate students should be advised to get to know leaders in their area of interest and make connections before the start of their practicum experience.
As much as it is important that the preceptor have the expertise and agree to
precept the student, equally important are relational qualities and personal
affiliation. Preceptors and graduate students should be able to work
collaboratively in the experience. Communication should be easy and collegial.
Defining roles and responsibilities in advance can help to set forth and maintain
boundaries and expectations and thus alleviate stress.
Getting the Most From a Preceptorship
Students should enter the experience with an open mind and a willingness to learn from the expert. Be prepared with questions concerning boundaries and expectations for working with the preceptor's patient population or student group. Develop a good rapport with the preceptor so any problems, questions, or issues can be addressed as they arise.
Respect limits delineated by preceptors, such as the amount or type of feedback you will be allowed to give the nursing students. For example, does the preceptor want the student educator to evaluate a nursing student's performance? If so, under what circumstances would you use which evaluative tool or model? In what situations should the student educator avoid giving feedback?
The preceptor-student educator relationship is complex in that the preceptor is serving in a dual role: that of teaching both nursing students and a student educator simultaneously. The student educator is in a dual role: that of both teacher and student. Recognizing the complexity of the situation will help the student educator to respect role boundaries.
In addition, student educators and preceptors need to build planning and evaluation time into the practicum. Planning will include activities such as developing objectives for the experience, timelines, and a workable schedule. Evaluation should be ongoing throughout the practicum and should include both preceptor evaluation of the student educator performance and both parties' evaluation of their relationship.
Offering to help the preceptor can set the stage for a more
fulfilling preceptorship for both parties. What started out as a
preceptor-graduate student relationship may evolve into a partnership in which
both parties learn and receive satisfaction.
From Preceptor to Mentor
A preceptor-graduate student relationship is usually intended for a predetermined length of time, with set objectives for the relationship and with expected roles for the relationship. Although a preceptor model may be one used in academia to provide one-on-one learning opportunities for the novice, it does not necessarily foster long-term relationships.
On the other hand, Vance and Olson (1998) have done extensive research on mentor relationships in nursing and found that mentored nurses are more likely to become leaders in their profession. Furthermore, 83% of influential nurses reported having one or more mentors. With the "graying" of nursing faculty, the future of nursing is at stake.
We need to recognize that the way to entice more nurses to become educators is by nurturing, supporting, and encouraging their pursuit of graduate education. What better way to do this than by participating in a mentoring relationship?
Specific help provided by mentors included career advice, guidance, promotion, professional role modeling, intellectual and scholarly stimulation, inspiration, idealism, teaching, advising, tutoring, and emotional support.exist for the sole purpose of building camaraderie.
These
types of partnership activities might include interdisciplinary partnerships
with other faculty, networking with clinical/community partners, and building
friendships and support systems. Partnerships ease the transition from clinician
to educator mainly by providing support and expertise to the novice educator.
Finding a Preceptor
Often, the student's advisor or professor may make suggestions based on connections with affiliating agencies. Choosing a preceptor solely based on proximity or ease of formulating a contract with the individual is not the best strategy. Graduate students should be advised to get to know leaders in their area of interest and make connections before the start of their practicum experience.
As much as it is important that the preceptor have the expertise and agree to precept the student, equally important are relational qualities and personal affiliation. Preceptors and graduate students should be able to work collaboratively in the experience.
Communication should be easy and collegial.
Defining roles and responsibilities in advance can help to set forth and
maintain boundaries and expectations and thus alleviate stress.
Getting the Most From a Preceptorship
Students should enter the experience with an open mind and a willingness to learn from the expert. Be prepared with questions concerning boundaries and expectations for working with the preceptor's patient population or student group. Develop a good rapport with the preceptor so any problems, questions, or issues can be addressed as they arise.
Respect limits delineated by preceptors, such as the amount or type of feedback you will be allowed to give the nursing students. For example, does the preceptor want the student educator to evaluate a nursing student's performance? If so, under what circumstances would you use which evaluative tool or model?
In what situations should the student educator avoid giving feedback? The preceptor-student educator relationship is complex in that the preceptor is serving in a dual role: that of teaching both nursing students and a student educator simultaneously.
The student educator is in a dual role: that of both teacher and student. Recognizing the complexity of the situation will help the student educator to respect role boundaries. In addition, student educators and preceptors need to build planning and evaluation time into the practicum.
Planning will include activities such as developing objectives for the experience, timelines, and a workable schedule. Evaluation should be ongoing throughout the practicum and should include both preceptor evaluation of the student educator performance and both parties' evaluation of their relationship.
Offering to help the preceptor can set the stage for a more fulfilling preceptorship for both parties. What started out as a preceptor-graduate student relationship may evolve into a partnership in which both parties learn and receive satisfaction.
Give your opinion if have any.