The clinical preceptor has a strong inner accountability to support the nursing students and newly qualified registered nurses in becoming a competent nurse. The responsibilities of clinical preceptors are not limited to sharing their previous experiences and encouraging for continuing learning, but also to foster critical thinking and reflection on practice;, thus, clinical preceptors facilitate novice nurses to grow both personally and professionally. This supportive relationship offers new graduates with clinical coaching and socialization into the work environment (ref). Furthermore, clinical preceptorship enhances the confidence in newly graduate nurses by assisting them in identifying their strengths, as well as weaknesses (Whitehead and Holmes, 2011). Literature revealedshows that the basic element in clinical preceptorship is the accessible support to the newly qualified nurses in the transitional phase (ref). However, an unsupportive transition phase could leave negative effects on novice nurses and consequently, low retention of new registrants could be observed (Lennox et al, 2008). Hence, it is the responsibility of the clinical Ppreceptor to provide a supportive environment and look after the nursing students and novice nurses in their learning phase, particularly when they are stressed.
Challenges Faced by Preceptor in Supporting Novice Nurses
Preceptorship programs have been the preferred approach for the undergraduate nursing students’ clinical preparation sincover the last three decades (ref). Hence, it is a teaching and learning approach in which a group of nursing students is connecting to senior nurses, known as preceptors, in the clinical practice setting. However, to date, there has been little explored on the subject of preparation of preceptors for this teaching and learning role in clinical settings, therefore, in a country like Pakistan where this concept is entirely new, preceptors often face challenges.
Based on my personal, and colleagues' experiences, while working as a clinical preceptor at the tertiary care hospital in the Pakistan, it would not be wrong to say that Pakistan nursing programs are experiencing many challenges. Some of these challenges may undermine the successful implementation of the preceptorship program and the preparation of preceptors for the practicum. For instance, Pakistan health care setups are characterized by an increased patient versus nurses’ ratio as well as increased casualization due to increased staff shortage, and a limited number of clinical placements. Furthermore, the Pakistan nursing education system are also struggling with the shortage of faculty members and the current faculty members does not have the expertise to assist preceptors in clinical. Additionally, sometimes due to lack of workforce, clinical preceptors end up getting the assignments in which they have a minimal breadth of knowledge. Hence, the current health care system provides minimum opportunities for nurses to grow at their full potential and serve for better patient care.
In a study by Martenson et al. (2013), participants expressed that preceptors also need support at various levels to perform effectively, including proper training, support from unit managers, facility to prepare and plan the clinical education, as well as the feedback on their regular performances with novice nurses. It will enhance the critical thinking and reflection of the preceptors while working with students in the clinical setting (ref). Thus, all these factors will help them to produce better outcomes.