The Preceptor Role
The preceptor is the clinical expert and is knowledgeable about the expected behaviors on a particular nursing unit. Think of the expected behaviors of a new employee for your unit; expect the student to begin to assume the role of a new staff nurse in the beginning stages of orientation. The expectations of the student should be the same as that of a new nurse on your unit. This applies to dress code and breaks as well as charting and complex psychomotor skills. You need to explain the expectations to the student, role model the behavior, then expect the student's performance to conform to those expectations. This course will acquaint you with the expectations of preceptors, so that you feel more prepared to become a preceptor for this type of Capstone student experience.
Some key roles for the Capstone preceptor include:
- Clinical expert
- Knowledge expert who moves the student to greater responsibilities on a particular nursing unit
- Role model for giving nursing care, providing unit leadership, and demonstrating professional behavior
- Guide to assist the student in problem-solving, conflict resolution, clinical reasoning, and integrating cultural competencies
- Collaborator in the development of the student's learning experiences
- Coach to monitor the student's practice of each competency
- Mediator, if necessary, in conflict situations involving the student
- Student advocate
- Assistant with the evidence-based practice project
- Participant in faculty and student conferences
- Evaluator and provider of student performance feedback