Key takeaways:
Nurse preceptors function as teachers, role models, and resources for other nurses.
It takes more than just experience to be a good nurse preceptor. You must also have a strong desire to serve in this capacity and to help nurses new to your unit adjust to the culture.
Preceptors’ influence can guide nurses to become skilled clinicians and valued co-workers.
Nurse preceptors are competent leaders tasked with training newly employed staff nurses, student nurses, or new graduate nurses. The nurse preceptor serves as a role model and a resource for these nurses during their orientation.
Because orientation is a critical time for a nurse who is new to a position or new to the field, a strong preceptor can make all the difference. Nurses who have a positive orientation experience tend to be more satisfied and competent at work, while also providing higher quality patient care. But nurses who do not have a satisfying orientation can end up feeling negatively about their work and may even choose to leave the nursing profession.
What is your role as a nurse preceptor?
Nurse preceptors help new nurses adapt to a unit's culture and provide them with resources to succeed. They are responsible for educating, evaluating, socializing, and protecting nurses as they transition into the new environment.
What makes a good nurse preceptor?
Experience can help a nurse preceptor be successful. However, the best preceptors are those who have a genuine interest in the role and a desire to fulfill its responsibilities.
Characteristics exhibited by good nurse preceptors include:
Positive attitude
Patience
Caring
Ability to evaluate performance
Talent for providing effective feedback
Tips for being a successful nurse preceptor
Your goal as a preceptor is to provide an orientation that builds confidence and helps new nurses become productive colleagues. Consider the five strategies below as you work with orientees toward this aim.
1. Be objective
Don’t take it personally if your orientee is not doing well. Everyone — including you — has good days and bad days, just like they have strengths and weaknesses. Not all orientees and preceptors will mesh well. If your orientee asks for a change or you think they would be better suited to another preceptor’s style, facilitate them making a switch.
2. Offer praise with feedback
Your orientee will make mistakes, and it’s your responsibility to point them out. But balancing criticism with praise builds a collegial relationship without intimidation. Make sure to not only point out errors when they make a mistake but also to congratulate them when they’ve done something well.
3. Be clear about expectations
Orientees will appreciate knowing exactly what is expected from them in their new role. Make sure to communicate expected standards of care for your unit. And, at the end of each day, spend some time recapping how the shift went and discuss goals for the next shift.
4. Promote healthy work-life balance
Because burnout is so prevalent in healthcare today, teaching your orientee how to protect their mental health is imperative in helping them build a long-lasting career. Encourage them to have outside interests and relationships, and advise them on creating a schedule that allows time off for recovery and doing what they love. And model this behavior, so that you can return to work refreshed and ready to lead and inspire others.
5. Set goals and responsibilities
Each orientee will start with a different experience level. Find out what your orientee needs to learn in order to be successful. What are their strengths and weaknesses? What skills do they need to master? Do they have concerns or fears?
By working with them to set realistic and positive goals, you can help personalize their orientation experience.
What can you do if your orientee is struggling?
Sometimes, an orientee just doesn’t seem to catch on quickly. In this case, the first step in helping them is to open a line of honest communication. You want to understand what barriers to learning they are experiencing.
Common causes of problems during orientation include:
Bullying: A nurse that doesn’t seem to fit in often becomes a target of gossip. The lack of a supportive environment — and feeling like they’re being criticized rather than receiving constructive feedback — is unfair to the orientee. If you encounter bullying in your unit, you’ll need to work to create a culture that doesn’t tolerate that type of behavior.
Lack of feedback: Feedback doesn’t just need to be positive; it needs to be specific, as well. Avoid general statements — such as, “You need to communicate better” — and instead give actionable advice. And make a point of giving regular feedback. When the unit gets busy, it's easy to get caught up in tasks, but you should still remember to check in with your orientee to correct problems and reinforce positive practices.
Different learning styles: Your teaching methods may not match up with your orientee’s learning style. Some people are visual learners, while others need hands-on experience. Ask your orientee what’s worked well for them in the past and make efforts to match their learning style.
If you’ve tried these measures and your orientee is still not doing well, it might be time for a second opinion. Have them work with a different preceptor and see if they perform differently under someone else’s guidance.
The bottom line
Why trust our experts?
Nurse preceptors have an immense responsibility as role models for nurses in a new environment. A strong desire to serve as a preceptor, along with excellent communication and leadership skills, is necessary to succeeding in the role.
Preceptors who provide an excellent orientation experience can make the difference between a nurse you would want as a co-worker and a nurse that decides to leave the profession.
