Elisabeth Carlson

“This is nursing”: Nursing roles as mediated by precepting nurses during clinical practice

In nursing education, it has been argued that professional socialization is facilitated by clinical experiences where students work together with precepting nurses. However, few studies found have focused on how nurses think and act as preceptors, hence providing a base for professional socialization to occur. Therefore; this study aimed to describe how preceptors mediated nursing as a profession to undergraduate nursing students during clinical practice. This was an ethnographic study guided by symbolic interactionism. A purposeful sampling of 13 precepting nurses was observed during the field work period. In addition, 16 staff nurses, purposively selected, and experienced in precepting, participated in focus group interviews. All text from field notes and interviews were read as a whole and analyzed following the ethnographic approach. Findings illustrated how nursing was mediated as the medical-technical, the administrative, and the caring role. Preceptors aimed for professionalism in their students by teaching the students to reflect on what they can do independently as nurses. Preceptors strived to verbalise their practical knowledge to make theory explicit and contextualize to student nurses. This knowledge can guide implementation of preceptor programmes focusing on the meaning and implications of professionalism.

Knowledge and skills needed to improve as preceptor: development of a continuous professional development course – a qualitative study part I

BackgroundPreceptors are expected to have the skills to be able to form an effective learning environment and facilitate a constructive clinical learning experience for students and new employees. Internationally, access to education for preceptors varies, with preceptors worldwide requesting more education in preceptorship. This article is based on a two-part study focusing on both the development and evaluation of a continuous, credit-bearing professional development course. The aim of this part of the study was to investigate and include preceptors’ requests and educational needs when developing a continuous professional development course on an advanced level.MethodsThis study used a qualitative research approach. In total, 64 preceptors (62 women and two men) answered one single written, self-administered global question online. The participants were all interested in teaching and had completed an undergraduate training in preceptorship. The collected data was analysed by content analysis inspired by Burnard’s description of the method.ResultsThe participating preceptors illuminated two main themes: ‘Tools for effective precepting of students and healthcare professionals’ and ‘in-depth knowledge and understanding of preceptorship in an academic setting’. The results suggest that vital components for preceptor preparation could be a) teaching and learning strategies, b) reflective and critical reasoning, c) communication models, d) the role of the preceptor, and e) preceptorship.ConclusionUsing the results from this study as a guide, a continuous professional development course was designed to assist preceptors in deepening their knowledge of preceptorship in regard to planning, leading and implementing educational activities directed at students, healthcare professionals, patients and their families. The course content focuses on skills needed for preceptorship and is based on adult learning principles. A continuous, credit-bearing professional development course must include an exam by which participants are formally assessed and graded; therefore, a written assignment was included as part of the course.

Swedish student nurses’ perception of peer learning as an educational model during clinical practice in a hospital setting—an evaluation study

BackgroundPeer learning, a collaborative learning model has no tradition in clinical education for undergraduate student nurses in Sweden, and little is reported of the student experience. An increasing number of students have led to a pressing need for preceptors and clinical placements thus, highlighting the need for a supportive educational model. The objectives for the current study were to explore how student nurses’ evaluated peer learning as an educational model during clinical practice in a hospital setting, and to compare perceptions among student nurses from year one and three.MethodsA questionnaire developed for the purpose of this study was developed and responded to by 62 (year one) and 73 (year three) student nurses. Data were collected between 2011 and 2013. The questionnaire contained six open- ended and eight closed questions on a four point Likert-scale. Written responses were analysed by content analysis and the closed questions by using descriptive statistics. Mann–Whitney U-test was used to examine differences in relation to students from year one and three.ResultsThe peer learning experience was evaluated in a positive way. Statistical significance differences were shown for two out of eight closed questions. The peer learning activities were evaluated as supportive and relevant for learning. Three categories emerged from the content analysis: “a feeling of safety”, “a sense of competition” and “the learning experience”.ConclusionA feeling of safety seems to be connected to students’ perception of increased learning and independence. However, the sense of negative competition needs to be addressed when students are prepared for the teaching and learning activities in the peer learning model. Finally, what needs to be further investigated is what challenges and opportunities the peer learning model presents to preceptors.

Meaningful and enjoyable or boring and depressing? The reasons student nurses give for and against a career in aged care

The aim of this study was to explore student nurses’ reasons for and against a future career in aged care.

Time, trust and reflection : three aspects of precepting in clinical nursing education

Nurse education has undergone major changes during the last three decades, internationally as well as nationally, and new and different nursing competencies will probably be needed in a rapid chang ...

Perceptions of preceptorship in clinical practice after completion of a continuous professional development course- a qualitative study Part II

BackgroundFor health care professionals, clinical practice is a vital part of education, and in several countries, teaching is a regulated part of the role of nurses and health care staff. The added responsibility of taking on the teaching of students during clinical practice; thus, balancing clinical and educational demands, might lead to feelings of stress and burnout. Being a skilled and experienced professional is not automatically linked to being a skilled educator as teaching of a subject is a completely different story. Preceptors who participate in educational initiatives are better prepared to address challenges and are more satisfied with the preceptor role. The aim of the current study was to evaluate preceptors’ experiences of preceptorship in clinical practice after completion of a credit bearing continuous professional development course on advanced level.MethodsThis was a small-scale interpretative qualitative study drawing data from focus group interviews and written accounts from reflective journals. Data were analysed through the process of naturalistic inquiry.ResultsOur findings show that the participants, who took part in and completed the CPD course, had developed skills and competences they believed to be necessary to drive pedagogical development at their respective workplaces. This is illustrated by the main category Leading educational development and explained by four sub-categories: 1/ increased ability to give collegial support; 2/ increased trust in one’s abilities; 3/ increased emphasis on reflection; and 4/ increased professional status.ConclusionsA well-structured program based on the needs of preceptors and developed in partnership between educational and clinical settings seems to be successful in terms of preceptors’ perceived increase of their competence, abilities and professional status. What seems to be missing, not only from the current study but also from previous research, is to what extent properly prepared preceptors impact on student learning and this needs to be further investigated.

Nursing Students' Intercultural Learning via Internationalization at Home: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

We attempted to map out the processes of intercultural communication, interaction, and reflection by examining the intercultural learning that took place among nursing students. Through an understa ...