Qualities of Effective Preceptors

As a new graduate registered nurse (RN) enters professional practice, one of the most influential individuals in this transition is the preceptor. A preceptor guides and mentors the novice nurse so clinical judgment and skills are enhanced for the complexities of patient care (McCarthy & Murphy, 2010). In essence, the preceptor is assisting the novice nurse in bridging the gap between education and clinical practice. The preceptor's ability to mentor effectively has tremendous impact on the novice nurse's performance, retention, and career progression (Schaubhut & Gentry, 2010). Not everyone is meant to be a preceptor. Being a preceptor requires special qualities to guide and nurture a new graduate's transition. Thus an experienced nurse should be evaluated before placing him or her in this role.

To serve as a preceptor, an experienced nurse needs to (a) model the mission, vision, and values of the health care organization; (b) have a minimum of 2 years of clinical experience; and (c) be willing to serve as a preceptor (McCarthy & Murphy, 2010; Shinners & Franqueiro, 2015). Being a preceptor is a desired function of the RN role, not an extra duty that is assigned arbitrarily. Once this basic criterion is met, additional qualities are needed to ensure an experienced nurse will be an effective preceptor.

Qualities

Four qualities of effective preceptors will be discussed here.

Teacher

As a teacher, a preceptor provides an environment in which nursing theory is integrated with clinical practice (Lofmark, Thorkildsen, Raholm,...