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Being a preceptor is stressful!
Olive Yonge1, Harvey Krahn, Lorraine Trojan
1Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. olive.yonge@ualberta.ca
Summary
Preceptoring nursing students is stressful, mainly due to overwork from student unsuitability and lack of time. Addressing this requires better preparation and support for both students and preceptors.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Clinical Supervision
- Healthcare Professional Development
Background:
- Preceptorship is crucial for nursing student development.
- Identifying stressors in the preceptorship role is essential for improving support.
- Previous research indicates potential challenges faced by preceptors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the primary stressors experienced by nursing preceptors.
- To identify the contributing factors to preceptorship-related stress.
- To provide recommendations for mitigating stress in nursing preceptorship.
Main Methods:
- A mail survey was distributed to 295 nursing preceptors.
- Data were collected on perceived stress levels and their sources.
- Statistical analysis was used to identify key findings.
Main Results:
- Overwork was identified as the principal source of stress for preceptors.
- Student unsuitability for clinical areas, time constraints, and inadequate feedback contributed to overwork.
- Preceptors reported significant stress related to their supervisory duties.
Conclusions:
- Nursing preceptorship can be a significant source of stress, primarily due to overwork.
- Enhanced readiness assessments and preparation programs are needed for both students and preceptors.
- Interventions such as workload adjustments and improved support systems are recommended to reduce preceptorship stress.