Clinical competence among senior nursing students after their preceptorship experiences

The senior nursing preceptorship is the culminating clinical experience in the baccalaureate nursing program and assists students in the application of their nursing knowledge and skills. Students' success in getting their first job may also depend on this clinical preceptorship. How well they learn to practice their nursing skills before graduating may determine the success of their transition from being a student nurse to becoming a staff nurse. This descriptive study explored the perceptions of senior baccalaureate nursing students about their clinical preceptorship program. Perceptions were examined in relation to (a) the degree of students' interaction with the preceptor and (b) the degree of their perceptions of competence in using the nursing process. Data were collected from 102 senior nursing students with the use of a 52-item survey questionnaire that included opinion and competence statements. The results suggest that the clinical preceptorship program increased the overall perceived competence of 91 of the 102 nursing students. With a greater amount of preceptor interaction, there was a greater degree of perceived competence in nursing skills among the students. Ninety-six percent of the students rated their relationship with their preceptor as important to very important. The results also identified strong and weak areas of perceived clinical skills in the students. These results will help in facilitating future senior nursing preceptorship placements.