Addressing diversity in clinical nursing education: support for preceptors

Nursing preceptors are challenged by a broad set of teaching-learning diversity issues that are related to their role as clinical teachers of senior nursing students in clinical settings. A lack of awareness and understanding of these diversity issues may contribute to preceptor-student miscommunication and conflict. Ultimately, these factors can impact on the extent to which the educational objectives are achieved. Most of the health sciences literature focuses on diversity and patient care, and unfortunately, the literature that does address diversity and learning primarily examines the influence of culture and language in classroom education. Few resources are available to guide preceptors as they engage in "real life" real-time clinical learning encounters. To assist preceptors with their teaching strategies and skills, a diversity and learning workshop was developed to support preceptors in their critical role as both clinical teachers and role models. A diversity and learning framework is suggested and applied to the set of teaching-learning diversity issues.