The professional practice knowledge of nurse preceptors

Significant research has been conducted and disseminated on preceptorship as an essential component in teaching and evaluating student learning in the final clinical practicum. The preceptorship triad-formally defined as an equilateral relationship among a nurse preceptor, faculty member, and undergraduate nursing student-overlooks the contextual challenges preceptors encounter. Preceptors develop relationships in the clinical setting to enhance teaching, and more importantly, to ensure student practice reflects the depth of clinical reasoning and skill acquisition necessary for safe and competent practice. Using descriptive surveys and qualitative focus groups, a research collaborative among academia, practice, and professional regulating bodies was established in southern Alberta, Canada, to research the types of knowledge nurses acquire and integrate to successfully assess, evaluate, and teach undergraduate nursing students in the clinical environment. This article describes the research findings and highlights the professional practice knowledge of nurse preceptors.