Preceptorship in the intergenerational context: an integrative review of the literature

Preceptorship is a teaching/learning method used in many undergraduate nursing programs whereby learners are individually assigned to expert practitioners in the clinical setting. The current reality in today's workplace setting encompasses four generations (Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials) working together and often these generations do not share the same work ethic or expectations. Given this generational diversity, increased knowledge and awareness of the intergenerational context of the preceptorship experience is both an important and timely topic for nursing education. The purpose of this paper is to discuss an integrative review of the literature using the methodology of Whittemore and Knafl (2005). The computerized databases of CINAHL, PubMed, ProQuest Education, ERIC, and EMBASE were used to generate relevant literature. The sample consisted of 98 articles; 18 being research and 80 theoretical. Given the large sample size, the authors focus on summarizing the research literature in this paper. This review calls attention to the need for further research into generational diversity and its influence on the preceptorship experience. It also highlights the limited research that currently exists on the topic of the intergenerational nursing workforce. Implications for nursing education and clinical practice are also discussed.