Preceptorship: shaping the art of nursing through practical wisdom

With so much emphasis having been focused on the development of nursing science and most recently on evidence-based practice, little attention has been directed toward the art of nursing or the practical wisdom that constitutes the spirit of that art. Practical wisdom is the performance of actions intended to preserve and enhance the well-being of others regardless of the context or circumstances involved. Although technically and from a knowledge perspective, nurses consider the most effective and efficient way to administer care, it is through their use of practical wisdom that they actually engage in the art of nursing to provide that care. Because preceptorship is so pivotal to influencing students in the way they approach their nursing care, this approach to teaching-learning in the clinical environment provides an excellent modality by which to cultivate practical wisdom and ultimately to shape the art of nursing.