A 'roll-on, roll-off' preceptorship pathway for new registrants

The need to support high numbers of new registrants simultaneously at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, led to the development of a preceptorship pathway. The 'roll-on, roll-off' structure allows newly registered nurses and allied health professionals to start preceptorship as soon as they take up their roles. Essential competencies are negotiated with managers and achieved through subject-focused teaching sessions, workplace preceptorship, reflection, peer support and the use of distance-learning materials that link to the NHS knowledge and skills framework and appraisal requirements. Evaluation suggests that the pathway provides a high standard of learning and support, but development will continue, particularly in relation to monitoring and recording new practitioners' involvement in clinical incidents and their completion rates.