Using Simulation to Improve Communication Skills in Nurse Practitioner Preceptors

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Communication
• Professional Development

Background:

• Role transitions in nursing can cause stress and anxiety for novice practitioners.
• Effective mentoring by preceptors is crucial for mitigating this stress.
• Preceptors frequently report deficiencies in their mentoring and communication skills, particularly for challenging conversations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the gap in mentoring communication skills among nurse practitioner preceptors.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of simulation-based training in enhancing preceptor mentoring skills.
• To improve the handling of difficult communications with novice nurse practitioners.

Main Methods:

• The study focused on nurse practitioner preceptors.
• A simulation-based approach was employed to teach communication skills.
• The impact of simulation training on preceptor skill levels in mentoring was assessed.

Main Results:

• Preceptors commonly experience a lack of specific mentoring skills.
• Difficult communication scenarios present a challenge for preceptors.
• Simulation training was utilized to enhance these skills.

Conclusions:

• Simulation offers a viable method for training preceptors in essential mentoring communication skills.
• Improving preceptor skills can positively impact the transition experience for novice nurse practitioners.
• Addressing communication skill gaps is vital for effective nursing mentorship.