How to choose a preceptor: aspects to consider based on a grounded theory study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Preceptorship
• Professional Development

Background:

• Nurses play a crucial role in educating nursing students during clinical practice.
• Effective preceptorship is vital for student learning and skill development.
• Selecting the right nurse preceptor is essential for competent and effective guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key aspects for selecting nurse preceptors.
• To inform decision-making processes in clinical nursing education.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study using Grounded Theory (Strauss and Corbin).
• Conducted 14 semi-structured interviews with nurses in medical and surgical wards.
• Data analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding with constant comparison.

Main Results:

• Two main categories emerged: skills and individual characteristics.
• Skills include communication, relational, reflective, technical-scientific, and emotional competencies.
• Individual characteristics encompass perceptiveness, responsibility, motivation, and professional initiative.

Conclusions:

• Nurses highly value both their individual traits and acquired skills.
• Recognizing these aspects aids in informed selection of nurse preceptors.
• This selection process contributes to successful preceptorship and improved nursing education quality.