Creation of an Enhanced Primary Care Registered Nurse Preceptor Role: A Pilot Project

Historically, community health nursing education has not encompassed clinical sites in primary care. Primary care can be an important domain of community health nursing education. However, student practicum opportunities are limited by the number of and underutilization of RNs practicing at the full scope of their licensure (including assessment, client education, care planning and evaluation of care interventions) who can serve as student preceptors, especially in rural areas. This article describes the creation and implementation of the Enhanced Primary Care Registered Nurse (EPCRN) role in rural primary care clinics, as well as evaluates student perceptions of the EPCRN-precepted clinical experience. One nursing school used a federal training award to create the role of Enhanced Primary Care Registered Nurses (EPCRNs) to practice in federally-designated Rural Health Clinics. The EPCRNs worked in the Rural Health Clinics performing patient care and also functioned as student preceptors. Student experiences were evaluated through quantitative and qualitative methods, namely the Clinical Learning Experience, Supervision, and Nurse Teacher (CLES+T) scale and focus groups. This pilot project demonstrated positive pre-licensure student experience feedback as well as role value and sustainability for the health system. This pilot served as an example of a process for EPCRN role design within a primary care clinic site. It also demonstrated the importance of innovative, sustainable academic-practice partnerships.