Reducing the Stress in Presenting to Preceptors: Teaching DNP Students the SNAPPS Model

Background: When nurse practitioner students start clinical rotations, they may feel unprepared to present patient case information to their preceptors. Although preceptors understand the benefits of active learning, when students provide weak or tangential presentations from lack of a structured model, preceptors may fall back on observational and passive learning due to time management constraints. Objective: This article shows an example of teaching SNAPPS during an on-campus skills lab and the outcomes for students and faculty. Methods: Students were taught the SNAPPS model during a skills lab in advanced health assessment. Utilizing case studies in a role-play format, they practiced acquired course skills and presented patient information using SNAPPS. The students completed surveys both before and after the skills lab. A Likert scale was used to measure their confidence levels at both points of time. Results: A Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed a statistically significant increase in student confidence across all postsurvey scores (p < .05). Conclusion: Interactive case studies with SNAPPS practice enhance student confidence prior to clinical rotations. Implications for Nursing: As an active learning model, SNAPPS may ease the burden on preceptors and make them more receptive to having students.