Selecting clinical preceptors for basic baccalaureate nursing students: a critical issue in clinical teaching

The concept of preceptorship in baccalaureate nursing education continues to be endorsed as a viable alternative clinical teaching strategy. However there remains a dearth of research to substantiate many of those benefits vis-à-vis preceptor, preceptee and ultimately the health care consumer. Moreover, there are minimal substantive data regarding the criteria which are required for the actual selection of the clinical preceptor. Not infrequently, preceptors are selected primarily for their availability during the clinical placement of students. As a result, baccalaureate nursing students are being preceptored by staff nurses with little or no preparation for assuming a role in which they are expected to promote the principles and ideology of baccalaureate nursing education. Is this fair to the preceptor, preceptee and the client? Can it be said that the nursing faculty, in promoting such a process, are in fact promoting the status quo?