Preceptors enhance students' self-confidence

The author explores self-confidence as a desired outcome of preceptored clinical experiences. In a qualitative study, the value of student confidence in nursing role performance, the impact of positive preceptor-student relationships on confidence development, and specific strategies to enhance confidence in preceptored learning experiences are described. Preceptors described caring relationships including modeling, dialogue, commitment, mutual respect, and acceptance, to illustrate the impact of such relationships on the development of student confidence in nursing role performance.