The Role of the Clinical Preceptor:
An Integrative Literature Review
Emily McClure, MSN, RN, CCRN; and Lisa Black, PhD, RN, CNE
ABSTRACT
The clinical learning environment has been identified
as being central to nursing education. The clinical learn-
ing environment provides undergraduate nursing students
with the opportunity to combine cognitive knowledge
with the development of psychomotor and affective nurs-
ing skills. The preceptor role in undergraduate nursing
education is complex and multifaceted. Undergraduate
nursing students identify preceptors as key to their learn-
ing in the clinical setting; however, staff nurse preceptors
often feel unprepared to serve in this role. This integrative
literature review explores the role of the staff nurse pre-
ceptor through the perspective of undergraduate nurs-
ing students, nursing faculty, and staff nurses who are as-
signed to precept students as a function of their nursing
role. Recommendations are made to facilitate the prepara-
tion of clinical preceptors to fulfill this essential role in pre-
paring nursing students for clinical practice. [J Nurs Educ.
2013;52(6):335-341.]
Received: October 14, 2012
Accepted: January 23, 2013
Posted Online: April 30, 2013
Ms. McClure is Nurse Educator, Critical Care Units, Renown Regional
Medical Center; and Dr. Black is Assistant Professor, Orvis School of Nurs-
ing, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada.
The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial
or otherwise.
Address correspondence to Lisa Black, PhD, RN, CNE, Assistant Pro-
fessor, Orvis School of Nursing, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Vir-
ginia Street Mail Stop 0134, Reno, NV 89557; e-mail: lblack@unr.edu.
doi:10.3928/01484834-20130430-02
Journal of Nursing Education • Vol. 52, No. 6, 2013
O
ver the past 100 years, the nursing profession has
evolved in response to the dynamic changes of the
health care environment, which include advances in
technology and diagnostic testing that have resulted in im-
proved patient outcomes. In addition, increases in public
knowledge about health care as a result of the Internet and the
financial impacts on care delivery models have created chal-
lenges for nursing. Subsequently, these changes have affected
the clinical environment for nursing education. The clinical
learning environment has been internationally identified as
central to nursing education by providing undergraduate nurs-
ing students with the opportunity to combine cognitive knowl-
edge with the development of psychomotor and affective nurs-
ing skill sets (Omansky, 2010).
Nursing faculty identify the clinical learning environment
as a “holistic experience attending to intellectual, physical,
and passion components with active involvement of students,
faculty, patients, and clinical staff” (Ard, Rogers, & Vinten,
2008, p. 243). Undergraduate nursing students identify pre-
ceptors as a key component to their learning within the clinical
setting (Bourbonnais & Kerr, 2007; Grealish & Ranse, 2009;
Kilcullen, 2007; Wieland, Altmiller, Dorr, & Wolf, 2007),
but preceptors feel unprepared to serve in this role (Burns &
Northcutt, 2009; Kemper, 2007; Pollard, Ellis, Stringer, &
Cockayne, 2007; Pulsford, Boit, & Owen, 2002; Wieland et
al., 2007). For clinical nursing education to produce success-
ful educational outcomes in undergraduate nursing student
programs, nursing faculty must collaborate with preceptors
to provide an optimal learning experience for undergraduate
nursing students.
Considerable attention has been given to the role of the pre-
ceptor and the preceptorship experience in the research litera-
ture. The majority of these studies address the preparation of
clinical preceptors to assist students in the clinical application
of didactic theory. Integrative literature reviews have been pub-
lished that examine the process of clinical education (Pollard et
al., 2007), preceptor views of assessing nursing students (Cas-
sidy et al., 2012), and staff nurses’ experiences as preceptors
and mentors (Omansky, 2010). No literature review specifically
examining the role of the clinical preceptor through the per-
335
CLINICAL PRECEPTOR ROLE
spective of students, preceptors, and clinical faculty has been
published to date. This integrative literature review intends to
fill that gap.
LITERATURE REVIEW STRATEGY
A literature review was conducted by searching the Cumula-
tive Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL®),
ERIC™, PubMed®/Medline®, and ScienceDirect® (Elsevier
Electronic Journals). The following search terms were used:
preceptors, preceptorship, mentors, mentorship, clinical learn-
ing environment, pre-licensure nurses, undergraduate nurses,
preceptors of student nurses, staff nurses as preceptors, clini-
cal supervision, student nurses, and dedicated education units.
Inclusion criteria for this literature review required that the ar-
ticle pertains to preceptorship of prelicensure nursing students,
was written in English, and was published within the preceding
10 years, with the exception of seminal works. Articles that ex-
amined preceptors of newly graduated and experienced nurses
or nurses in an advanced degree program were excluded from
this review.
Challenges arise when examining this body of literature
because the terms preceptor and mentor are often used inter-
changeably when discussing undergraduate nursing students
(McCarthy & Murphy, 2010; Pollard et al., 2007). Omansky
(2010) defined the preceptor role as one that guides nursing
students to apply classroom knowledge in the clinical setting,
function as a role model, teach clinical skills, and model criti-
cal thinking. Preceptors provide an effective means for bridg-
ing the theory–practice gap in nursing education, typically in
a time-limited, one-to-one relationship with a nursing student
in a clinical setting (Barker, 2010; Duteau, 2012; Mamchur &
Myrick, 2003; Myrick & Yonge, 2004). However, the mentor-
ing relationship is one that develops through stages over a
period of time ranging from months to years. Differing from
the time-limited and clinically focused preceptorship model,
mentorship is a “humanistic model” (Wagner & Seymour,
2007, p. 201) that enriches clinical practice while focusing
on the holistic development of the nurse being mentored. Ar-
ticles obtained through the initial search process were exam-
ined and those that described a time-limited relationship with
a nursing student in a clinical setting were retained for further
analysis.
For the purposes of this article, the term preceptor is used to
identify the RN assigned to provide guidance to the undergradu-
ate nursing student during the clinical learning experience. The
term nursing student is used to define students who have not
yet completed a basic prelicensure program. The term nursing
faculty is used to describe instructors, employed by undergradu-
ate nursing educational institutions, who have direct interaction
with students in the clinical setting. The article first provides
a general overview of the preceptor role, giving consideration
to the changing dynamic of undergraduate students. The pre-
ceptor role is then examined through the perspectives of the
nursing student, the clinical faculty, and the staff nurses who
act as clinical preceptors. Recommendations for enhancing the
preceptorship experience for students, faculty, and preceptors
will be offered.
336
BACKGROUND
The preceptorship model was initially established in the
1970s to assist in transitioning newly graduated nurses from
school to work. This preceptor role was eventually expanded
into undergraduate nursing education to assist in bridging the
gap from theory to practice (Omansky, 2010). In the early 1980s,
the nursing profession saw a significant increase in research ex-
amining nursing students’ clinical learning environment and the
associated roles of staff nurses who precept undergraduate nurs-
ing students. These initial studies identify that rigid environ-
ments do not provide ideal learning environments for students.
In addition, these early studies recognized the influence of the
staff RN preceptor as key within the clinical environment to
ensure optimal learning outcomes for students (Fretwell, 1980;
Ogier, 1981; Pembrey, 1980; Pollard et al., 2007; Sellek, 1982;
Smith, 1988). In the 1990s, nursing research further solidified
the importance of the staff RN in the clinical learning environ-
ment (Anforth, 1992; Hsieh & Knowles, 1990). Although the
role of the preceptor within the clinical setting continues to be
examined, a lack of consistency remains regarding how under-
graduate nursing programs ensure preceptors are adequately
trained to facilitate their students’ learning needs.
Unlike the classroom setting, which has significant structure
and defined ground rules, the clinical environment for nursing
education is complex and can be difficult for undergraduate
nursing students to successfully navigate. Undergraduate nurs-
ing students often find themselves in unplanned situations with
both patients and preceptors, which are often anxiety provok-
ing for students and may potentially lead to poor patient out-
comes (Andrews et al., 2006; Haskvitz & Koop, 2004; Ip &
Chan, 2005; Papp, Markkanen, & von Bonsdorff, 2003; Pearcey &
Elliott, 2004; Seropian, Brown, Gavilanes, & Driggers, 2004).
At the same time, preceptors for undergraduate nursing stu-
dents must balance the student’s learning needs while ensur-
ing optimal patient care is delivered (Hallin & Danielson, 2009;
Luhanga, Dickieson, & Mossey, 2010). Nursing faculty must
monitor the competing demands of the clinical environment,
which consists of oversight of their students, preceptors, and
patients (Omansky, 2010).
NURSING STUDENTS
Nursing students identify the clinical environment as highly
influential to their professional development by providing op-
portunities to practice nursing assessment and psychomotor
skills, recognize role models, develop professional socializa-
tion, think critically, and self-reflect (Chan, 2002; James &
Chapman, 2009; Mamchur & Myrick, 2003). Nursing students
identify that affective and emotional roles of nursing faculty are
of highest priority to the student (Yoder & Saylor, 2002). In ad-
dition, students identify the importance of the nursing faculty’s
role in guidance and support while in their clinical environment
(Kocaman, Dicle, & Ugur, 2009).
Nursing students recognize preceptors as being instrumental
to their learning in the clinical setting (Kristofferzon, Martens-
son, Mamhidir, & Lofmark, 2012; Omansky, 2010; Walker,
Dwyer, Moxham, Broadbent, & Sander, 2012). Positive precep-
Copyright © SLACK Incorporated

tor experiences are essential to a successful clinical experience.
Nursing students state that preceptors play a significant role in
facilitating learning by helping them to become proficient in
the clinical application of theoretical principles (James & Chap-
man, 2009; Kilcullen, 2007; Wieland et al., 2007). The develop-
ment of an effective relationship with a clinical preceptor can be
pivotal to a successful student experience.
Chan (2002) developed the Clinical Learning Environment
Inventory (CLEI) to examine nursing students’ perceptions of
their clinical learning environment. The CLEI uses individual-
ization, innovation, satisfaction, involvement, personalization,
and task orientation as constructs to examine the clinical learn-
ing environment (Chan, 2002). Of these constructs, nursing stu-
dents identified personalization, which is associated with the
individual student’s interaction with the preceptor and nursing
faculty, as being the most important. On the other hand, innova-
tion, which examines new experiences or learning techniques
provided by the preceptor or nursing faculty, was identified by
nursing students as the least important factor in a successful
clinical learning experience (Ip & Chan, 2005).
Saarikoski, Leino-Kilpi, and Warne (2002) developed the
Clinical Learning Environment and Supervision instrument
(CLES) to examine nursing students’ perceptions of the clinical
environment and their assigned preceptors. The CLES provides
a robust understanding of factors that affect students’ clinical
experiences, accounting for differences in clinical oversight
across multiple contexts (Saarikoski & Leino-Kilpi, 2002).
Nursing students who had one-to-one preceptor supervision
were more satisfied with their learning experience than those
who were supervised as part of a group. However, nursing stu-
dents who had a negative experience with their preceptors were
the least satisfied with their clinical environment (Saarikoski &
Leino-Kilpi, 2002). Preceptor behaviors, such as friendliness,
understanding the students’ needs, interest in student learning,
and explaining nursing skills and technique, were described as
helpful to nursing students. Students identified passive precep-
tor behavior as an indication that the students were not welcome
in the clinical setting (Mamchur & Myrick, 2003).
Nursing students perceive a lack of consistency between
preceptors during their clinical learning experiences (Bradbury-
Jones, Irvine, & Sambrook, 2010; Kilcullen, 2007; Mamchur
& Myrick, 2003). This inconsistency may account for the dif-
ficulty preceptors describe in identifying student competency in
practice and could impede the development of students’ confi-
dence in clinical practice. Nursing students also recognize the
lack of training and external challenges faced by the precep-
tor when trying to facilitate student learning (Kilcullen, 2007;
Mamchur & Myrick, 2003).
NURSING FACULTY
Nursing faculty believe that they, not the preceptor, are re-
sponsible for nursing students’ learning needs within the clinical
learning environment (Wagner & Seymour, 2007). To effectively
oversee student learning in the clinical learning environment,
nursing faculty must maintain some degree of clinical exper-
tise to provide appropriate instruction. However, current patient
populations have complex health problems in which nursing
Journal of Nursing Education • Vol. 52, No. 6, 2013
MCCLURE & BLACK
faculty may lack the expertise to directly supervise patient care
delivery (Alinier, Hunt, Gordon, & Harwood, 2006). In addition
to clinical competency, nursing faculty must be organized and
have effective feedback mechanisms when teaching in the clini-
cal environment (Billings & Halstead, 2009). However, nursing
programs often are challenged with faculty shortages that limit
the breadth of expertise required to provide the clinical teaching
and supervision that students need and preceptors want (Sedg-
wick & Harris, 2012).
Along with the current nursing shortage, there is also a
shortage of nursing faculty. The numbers of master’s-prepared
and doctorally prepared nursing faculty in the United States
is steadily decreasing, negatively impacting efforts to expand
nursing student enrollments to the degree necessary to arrest the
growing U.S. nursing shortage (Clark & Allison-Jones, 2011).
According to the report by the American Association of Col-
leges of Nursing (AACN) on 2010-2011 Salaries of Instruc-
tional and Administrative Nursing Faculty in Baccalaureate
and Graduate Programs in Nursing:
The average ages of doctorally-prepared nurse faculty hold-
ing the ranks of professor, associate professor, and assistant
professor were 60.5, 57.1 and 51.5 years respectively. For mas-
ter’s degree-prepared nurse faculty, the average ages for pro-
fessors, associate professors and assistant professors were 57.5,
56.4 and 50.9 years respectively. (as cited in AACN, 2012, p. 2)
In 2011, U.S. undergraduate and graduate nursing programs
turned away 75,587 qualified applicants related to lack of fac-
ulty, budget constraints, clinical and classroom space, and pre-
ceptors (AACN, 2012).
Current economic constraints may limit the ability of edu-
cational institutions to hire nursing faculty, which directly im-
pacts the clinical environment for both preceptors and nursing
students. The utilization of the preceptor to facilitate learning
within the clinical environment for nursing students has signifi-
cantly increased over the past 30 years in conjunction with the
nursing faculty shortage and the lack of available clinical sites
for student placement (AACN, 2005; Omansky, 2010). Nursing
faculty rely on preceptors in the clinical environment to have
the clinical knowledge and skills to teach and accurately evalu-
ate nursing students, even though preceptors state they feel un-
prepared to serve in this role (Parker, Lazenby, & Brown, 2012).
With the increasing workloads of nursing faculty, the dedicated
time spent with preceptors must be a priority to ensure nursing
student learning objectives are being met within the clinical en-
vironment (Bourbonnais & Kerr, 2007).
PRECEPTORS
The preceptor role in undergraduate nursing education is
complex and multifaceted. Preceptors facilitate the develop-
ment of practical skills, professional socialization, report and
documentation, prioritization, communication, and planning
of daily activities (Parker et al., 2012). However, inconsistent
selection and preparation of clinical preceptors may limit con-
trol over the quality and consistency of the student’s learning
experience.
Current estimates show that 86% of U.S.-accredited preli-
censure nursing programs use a preceptor model, although most
337
CLINICAL PRECEPTOR ROLE
existing knowledge related to the use of preceptors in under-
graduate nursing education is either anecdotal or theoretical
(Altmann, 2006). Preceptors in the clinical environment either
volunteer to work with nursing students or are selected based on
availability rather than on criteria such as the preceptor’s expe-
rience, education, attitude, communication skills, and ability to
teach (Altmann, 2006; Andrews & Chilton, 2000; Bourbonnais
& Kerr, 2007; Burns & Northcutt, 2009).
For preceptors to be effective in the clinical environment,
they need to understand the learning goals and objectives out-
lined by nursing faculty. Preceptors also need to recognize the
effectiveness of their own teaching methods used with nursing
students (Parker et al., 2012). However, preceptors are often not
prepared to function in this role and students miss out on vital
learning opportunities when preceptors lack understanding of
how to facilitate learning or how to communicate their knowl-
edge to students (Burns & Northcutt, 2009; Field, 2004; Kem-
per, 2007; Pollard et al., 2007; Pulsford et al., 2002; Wieland et
al., 2007).
Preceptors describe feeling a lack of support in their role,
inadequate preparation with no formalized training, and lack
of allocated time to precept (Aston & Molassiotis, 2003; Burns
& Northcutt, 2009; Corbett & Bent, 2005; Hallin & Danielson,
2009; Kemper, 2007; McCarthy & Murphy, 2010; Pollard et al.,
2007; Pulsford et al., 2002; Wieland et al., 2007). Pollard et al.
(2007) described preceptors as having a lack of time to teach
students, a lack of training, increased workloads due to staff
shortages, role conflicts, and a lack of identified responsibility
for students. Pulsford et al. (2002) found that preceptors spent
a significant amount of time on nursing students’ paperwork
without appropriate training. Preceptors also noted that they
frequently did not understand the paperwork they were asked to
complete related to the students they oversaw (Pulsford et al.,
2002). Luhanga et al. (2010) identified similar findings when
examining the preparation and support of preceptors. Precep-
tors identified the need for substantial support and preparation
to perform as a preceptor to nursing students. They stated in-
person workshops are potentially beneficial in this develop-
ment.
Bourbonnais and Kerr (2007) conducted structured inter-
views with nurses who had been used as preceptors for nurs-
ing students. The preceptors recognized their role as assisting
students to learn and grow as professional nurses, providing
protection during difficult situations, assisting in good decision
making, and setting priorities. Preceptors are able to identify
nursing students who are inadequately prepared for the clini-
cal setting. This lack of preparation by nursing students is re-
ported by preceptors as being stressful and the least rewarding
experience of precepting (Kemper, 2007; Luhanga et al., 2010;
Mamchur & Myrick, 2003; McCarthy & Murphy, 2010). Addi-
tional challenges of being a preceptor were identified as a lack
of recognition by their peers and by management and a lack of
support from the nursing faculty member (Bourbonnais & Kerr,
2007).
Altmann (2006) conducted an exploratory, descriptive com-
parative survey of deans and directors of U.S. undergraduate
baccalaureate nursing programs. That study found that 73% of
programs provide a preceptor orientation program in which pre-
338
ceptors receive approximately 2.5 hours of orientation, which
was acknowledged by nursing programs as insufficient. The
literature identifies recommendations for improving preceptor
orientation programs and focuses on nursing faculty providing
ongoing feedback on preceptor performance (Altmann, 2006;
Kemper, 2007; Luhanga et al., 2010).
Preceptors identified the support of nursing faculty as essen-
tial to their role and expressed a desire for more input regarding
their process of how to precept nursing students (Bourbonnais
& Kerr, 2007). Preceptors expect nursing faculty to intervene
when the nursing student is not successful within the clinical
setting, and they identify frequent visits by nursing faculty, un-
derstanding of role expectations, and feedback from both the
nursing student and faculty as being supportive of the precept-
ing role (Bourbonnais & Kerr, 2007; Carlson, Pilhammar, &
Wann-Hansson, 2010; Kemper, 2007; Wieland et al., 2007). In
addition, preceptors want support from their management team,
including recognition, guidance on prioritization, and clearly
delineated expectations for both the nursing students and the
preceptors. Specific attention must be given to the needs of pre-
ceptors, as unsupportive precepting experiences may contribute
to nurse burnout (Bourbonnais & Kerr, 2007; Burns & North-
cutt, 2009; Kemper, 2007; Pollard et al., 2007).
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This integrative literature review reveals a significant dis-
connect between the perceptions of nursing students, nursing
faculty, and staff nurse preceptors on the role of the clinical pre-
ceptor. Although nursing faculty believe they are responsible
for meeting students’ learning needs, students identify precep-
tors as integral to their education. However, preceptors are con-
sistently reported as feeling unprepared to act in this pivotal
role. Bridging these gaps is essential to the optimal preparation
of prelicensure students for clinical practice.
When examining the spheres of influence within the clini-
cal environment, Bradbury-Jones et al. (2010) recognized that
the importance of the relationship between the preceptor and
the nursing student should not be undervalued by nursing fac-
ulty and health care institutions. Inconsistent use of preceptor
orientation programs is one reason why preceptors identify
a lack of preparation for precepting undergraduate nursing
students. Preparation programs for preceptors typically con-
sist of written material, in-person workshops and courses,
self-directed packets, and online modules, although it is also
common for preceptors to receive no preparation at all for the
preceptor role (Luhanga et al., 2010). Preparation is essential
for the preceptorship experience to be successful for both the
student and the preceptor. Undergraduate nursing programs
need to examine current practices and ensure that preceptor
orientation programs meet the needs of the preceptor. Hal-
lin and Danielson (2009) identified that with a well-defined
preceptor model, preceptors felt more prepared and satisfied
and better understood the expectations of the preceptor role.
Schools of nursing should also consider providing preceptors
with extrinsic incentives, such as continuing education units
or discounted tuition, to recognize them for their educational
efforts toward nursing students.
Copyright © SLACK Incorporated

Orientation programs need to provide preceptors with meth-
ods on how to facilitate adult learning and teaching methods,
communication, evaluation, and conflict resolution that are
congruent with the specific goals and objectives of the nurs-
ing program (Altmann, 2006; Luhanga et al., 2010). Preceptor
manuals allow for self-paced learning but are dependent on the
preceptor’s ability to comprehend and use the material provided.
However, manuals may not be user friendly and require ongo-
ing revision to ensure that material is up to date and reflective
of the requirements from the schools of nursing and the health
care institution (Luhanga et al., 2010).
Use of online and other multimedia tools offer preceptors a
mechanism to better prepare to work with undergraduate nurs-
ing students. The electronic format allows training materials to
be easily updated as clinical agency policies and educational
guidelines evolve. Parker et al. (2012) examined the use of a
self-paced CD-ROM for preceptor preparation, which included
information on student evaluation methods, tools, and exam-
ples of learning activities to facilitate critical thinking in nurs-
ing students. Preceptors identified the CD as being beneficial
to their role. However, preceptors stated that a lack of time to
review all content was a challenge to successfully completing
self-paced learning opportunities. To enhance the success of the
clinical preceptorship model, preceptors must be provided with
the means to benefit from training that is made available. The
majority of acute care nurses are scheduled for a 36-hour work
week. Allowing these nurse preceptors to intermittently use the
balance of a 40-hour work week to complete electronic precep-
tor training modules would increase preceptor preparation with-
out the added expense of overtime pay.
Clinical teaching and supervision is a skill, and it cannot be
assumed that by virtue of their knowledge and expertise, excel-
lent staff nurses can automatically function as preceptors (Hor-
ton, DePaoli, Hertach, & Bower, 2012). Initial and ongoing sup-
port from nursing faculty and facility administration is crucial
to preceptors. Preceptors must have an understanding of realis-
tic expectations and standards of nursing student performance,
including specific guidance on how to facilitate remediation of
student actions and behaviors. Horton et al. (2012) described
the implementation of a “Nurse Preceptor Academy” (p. E1)
that paired nursing faculty with facility educators to empower
preceptors to provide meaningful learning opportunities for
students. Nursing management teams need to support precep-
tors to ensure they are not overwhelmed or overburdened, while
attempting to balance patient care with the nursing students’
learning needs.
The use of the dedicated education unit (DEU) model may
assist in supporting the roles and responsibilities of preceptors.
The DEU model was originally developed in the late 1990s by
Flinders University in Australia and was introduced in the United
States in 2003 (Ranse & Grealish, 2007). DEUs are defined as
“pre-existing clinical unit[s], such as a ward in a hospital or
a community health programme, that [are] collaboratively de-
veloped to provide practical experience for students from one
university” (Ranse & Grealish, 2007, p. 172). These units po-
tentially create an ideal teaching and learning environment for
nursing students through specific collaborative efforts of staff
nurses, nursing management, and nursing faculty, with the ulti-
Journal of Nursing Education • Vol. 52, No. 6, 2013
MCCLURE & BLACK
mate goal of providing a positive clinical learning environment
to maximize student learning through evidence-based teach-
ing practices. DEUs create a community of nursing practice
between preceptors and nursing students, engage students in
meaningful practice, and develop partnerships between nurs-
ing faculty (Ranse & Grealish, 2007). Importantly, DEUs allow
nursing students to develop confidence in their nursing practice
when they are surrounded by familiar environments, people,
and routines. These familiar environments allow nursing stu-
dents to initiate new learning activities and provide nursing care
independent of their assigned preceptor within the student’s
scope of practice and state practice requirements (Grealish &
Ranse, 2009; James & Chapman, 2009). DEUs assist students
in both social and professional role socializations and support
positive outcomes for both preceptors and nursing students,
while providing an optimal learning environment of learning
how to become a nurse (Grealish & Ranse, 2009).
CONCLUSION
The clinical environment has been in constant change re-
cently due to reforms of health care systems and advancements
in technology and treatment. Educational institutions must be
able to adapt to these changing environments to facilitate appro-
priate educational opportunities for the future of nursing. The
clinical environment will always be a vital component of nurs-
ing education because nursing is a practice profession. How-
ever, the degree to which and how this clinical environment is
used continues to be a topic of debate. Nursing faculty must
establish collaborative relationships and facilitate open commu-
nication with preceptors in the clinical environment to facilitate
optimal learning experiences for nursing students. By providing
specific learning objectives and evaluation criteria, adult learn-
ers are provided with an environment that assists their educa-
tional experiences and promotes self-directed learning (Billings
& Halstead, 2009).
Nursing students place significant importance on being
accepted by their defined work group, and they value the
feedback given by preceptors. However, preceptors over-
whelmingly identify that they are unprepared to provide qual-
ity feedback. Preceptors must be provided with the skills to
provide specific feedback to students in a way that reflects
an understanding of andragogical principles. If nursing edu-
cation continues to utilize preceptors as adjuncts for clinical
education, undergraduate nursing programs need to continue
to advance research regarding the preceptor’s role within the
clinical environment to ensure that optimal methods and mod-
els are being used.
When teaching nursing practice, practicing from a solid evi-
dence base is emphasized. However, the same level of evidence
is not always used when preparing nursing students for clinical
practice. Current practices in preceptor preparation must con-
tinue to be examined to ensure that processes adequately meet
the preceptors’ needs. Due to constant and dynamic changes in
our current health care systems, faculty, preceptors, and stu-
dents must engage in an interactive teaching and learning pro-
cess to ensure that future generations of nurses are meeting the
learning objectives needed to be successful.
339
CLINICAL PRECEPTOR ROLE
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