Award Date

5-1-2012

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing (ND)

Department

Nursing

First Committee Member

Susan Kowalski

Second Committee Member

Teresa Serratt

Third Committee Member

Jay Shen

Number of Pages

76

Abstract

Preceptors are vital to the success of new graduate registered nurses in their transition to practice as they assist the new nurse in developing skills, competency, and confidence. Most residency programs may include training for preceptors but there may not be evidence that preceptor preparation makes a difference in the retention of nurse residents or the relationship to favorable evaluations of preceptors from the residents. This study evaluated and compared the effects of preceptor training on competency levels of the resident and therefore retention.

The methodology was a post hoc descriptive study of variables that included demographics, surveys from residents of preceptors gathered from a local residency program. Added to the study is a survey developed to determine training methods, if any that preceptors utilized in preparation for the role. Data was analyzed for various programs of preceptor training against the preceptor training program from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing`s "Transition to Practice" to determine if the training programs used by the preceptors was adequate or needed to be changed to meet the needs of the residents.

Results of the program evaluation indicated that resident evaluation of preceptors was significant for preceptor preparation (tau b = -0.34) and ongoing preceptor education (tau b = 0.25) as compared to favorable evaluations from nurse residents. Years of experience for preceptors is significantly (tau b = -0.30) but negatively associated with favorable nurse resident evaluations. In addition, it is noted that there is a potential relationship between the choice of preceptor using Patricia Benner`s Skill Acquisition theory in that a competent or proficient nurse may be a preferable choice over the expert clinician. While a comparison of preceptor program contents could not be associated with improved performance due to lack of difference in the programs, they were not measured during the actual residency program study side by side and therefore it cannot be said one is better than the other. Evaluation therefore indicates that preceptor preparation is important to the success and retention of new graduate registered nurses.

Keywords

Clinical medicine--Study and teaching; Nurse residency; Nursing—Education; Nursing schools--Faculty—Evaluation; Preceptor preparedness

Disciplines

Nursing | Other Education

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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