Preceptors' and faculty's opinions about the implementation of preceptorship in the diplomanursing curriculum in Botswana

[摘要] Background: Preceptorship refers to a teaching and learning approach through which a wellexperienced clinician is contracted to provide clinical teaching, supervision, role‐modeling ofprofessional and clinical practice skills and assessment of students in a clinical setting. Thisapproach often involves three groups of people, namely: faculty, students, and clinicians(preceptors). The preceptor in this study refers to a registered nurse who supervises andconducts clinical assessment of students in a clinical area, while at the same time isresponsible for patient care. The focus of this study was to explore preceptors' opinionsregarding the implementation of preceptorship in the diploma in the nursing curriculumdiploma in the nursing curriculum in Botswana. Emphasis was placed on seeking information onhow preceptorship is implemented, the strengths and challenges regarding its implementationand suggestions as to how it should be strengthened to contribute positively towards teachingand learning of students.Methodology: A mixed cross‐sectional descriptive design, using a survey was used. . Thedesign was adopted because of its ability to provide a broad understanding of the conceptunder study by allowing participants to share their experiences and opinions about a specifiedsituation. Both the qualitative and quantitative data were collected simultaneously. Astandardized self‐developed structured questionnaire using both closed ended and few openended questions and consisting of scaled self‐report items and checklists was used to collectdata from forty‐four (44) preceptors and three (3) third year level coordinators from the three(3) health training institutions. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, while thequalitative data were analyzed for frequency of common themes. Descriptive statistics in theform of frequency tables and charts, as well as measures of central tendencies, were used inthe analysis of quantitative data.Results: The findings revealed that preceptorship program was not well coordinated as therewere no preceptorship manuals to guide the implementation of preceptorship program. Onthe positive side, however, preceptors felt comfortable and competent to supervise and assessstudents, despite the fact that most of them had not received preceptorship training or orientation. With regard to preceptor support, it was evident that there was need for majorsupport in regard to improved communication between preceptor and faculty, improvedsupport by the health facility manager and the need for strengthening preceptor training andorientation. The majority of the respondents have recommended for preceptorship orientation/training targeted at addressing some of the following topics: Student and preceptor roles,curriculum requirements, clinical teaching and assessment skills, leadership skills and how toaccess resources from the health training institutions. A significant number of preceptors feltthat it was important to receive feedback about students' progress from faculty and to receivefeedback from students regarding their experiences in the clinical internship sites.Lastly, preceptors also felt that there was need for introducing incentives into thepreceptorship programConclusionThe key areas that emerged from the study indicated an uncoordinated and unstructuredpreceptorship program in the diploma nursing curriculum. Preceptor support is limited asevidenced by report of lack of training or orientation of preceptors to their preceptorship role.To ensure sustainability of preceptorship program there is need to improve the following areas:preceptorship training and orientation, and preceptorship support by both the health traininginstitution and the health facility managers. Key words: Preceptors, preceptorship, orientation,socialization, student assessment, and faculty support, clinical teaching, mentor, clinicalsupervisor.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University