Effectiveness of a preceptors' social support program to aid novice nurses' error experience on preceptors' skill and novice nurses' perception of social support: A quasi-experimental study

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of the preceptors' social support program (PSSP) on preceptors' social support skill—supportive relationships and post-error support—and novice nurses' perception of received social support. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group of a non-random assigned sample of 47 preceptors and novice nurses and an intervention group of 48 each. Intervention group preceptors received training in building supportive relationships skill and post-error support skills three times in the PSSP over 7 months. Preceptors' social support skill and novice nurses' perception of received social support were measured as primary outcomes. Data were collected at baseline (T0), 1 month after the second session (T1), and 1 month after the last session (T2) and analyzed. Results: No significant differences in demographics or scores were shown at baseline (T0). Preceptors in the intervention group showed significantly better supportive relationships (T2, 101.6 ± 9 vs. 96.9 ± 7.6, 95% CI [0.95, 8.42], p =.015) and better performance of post-error support (T2, 67.6 ± 5 vs. 62 ± 6.5, 95% CI [2.78, 8.32], p