The Effectiveness of Preceptorship Programs in Improving Clinical Competence among Novice Nurses: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Novice nurses face considerable challenges in transitioning from education to clinical practice, including a lack of preparedness, low confidence, and workplace pressures that may compromise care quality. Preceptorship has been introduced to facilitate adaptation and competency development, yet its effectiveness requires systematic evaluation. Objective: To analyze the effectiveness of preceptorship programs in enhancing novice nurses’ clinical competence and to identify supporting factors and implementation challenges. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using the PICO framework. Articles were retrieved from ScienceDirect, PubMed, ProQuest, and Google Scholar with the keywords nurse, preceptorship program, and clinical competence. Eligible studies included quantitative research published between 2019 and 2025 in English or Indonesian. Ten articles meeting the criteria were synthesized narratively. Results: Preceptorship programs were effective in improving clinical competence, particularly knowledge, technical skills, confidence, and self-efficacy. Supporting factors included preceptor readiness, adequate training, manageable workload, and managerial support. Challenges included inconsistent preceptor rotation, time constraints, and a lack of standardized program structures. Conclusion: Preceptorship is an effective strategy to support novice nurses’ professional transition and strengthen clinical competence. Structured implementation, supported by trained preceptors and institutional commitment, is crucial to optimizing program benefits and improving nursing care quality. Keywords: Clinical competence, Clinical nursing, Novice nurses, Professional mentoring, PreceptorshipThe transition period for new nurses is often characterized by adaptation-related stress, limited clinical experience, and insufficient supervision. Preceptorship offers structured support that helps accelerate competency development and enhance clinical readiness for practice. To evaluate the effectiveness of preceptorship programs in improving clinical competence in novice nurses.  A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and Google Scholar from August 2019 to April 2025, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines and registered PROSPERO protocol. This review included quantitative studies involving new nurses who received structured preceptorship interventions with clinical competency as the primary outcome. Eligible study designs comprised randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, uncontrolled pre–post trials, and cross-sectional surveys. Qualitative studies, student-based programs, and orientations without preceptors were excluded. Two reviewers independently conducted study selection, data extraction, and methodological quality appraisal using the JBI critical appraisal tools. The findings were synthesized narratively. Ten studies consistently demonstrated that preceptorship programs improved clinical competence, confidence, and readiness for practice. Eight studies reported significant improvements (p < 0.05). Effective programs included individualized supervision, structured feedback, and standardized competency assessments. Critical success factors included preceptor readiness, continuity of preceptorship, organizational support, and reduced transition shock. The findings indicate that well-structured preceptorship programs can enhance the clinical competence and self-confidence of novice nurses. Healthcare institutions are encouraged to adopt standardized preceptorship frameworks, allocate adequate resources, and provide ongoing training and support for preceptors to strengthen practice readiness, improve quality of care, and promote nurse retention.