Perception of Preceptor and Student Nurse Partnership on Clinical Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Preceptorship is a model of clinical training in which a qualified nurse, referred to as a preceptor, is assigned to one or a group of nursing students, for the purpose of facilitating learning in the clinical setting. This study was done in Maua Methodist {M. M. H (Meru County, Kenya)} and Preyspeterian Churches East Africa (P. C. E. A) Chogoria (Tharaka-Nthi County, Kenya) hospitals in Meru, Kenya and its main objective was to determine the perceived need for preceptor-student nurse partnership in nursing training institution. A sample size of one hundred (100) respondents was randomly selected from a target population of one hundred and eighty (180) preceptees, by use of convenient sampling method. Ten (10) preceptors were also selected conveniently to participate in the study. One hundred and ten (110) questionnaires were distributed out of which ninety nine (99) were received back {(ninety-one-91) from preceptees and eight (8) from preceptors)}. Both, qualitative and quantitative descriptive survey designs was utilized. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the resultant data. Regarding to the importance of having preceptors, results showed that eighty five out of ninety {85/90 (94.44%)} of the student nurses agreed that they are important while three (33.33%) disagreed. Eight out of nine {8/9 (88.88%)} of the preceptors agreed on the importance of preceptorship while one {1/9 (11.11%)} was not sure. The reasons according to students why they need these preceptors included; provision of directions and guidelines (90%), supervision (79%), resolve clinical conflicts between them and staff nurses (76%) and to have a role model to emulate (83%). For the preceptors-to have a good working environment (78%) and to act as role model (56%). Hence the need for the student-preceptor partnership during students nurses training period.