Preceptor

The clinical preceptor acts as the clinical expert helping students’ experience real world nursing.  Specific areas to be addressed is time management skills, delegation, communication, and quality improvement.

The role of the preceptor for Undergraduate BSN students is to:

• Meet with the student to develop a professional relationship and schedule.
• Communicate with student’s Clinical Faculty.
• Orient the student to agency policies, procedure, and physical environment.
• Introduces student to the unit nursing staff and health team members.
• Discusses unit philosophies, expectations, policies, and informal unit organization with the student.
• Provides learning opportunities which meet the course objectives and student’s learning goals in collaboration with faculty.
• Provides direct supervision for all medication administration.  Preceptor shall determine if and when a particular medication should be given by student.
• Facilitates and supervises student experience in accord with course objectives.
• At start of each clinical day, discusses with the student goals for the day, nursing care activities, and evaluation of nursing student’s learning needs for the day.
• Prepare daily client assignments in accordance with the individual student’s learning goals and ability.
• Serves as resource person for the student.
• Serves as a positive role model for the student in area of clinical expertise, knowledge, and professional attitudes.
• Guide student to complete agency preparation for clinical practice such as computer program or medication test if required.
• Shares perceptions of on-going progress of student’s clinical performance with the student and faculty.
• Notify the student if report off or cancellation of a shift has occurred.
• Verify Clinical Hours log.
• Complete Student Evaluation at midterm and completion of course.
• Contacts the faculty to inform, clarify, and/or mediate any problems/issues, such as tardiness, failure to fulfill contracted days, appearance, lack of professional conduct, etc. as soon as possible after issues occur.