Top 11 attributes of a GREAT Nurse Preceptor
Do you remember what it was like to be a new nurse?
I do,I was terrified… but my preceptors made all the difference.
Great preceptors remember where they started and likely remember how they felt.
Hopefully they had great preceptors who pushed them to be their best, but did so with respect and compassion. If not, they most likely learned "what not to do" and they precept with that in mind.
Who are nurse preceptors?
Nurse preceptors are experienced staff nurses who serve as a resource and role model for newly employed staff nurses (new graduates and/or new to the institution).
The foundation of a great nurse preceptor is their passion for nursing and a willingness to teach.
They want their preceptee to succeed and become a valuable member of the nursing profession.
Great nurse preceptors hope to one day say
"I trust you to take care of me or my family".
What does a nurse preceptor do?
They are a teacher, mentor, coach and role model for new nursing staff and/or nursing students.
They are vital in welcoming new staff members and giving them the resources they need to succeed.
Top 11 Attributes of a Great Nurse Preceptor:
They help others become competent and valuable members of the team.
They accomplish this by:
Teaching, socializing, mentoring and being a role model
Assessing learning needs and setting goals
Assessing clinical competence
Documenting progress
Promoting critical thinking and problem solving
Sharing unwritten rules with the preceptee (i.e. best way to trade shifts in their department).
Being respectful & professional
I was blessed to have great preceptors to help me transition from student to nurse. I know not everyone has the same experience and I have heard about some really difficult transitions that make me cringe.
However, great preceptors make it their goal to welcome and encourage new staff so they become valuable members of our great profession and their organization.
2. They have the desire to teach.
They introduce the preceptee to their new role by teaching them:
The layout of the department (breakroom, lockers, bathrooms, med-rooms etc.)
When/where to report
Where to find supplies
Available resources
Equipment storage & use
Skills
Clinical reasoning & problem solving
Policies & procedures
Procedures
Time management
Delegation & Prioritization
They understand adult principles of learning, assess learning styles and set goals with their preceptee.
Assessing learning styles:
We tend to teach in the same way we like to learn, however, a great preceptor will understand that their learning style won't be suitable for everyone.
A good place for a preceptor to start is to learn the 3 types of learning styles:
Visual (seeing)
Verbal (listening)
Kinesthetic (doing)
They should be aware of their own personal learning style to better understand this concept. There are multiple evaluation tools online that the preceptor can use to do this.
Their next step is to learn a few ways to adapt their teaching style to the learning style of their preceptee.
For example, the preceptor may learn by hearing, but the preceptee needs to see and do. If the preceptor teaches the same way they like to learn, the preceptee is less likely to succeed and both may quickly become frustrated.
Their preceptee may be better suited to practicing a procedure (through simulation) before doing it, rather than just by listening to the preceptor explain it.
3. They are socializers
Anyone who has started a new job knows what it's like to feel nervous and scared the first day (or more). A great preceptor will help the new nurse feel welcome and will help them adjust to the organization, department, culture and resources.
Preceptors help the preceptee build relationships by introducing their preceptee to their peers such as:
Nurses
Managers, Directors, Nursing Supervisors
Nursing Assistants
Medical Assistants
Doctors
Respiratory Therapists
Physical Therapists
Occupational Therapists
Radiology Technicians
Pharmacists
Case Managers
Chaplains
(The list of team members is vast and may differ based on the healthcare setting.)
This introduction accomplishes two things:
It helps the existing staff to know "this person is new and at this stage of learning"
It helps the new staff member feel welcome, create personal connections and know their resources
Example introduction:
"Patsy, this is Andrea. Andrea just graduated from the University of _____ Nursing Program. She will be precepting with us on day shift for 6 weeks."
"Andrea, this is Patsy, she has worked in our department for several years, she is our EMR super user and IV expert, and she's a fabulous cook."
This introduction tells Patsy that Andrea is a new grad nurse starting from scratch, and lets Andrea know how Patsy can be a resource for her and it gives her something to relate to on a personal level.
4. Encourage self care
Feeling welcomed and being set up for success are key factors when it comes to staff satisfaction and retention.
New nurses may be scared to ask questions like where the restrooms are, when lunchtime normally occurs or where they can keep their personal belongings, lunch and drinks.
A great preceptor knows to give them all of this information up front and encourage them to speak up if they need anything. This helps the new nurse know that they are cared for and that they will be able to meet their basic needs. Establishing this safe environment helps them relax and learn.
They encourage self-care
Transitioning from being a student to nurse (or novice to expert) can take a toll, so it's important to make sure the preceptee is caring for themselves at home as well as at work. Great preceptors will encourage the new nurse to hydrate, eat well, exercise,, get plenty of rest and manage stress when they are not on shift.
5. They serve as a role model by exhibiting:
Exceptional Clinical Performance
Empathy
Professionalism
Leadership
Conflict Resolution
Lifelong Learning
Patient Advocacy
Staff Advocacy
Adherence to Policy & Procedure
They also utilize evidence-based practice.
They change their practice based on evidence and what is best for the patient. In other words, they don't just do something because that's the way it's always been. They keep up with changing standards, policies, procedures & guidelines.
6. They are life-long learners
“Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses. We must be learning all of our lives. ”
Great preceptors recognize that nurses are never done learning.
They know that they will learn something new everyday. They keep up with their continuing education and they look up procedures, policies, patient populations, diseases or medications they are not familiar with to keep their knowledge current.
They also have the ability to self-reflect and learn from their mistakes.
To become a great preceptor they will transition from their role as staff nurse to preceptor. It takes a different approach to step back and watch/teach rather than "do".
Attending a preceptor course in their organization is usually the first step in acquiring these new skills.
7. Adjust to their preceptee's level of experience
A great preceptor will meet the preceptee "where they are at" in terms of experience. They will assess their knowledge and set a foundation before moving on to more complex topics.
They delegate appropriate patients and skills based on the preceptee's level of understanding and experience.
They understand that new graduate nurses may not understand all of our "lingo" and to not make assumptions about the preceptee's understanding.
The same concept applies for a nurse transferring from a different specialty or setting.
It is important to remember that they may be transitioning and are somewhere on the spectrum of novice to expert. They may be adjusting to a new organization, department or role. These nurses may understand basic terminology, but they may not have been exposed to the specialty or the complex skills in their new setting.
Great preceptors recognize the importance of answering questions without judgement or criticism in order to create a safe learning environment where the preceptee is not scared to ask questions.
Trend Alert:
There has been a trend over the last few years of utilizing preceptors for different stages of orientation. Some departments have realized that preceptor's may thrive at different stages of orientation and divide the orientation accordingly.
For example, one preceptor may excel at laying the foundation and orienting for the first few weeks, where another may be great at fostering time management and caring for complex patients.
8. They provide feedback & evaluation
They set expectations and provide constructive feedback respectfully.
It's important to have conversations about expectations and goals on the front end.
This creates a pathway for possibly difficult conversations without tearing down all the hard work and trust that has been built.
Example:
The preceptor will review the preceptee's competency checklists and goals for the week or day with them at the beginning of their shift (if possible). This creates a bridge to conversation if the preceptee is not meeting expectations or goals.
They could say something like "it looks like our goal was for you to take care of 3 patients independently this week, but we only made it to 2. Let's plan on working towards that next shift. How can we work towards that goal together?"
Or if their time management is the concern, they could say "let's see if we can find a tool that might help you with your time management" or "let's work on charting faster so you will be able to see more patients".
Great preceptors will also periodically communicate with the Clinical Nurse Educator, Manager and/or Director of their department to discuss the preceptee's progress.
9. Good listeners
Safety is the first reason to be a good listener.
A preceptor who doesn't listen may not recognize when a preceptee is expressing discomfort and is not ready to perform a task. They may also miss that the preceptee has valid concerns about a patient who is decompensating.
Listening helps them know when to consider new ideas.
They listen to and evaluate suggestions from new staff. Those coming from different areas of the hospital or other facilities often have great ideas. A good preceptor knows when it is time to entertain those ideas.
New graduate nurses often come to the department having learned new trends and changes in practice in school. Their ideas are fresh and worth looking into. Great preceptors don't assume that their way is the right way just because that's what they've always done.
10. Have excellent interpersonal skills
The best preceptors I had were the one's who knew how to communicate effectively with me. This was especially important in the busy or critical times. If they felt like it was a time to move quickly, they would tell me.
It sounded something like "ok, this patient is not stable, we need to get them some extra help, so follow me and watch, I will explain everything to you later". That helped me understand that it was time to be supportive and help rather than the time to be independent.
The flip side of that was when they would pull me into a skill or situation they knew I needed to see or practice when the time was right. They were setting me up for success in both of these situations.
11. They are protectors (patient & staff advocate)
Patient Advocate
This one may sound odd to you, but the "protector hat" is a very important role of the preceptor. This starts by being a patient advocate and protecting patients from lack of knowledge, experience or skills of the new nurse.
As staff nurses, being a patient advocate is not a new role, but this is a delicate balance that great preceptors learn to navigate.
Staff Advocate
They also serve as protectors to the new nurse. They remember new staff are in a more vulnerable position and may not have the ability to brush off certain behaviors of their peers, patients or co-workers.
They are aware of signs of bullying or lateral violence such as:
Talking behind someone's back
Purposely withholding information
Not offering to help when the new nurse needs it
Ignoring questions
Eye Rolling
Great preceptors will do their best to look out for the new nurse and protect them from bullying or lateral violence. They will also model professional behavior and not feed into the bullying behaviors of their peers.
In Summary
Great nurse preceptors know it's important to create a safe learning environment so their preceptee has the best chance of becoming the kind of nurse that they would tell "I am confident that if you were caring for me or my family, we would have amazing care".
The top 11 Attributes of a Great Nurse Preceptor Include:
Helping others become competent and valuable members of the team
Having the desire to teach
Being socializers
Encouraging self care
Acting as role models
Being life-long learners
Adjusting to their preceptee's level of experience
Providing feedback & evaluation
Being good listeners
Having excellent interpersonal skills
Being protectors (patient & staff Advocate)
References:
Dzaher, A. (2017). Qualities a Strong Nurse Preceptor Should Possess. MIMS Today.
https://today.mims.com/qualities-a-strong-nurse-preceptor-should-possess
The Daily Nurse: The Pulse of Nursing. (2019). 7 Ways to be an Amazing Preceptor to a New Grad Nurse https://dailynurse.com/7-ways-to-be-an-amazing-preceptor-to-a-new-grad-nurse/
The Sentinel Watch. (2017). Becoming a Preceptor to a New Nurse https://www.americansentinel.edu/blog/2017/01/03/becoming-a-preceptor-to-a-new-nurse/
Hendricks-Jackson, L. & Hawkes, B. (2017). Nursing Professional Development 4th Edition. Nursing Knowledge Center: Silver Spring, MD.
Nurse Leader Insider (2019). What makes a good preceptor?https://www.hcpro.com/NRS-243806-4931/In-the-know-What-makes-a-good-preceptor.html
Wolters Kluwer (2016). 9 qualities of effective nursing preceptor programs. https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/9-qualities-of-effective-nursing-preceptor-programs
