Nurse turnover is a significant problem that has led to a nursing shortage in hospitals, particularly in rural hospitals. The nursing shortage will continue to grow if changes are not implemented to retain qualified nurses. Nurse turnover puts patients at risk for substandard care and increases healthcare-related costs, as organizations try to recoup costs to train and orient new nurses. Retention, turnover, and quality of care are important organizational drivers. One strategy that targets each of these drivers is to have newly hired nurses partake in a preceptorship, where a preceptor facilitates the assimilation and amalgamation of newly hired nurses into their role. Guided by the preceptor conceptual framework, the purpose of this project was to develop and plan a preceptor-training program, which targeted the field sites specific needs. Preceptor and preceptee roles were defined and training modules were created on topics such as communication, adult learning, diversity, time management, assessment, critical thinking, and problem solving. One master binder was created that contained the content required to teach each module of the preceptor-training program. The field site will use this information in conjunction with different delivery methods to implement and evaluate the program. The evaluation plan is to perform formative evaluation after each module is presented and summative evaluation at the conclusion of the allotted training days, using a Likert scale questionnaire. Establishing an instructive program for preceptor training may assist and support preceptors in their role; this program may also affect the preceptee's job satisfaction and ultimately, retention. Safe, efficient, quality care is the cornerstone of the social change implications in practice. Preceptors may feel better about the precepting process and patients may benefit from improved care.

The literature indicates that serving as a preceptor for new nurse graduates can be challenging and stressful without proper training in this role. Many organizations appoint preceptors without providing training and support for the role, which negatively impacts both the new nurse and the preceptor. Evidence shows that a preceptor workshop can cultivate the knowledge and skills needed to train and precept new nurse graduates. Further, there is evidence that preceptorship programs ease new graduates' transition to practice, increase employee satisfaction, and improve the quality of care provided to clients. The purpose of this developmental project was to develop a preceptor workshop to prepare registered nurses to serve in the capacity of preceptors within a local agency to ease the transition for new nurse graduates into practice, increase employee satisfaction, increase retention rates, and promote higher quality of care within organizations. The preceptor workshop proposed in this project incorporates Watson's caring theory, Benner's novice-to-expert model, and Wright's domain-specific competency assessment model. These theoretical frameworks served to guide the curriculum and design of an eight-module workshop. This workshop will be shared with the partnering organization with the recommendation for implementation and evaluation within the next year. Development of an effective training program for preceptors will result in positive social change by improving outcomes for preceptors, preceptees, the organization, and the clients. Implementing this workshop will have a positive impact on the quality of care provided to clients within the organization by the affects on retention rates, satisfaction, and transition to practice.

A non-experimental, explorative, descriptive, quantitative study was undertaken. The purpose was to explore and describe the views of preceptors and preceptees regarding the fulfillment of the role of the preceptor in selected clinical nursing practice settings in the Botswana context. The study included 72 preceptors and 200 nursing students/preceptees who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was analysed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of this study indicated that there were numerous constraints that interfered with the preceptor role in accompaniment of the preceptee. These constraints included the lack of desirable characteristics and time to plan learning opportunities, inadequate use of teaching strategies and inadequate knowledge on preceptee evaluation. Recommendations were stated for improvements in the future role of the preceptor in clinical practice settings Limitations of this study were also highlighted. / Health Studies / M.A.(Health studies)

A non-experimental, explorative, descriptive, quantitative study was undertaken. The purpose was to explore and describe the views of preceptors and preceptees regarding the fulfillment of the role of the preceptor in selected clinical nursing practice settings in the Botswana context. The study included 72 preceptors and 200 nursing students/preceptees who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was analysed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of this study indicated that there were numerous constraints that interfered with the preceptor role in accompaniment of the preceptee. These constraints included the lack of desirable characteristics and time to plan learning opportunities, inadequate use of teaching strategies and inadequate knowledge on preceptee evaluation. Recommendations were stated for improvements in the future role of the preceptor in clinical practice settings Limitations of this study were also highlighted. / Health Studies / M.A.(Health studies)