Nursing Education and Preceptorship, Clinical Teaching Associate, Paired, Academia Service Partnerships as Teaching Models
Preceptorship as a Teaching Model In Nursing Education, Clinical Teaching Associate Model In Nursing Education, Paired Model In Nursing Education, Academia Service Partnerships as a Model In Nursing Education.
Preceptorship as a Teaching Model In Nursing Education
Preceptorship is a teaching model in which the student is assigned to a nurse who serves as a preceptor. Preceptors are experienced nurses who facilitate and evaluate student learning in the clinical area during a specified time. Their role is intentionally implemented in conjunction with other responsibilities related to patient care in the clinical environment.
The preceptor model is based on the assumption that a consistent one-on-one relationship provides opportunities for socialization into practice and bridges the gap between theory and practice. The preceptor model may be used at several levels. However, it is considered to be particularly useful for senior-level students and graduate students in advanced practice roles.
Use at these levels provides opportunities for students to synthesize theoretical knowledge and apply information, including evidence-based research, in the practice environment. This method is also an excellent way for students to practice collaboration. Theoretically, the preceptor provides one-on-one teaching, guidance, and support, and serves as a role model.
In one model (Billings, Jeffries, Rowles, Stone, & Urden, 2002), the preceptor, faculty, and student form a triad to facilitate the student’s acquisition of clinical competencies. The preceptor may be assigned to a student on the basis of shared learning needs.
The preceptor and student meet before the first clinical experience to discuss learning styles and goals for competency attainment and the desired outcome of the clinical experience. Although faculty have ultimate responsibility for the course and students’ learning outcomes, the student and preceptor are empowered to conduct formative and summative evaluations of the student’s clinical performance and learning outcomes.
In the Integrative Clinical Preceptor Model (Mallette, Laury, Engleke, & Andrews, 2005; Mamhidir, Kristofferzon, Hellström-Hyson, Persson, & Mårtensson, 2014), the student assumes a proactive role, not only as a student, but also as a member of the health care team. In this model, the preceptor assumes responsibilities as a clinical teacher, mentor, and role model, and faculty serve as a role model and facilitator for the preceptor and the student as well as a consultant.
Preceptors are expected to be clinical experts, to be willing to teach, and to be able to teach effectively (McClure & Black, 2013). Benefits that have been derived from preceptorships include enhanced ability to apply theory to practice, improvement in psychomotor skills, increased self-confidence, and improved socialization.
In a preceptorship, the role of the nursing faculty transitions from direct instruction to an emphasis on facilitation and evaluation. Preceptors and faculty must work in a close relationship). Faculty provide the link between practice and education. In providing this link, faculty monitor how well the students complete assignments and accomplish outcomes.
Evaluation is a collaborative responsibility of faculty, students, and preceptors but most nurse practice acts require the faculty to assume accountability for evaluating the student’s attainment of learning outcomes. The use of preceptors requires that planning be done to ensure an understanding of their role.
Ideally this is facilitated through strategically planned orientation and follow-up sessions; some schools of nursing offer workshops or courses to orient preceptors to their role (McClure & Black, 2013; Smedley & Penney, 2009). These sessions provide a forum for sharing information related to the philosophical perspectives of preceptorship, expected outcomes, teaching strategies, and methods of evaluation.
Because roles change for faculty, students, and preceptors, all require orientation to new roles (McClure & Black, 2013; Mallette et al., 2005). The value of the preceptor model is generally related to providing students a sense of independence for patient care and the ability to develop a professional identity.
Preceptors and clinical agencies also value the preceptor model because preceptors develop additional skill sets related to teaching and the clinical agency that stands to benefit from hiring a well-prepared graduate.
Clinical Teaching Associate Model In Nursing Education
The clinical teaching associate (CTA) model involves a staff nurse who collaborates with a designated faculty member and instructs a specified number of students in the clinical area (Baird, Bopp, Schofer, Langenberg, & Matheis-Kraft, 1994; DeVoogd & Saldbenblatt, 1989). Teaching responsibilities are assumed by the CTA, who also serves as a resource person and role model.
A faculty member serves as lead teacher and is responsible for supervision and evaluation of clinical learning experiences, including assignment of grades and collaboration with the CTA about assignments and experiences. Results from a survey of nurse managers, CTAs, faculty, and students conducted to determine the effectiveness of this model were positive (Baird et al., 1994).
Positive comments were presented in terms of student learning. Patient satisfaction with care was reported to be greater than with the traditional model. Nurses in the CTA role reported an increase in student confidence. Faculty reported that students were more relaxed and more self-confident. The effectiveness of the model was reported by students as allowing them to assume increased responsibility in comparison with the traditional model.
Paired Model In Nursing Education
The paired model is designed to pair a student and a staff nurse for a practicum experience. It is an alternative to the one-patient, one student model and is a variation of the preceptor model. This model is often used in combination with the Dedicated Education Model and in community-based setting such as an ambulatory care center or clinic.
During the course, each student has a specified number of days in a paired relationship. The remaining time is spent acquiring experiences by using the traditional model. The staff nurse plans the learning experience; the faculty member oversees the experiences while creating a learning environment for students.
However, most of the faculty member’s time is spent in the traditional role with other students who have not been paired. To enhance the effectiveness of the paired model, it is essential that the staffing pattern be evaluated before making assignments.
Academia Service Partnerships as a Model In Nursing Education
The clinical teaching partnership is a collaborative model shared by service and academia settings to enhance mutual goals of developing nurses competent for practice and creating safe practice environments. Partnerships are also formed to create new models of clinical instruction and increase student and faculty capacity in nursing programs (Delunas & Rooda, 2009; Nielsen et al., 2013).
Although these partnerships take different forms, they are established collaboratively and result in redesigned clinical education experiences for students and faculty as well as for the nurses at the clinical agency. Academic and service partnerships are a promising framework to address the nursing faculty shortage.
In one early partnership model, the service institution shared the resources of nurses, a clinical nurse specialist (CNS), and an academic faculty member (Shah & Pennypacker, 1992). The CNS serves as an adjunct faculty member who provides patient assignments. The academic faculty member schedules the experiences.
Jointly they collaborate in evaluating assignments facilitating learning experiences and assessing students’ performance. Communication is reciprocal and essential to the success of this model. The faculty member shares information about problems that may influence students’ performance.
The CNS keeps the faculty member abreast of current student performance. Both schedule conferences to discuss anecdotal records of students. Murray et al. (2010) report that students in their partnership model were better integrated into the clinical setting and increased levels of critical thinking and clinical decision making.