Developing a collaborative research partnership.

This article details a collaborative research project undertaken in an acute NHS foundation trust, in partnership with a local higher education institution (HEI). The article identifies enablers and challenges to working in this type of collaboration and discusses the implications for the development of similar projects

A preceptorship toolkit for nurse managers, teams and healthcare organisations

The transition from student to newly qualified nurse can be challenging. A period of preceptorship is recommended to support newly qualified nurses in their new work environment, and to give them time to adapt and gain confidence. Researchers have developed a toolkit based on previous research that contains several resources that nurse managers, teams and organisations can use to develop and improve preceptorship for newly qualified nurses. The toolkit includes an organisational support tool, a managerial support framework, a supernumerary time tool and a local culture of support tool. This article describes these resources and gives an example of how the toolkit can be adapted locally.Chesterfield Royal Hospital funded the original research project upon which this is base

Supporting newly qualified nurses in the UK: a systematic literature review

Aim: This is a systematic literature review of the existing published research related to the development of preceptorship to support newly qualified nurses in the United Kingdom (UK). Background: It has been known for some time that newly qualified nurses experience a period of unsettling transition at the point of registration. In the UK, preceptorship has been the professional body’s recommended solution to this for over 20 years. Data Sources: Searches were made of the CINAHL Plus and MEDLINE databases. Review Methods: A systematic review was carried out in August 2011. Twelve separate searches were conducted generating 167 articles, of which 24 were finally reviewed. Papers were critically reviewed and relevant data were extracted and synthesised using an approach based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis ( PRISMA). Results and Discussion: A results table is presented of the twenty-four sources generated by the systematic search. Three themes were identified from the empirical evidence base: ‘Managerial Support Framework’; ‘Recruitment and Retention’; and ‘Reflection and Critical Thinking in Action’;. Conclusion: There is strong evidence that the newly qualified nurse benefits from a period of supported and structured preceptorship, which translates to improved recruitment and retention for the employing organisations. Recommendations for Further Research and Practice: The existing literature provides an evidence base upon which to construct a preceptorship programme and a means by which to measure its efficacy and monitor its future development. Case study research projects should be considered for future preceptorship programmes in order to find the most effective methods of delivery.Research funded by Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Trus

Outcomes of a research project to identify the enablers and barriers to effective preceptorship for newly qualified nurses

Poster presentationFunded by Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Trus

Preceptorship programmes in the UK: A systematic literature review

This is a systematic literature review of the existing published research related to the development of preceptorship programmes in the UK. It has been known for some time that newly qualified nurses experience a period of unsettling transition at the point of registration. In the UK preceptorship has been the professional body’s recommended solution to this for over 20 years. Searches were made of the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and AMED. A systematic review was carried out based on the following questions: What is the experience of the preceptee? What is the experience of the preceptor? What are the ways of measuring the outcome of the preceptorship process? What are potential ways of measuring the outcome of other transitional periods in industries outside of the nursing profession? What are the ways of assessing the learning environment and learner needs? Papers were critically reviewed and relevant data were extracted and synthesised. A results table is presented of the 39 sources generated by the systematic search. Eight themes were identified from the empirical evidence base: ‘Managerial Support Framework’; ‘Recognition and Status of Role’; ‘Protected Time for Preceptor and Preceptee’; ‘Education Preparation of Preceptors’; ‘Recruitment and Retention’; ‘Competence of Preceptees’; ‘Reflection and critical thinking in action’; and ‘Efficacy of Existing Measurement Tools’. There is strong evidence that the newly qualified nurse wants and benefits from a period of structured preceptorship. This translates to improved patient care and benefits recruitment and retention for the employing organisations. Recommendations for Practice: The existing literature provides an evidence base upon which to construct a preceptorship programme and a means by which to measure its efficacy and monitor its future development. Recommendations for Future Research: Case study research projects should be considered for future preceptorship programmes in order to find the most effective methods of delivery.Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Trus

Preceptorship Research Project Report: Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS foundation trust

Nurse education in the UK has been solely university based since the mid-1990s but despite careful preparation and assessment of student nurses it has been considered necessary to provide a period of additional support for Newly Qualified Nurses (NQNs) to help them settle into their new role and responsibilities. Preceptorship is the process of supporting NQNs over this transition period from student to registered nurse and it is recognised that this can be a stressful and difficult time for NQNs. This project developed from work already undertaken by the clinical placement learning team at Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and was led by the University of Derby in partnership with them and took a case study approach to evaluating how preceptees and their preceptors are supported in practice; what their expectations are and what factors in the clinical area support or inhibit transition to qualified nurse. A systematic review was conducted as part of this project (Whitehead et al 2012 and 2013). The evidence suggests that properly resourced and organised preceptorship is a positive and essential experience for NQNs and their employers. Negative experiences come from an absence of preceptorship; preceptorship being offered but not fully delivered; and feelings of poor self-confidence despite having sufficient competence. The implication of this is that organisations can improve their likelihood of producing reliable and competent registered nurses (RNs) by the introduction of properly resourced and organised preceptorship frameworks. Recommendations for practice and for further research are made. A modified version of Lincoln and Guba’s Naturalistic Inquiry (1985) was used. This provided an authoritative and reliable ontological framework upon which to base the project. A qualitative case study method was developed and consisted of a multistage approach to data collection including semi-structured interviews with key personnel; documentary analysis of preceptorship material and focus groups with key actors. Ten interviews and five focus groups were undertaken with a total of 40 focus group participants. The participants were purposively sampled from representative groups within the Trust. NVivo was used to support analysis and ethical approval was attained for the project. Findings are grouped under the headings of: preceptor training; preceptor support; experiences of preceptorship; what the nurse should be like at the end of a period of preceptorship and the use of the tool. In addition further themes emerged from the findings in relation to indicators for successful transition; formal recognition of preceptor role; confidence and resilience; culture of support including peer support and management structure to support preceptorship; selection and preparation of preceptors and clinical skills. It is evident that there are a range of factors which are seen to affect the success or otherwise of the preceptorship period and the transition to confident RN. The findings indicate that there are a range of factors which are reported to affect the successful transition from student to NQN with the period of preceptorship in this case. These are : the selection and preparation of preceptors; a need to formally recognise the preceptor role; specific time to engage with preceptorship ; a management structure to support preceptors and preceptorship; the individualisation of preceptorship needs and ways to ensure successful preparation of students and NQNs ; the acquisition of the right clinical skills for the job; the culture of support; peer support for preceptees and preceptors; the confidence and resilience of preceptees and technological support processes. Based on these factors recommendations are made for this case in practice and for further research generally.Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Trus