Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe hospital nurses lived experience of being a preceptor in Korea. Methods: The data were collected in three focus group interviews with 15 nurses in one general hospital. The phenomenological analytic method suggested by Colaizzi was used to analyze the data. Results: Five theme clusters and 11 themes emerged from the analysis. The five themes include inevitable rite of passage for an authentic nurse, facing new role and situations that were difficult to handle, preceptee-centered preceptorship, healing connection with colleague nurses, and enhanced status with competence. Conclusion: The findings of the study provide deep understanding on hospital nurses' positive as well as negative experiences of being a preceptor and should inform the development of a more integrative preceptorship program to empower both preceptees and preceptors
