Preceptor Training: A Quantitative Study to Determine the Effectiveness of a Formal Preceptor Training Program for Medical-Surgical Nurse Preceptors

Nurse preceptors are essential to the success of new graduate registered nurses entering the workforce. Nurse preceptors serve to improve the competence and confidence of new graduate registered nurses during their transition to practice. To be an effective nurse preceptor, the nurse preceptor needs to be properly trained. A trained nurse preceptor understands the roles and responsibilities of a nurse preceptor. As they utilize their formal training, they increase their skills and capabilities. A positive experience during the transition to practice process may improve nurse retention and patient outcomes. The focus of this quantitative, descriptive research study was to determine the effectiveness of a formal preceptor training program for medical-surgical nurses in an acute care hospital. QuestionPro, an online survey website, was used to collect data from a convenience sample of nurse preceptors. The nurse preceptor’s participation was voluntary and informed consent was obtained prior to enrollment in the research study. A total of 22 nurse preceptors completed the Capabilities of Nurse Educators (CONE) prequestionnaire while a total of 17 nurse preceptors completed the CONE postquestionnaire after participating in formal preceptor training. The nurse preceptors reported improvement in the perception of their capabilities from the CONE prequestionnaire to the CONE post-questionnaire. The findings support the importance of developing and implementing a formal preceptor training program for medical-surgical nurses in the acute care setting