We want to thank you for your commitment as a preceptor to advancing nursing education at Michigan State University! We value and appreciate the time and expertise you provide our students. As part of our thanks, we have developed educational modules to help set you up for success in your preceptorship. Each module offers 0.25 contact hours for successful completion of the educational content as outlined in the videos. Thank you again for sharing your clinical knowledge and excellence with the future generations of nurses.
Session description and learning outcome: Upon completion of this learning activity, participants will state increased knowledge and provide a practice application example of the roles of the preceptor.
0.25 continuing nursing education [CNE] contact hour.
Cost: FREE
Session description and learning outcome: Upon completion of this learning activity, participants will state increased knowledge and provide a practice application example of nursing learning theory and strategies of preceptorship.
0.25 continuing nursing education [CNE] contact hour.
Cost: FREE
Session description and learning outcome: Upon completion of this learning activity, participants will state increased knowledge and provide a practice application example of providing effective student feedback.
0.25 continuing nursing education [CNE] contact hour.
Cost: FREE
Session description and learning outcome: Upon completion of this learning activity, participants will state increased knowledge and provide a practice application example of navigating crucial conversations.
0.25 continuing nursing education [CNE] contact hour.
Cost: FREE
Session description and learning outcome: Upon completion of this learning activity, participants will state increased knowledge and provide a practice application example for precepting lower- and higher-performing learners.
0.25 continuing nursing education [CNE] contact hour.
Cost: FREE
Session description and learning outcome: Upon completion of this learning activity, participants will state increased knowledge and provide a practice application example of advanced feedback skills.
0.25 continuing nursing education [CNE] contact hour.
Cost: FREE
Think about each of the roles of a preceptor:
Preceptor Self-Assessment Tool | |||
Role: Teacher/Coach | |||
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Role: Leader/Influencer | |||
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Role: Facilitator | |||
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Role: Evaluator | |||
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Role: Socialization Agent | |||
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Role: Protector | |||
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Role: Role Model | |||
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1. Nurse Out Loud
Share your process and critical thinking out loud. Encourage the student to do the same to help assess clinical reasoning.
2. Repeat Yourself
Repetition can help solidify foundational knowledge, build upon it, and help connect new ideas and information.
3. Outline Clear Expectations
Ensure that the student has a good understanding of your expectations and directions.
4. Role Model in Everything You Do
Professionally conduct yourself. Eyes are always on you, and students learn from what you model.
5. Cultivate a Positive Learning Environment
A positive learning environment allows students to feel comfortable asking questions.
6. Communication is Key
Communicate clearly, effectively, and often with students and clinical faculty.
7. Provide Timely Feedback
Feedback should be constructive, specific, timely, and delivered respectfully.
8. No One Knows Everything
When you don't know something, help your student get the answer by demonstrating how and where to find the information.
| Principle | Negative Example | Positive Example |
|---|---|---|
| Constructive Feedback | Preceptor: "Ash, your patient assessments need improvement.” Student: "Can you be more specific, Alex?” Preceptor: "Just do better next time." | Preceptor: "Ash, your patient assessments are thorough, but I noticed a few opportunities for improvement in your documentation. Let's review them together.” Student: "Thanks, Alex. I appreciate the feedback. I wasn’t sure of the abdominal assessment charting.” |
| Specificity | Preceptor: "Ash, your charting needs improvement.” Student: "Can you be more specific, Alex?” Preceptor: "Just look at it and fix it. Do better next time." | Preceptor: "Ash, your patient charting is fairly thorough, but I noticed a few opportunities for improvement in your documentation of physical assessment, especially your abdominal assessment. Let's review it together.” Student: "I wasn’t sure of that area. I'll work on being more detailed in my abdominal assessment charting." |
| Timeliness | Preceptor: "Ash, I want to talk with you about your 10 am medication pass from two weeks ago. Can we talk about it later today?” Student: "Um, I don’t remember what I did that day. I’d have to look it up in my notes. I thought my med pass was ok that day as we didn’t talk more about it then." | Preceptor: "Ash, I want to talk with you about your 10 am medication pass. Can we talk about it later today?” Student: "Yes, I remember I really fumbled with the syringe and the IV tubing. I can talk later today." |
| Respectful Delivery | Preceptor: "Ash, I want to talk with you about your 10 am medication pass from two weeks ago. Can we talk about it later today?” Student: "Um, I don’t remember what I did that day. I’d have to look it up in my notes. I thought my med pass was ok that day as we didn’t talk more about it then." | Preceptor: "Ash, I want to talk with you about your 10 am medication pass. Can we talk about it later today?” Student: "Yes, I remember I really fumbled with the syringe and the IV tubing. I can talk later today." |
1. Start with the heart
Begin conversations with genuine care and concern for the other person. Create a safe environment.
2. Establish a safe space
Please make sure both parties feel comfortable expressing themselves.
3. State your concerns
Clearly outline your concerns and viewpoint. Be specific and focus on one issue at a time.
4. Focus on the results
Keep the conversation focused on achieving positive outcomes. Set a mutual goal.
5. Master your story
Retrace your path to action for the listener by explaining how and how you’ve reached these conclusions.
6. Stay focused
Keep the conversation focused on the issue at hand. Help the student stay on task.
7. Listen actively
Listen attentively to the student's perspective without interrupting. Listen without preparing a response.
8. Apply consequences
Communicate the positive and negative consequences of maintaining or changing the behaviors.
9. Explore others’ concerns
Seek to understand the motivations and concerns of the student. Restate their story to check for understanding.
10. Move to action
Collaborate on finding practical solutions and agree on specific steps.
Concept | Intention | What to say |
Start with the heart. | Begin conversation with genuine care and concern for the other person. | "I value our teamwork and want to address something that's been on my mind." |
Create a safe environment. | Establish safe space where both parties feel comfortable expressing themselves. | Mental space: |
State your concerns. | Clearly outline your concerns and viewpoint. | "I've noticed that deadlines are being missed, and it's affecting our team's productivity. Can we discuss what's going on and how we can address it?" |
Manage emotions. | Keep emotions in check to maintain constructive dialogue. | "I can see this is a sensitive topic. Let's take a moment if needed." |
Listen actively. | Demonstrate understanding by paraphrasing and asking clarifying questions. | "What I'm hearing is that you're feeling overwhelmed with the current workload. Is that correct?" |
Collaborate on solutions. | Work together to develop mutually agreeable solutions and action plans. | "Let's brainstorm some ideas on how we can better manage the workload moving forward." |
| Concept | Preceptor Application |
| Identify Learner Needs | Assessment of the learner should occur within the first days of preceptorship to identify challenges and areas of need for lower performers.
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Provide Constructive Feedback
| Schedule regular 1:1 weekly or even daily feedback sessions to discuss clinical performance, strengths, and areas for improvement. |
| Utilize Differing Teaching Strategies | Learners struggling with complex processes: break down the skill into a timeline or series of steps written on paper to enhance understanding. |
Utilize Academic and Personal Support Services
| Assess and ensure that students have needs met such as housing, sleep, transportation, and access to course materials and technology. |
Implement Unbiased Remediation Plans
| Have the learner develop a remediation plan that matches their learning style and best performance strength. |
Promote Self Care Practices
| Coach the learner on stress management, mindfulness, and work-life balance to help support well-being and mental health. |
| Concept | Preceptor Application |
| Challenge with Complexities | Increase patient load or acuity to the learner's assignment to advanced assessment skills, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
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| Encourage Autonomy | Allow the learner to discuss clinical decision-making with the interdisciplinary team to help promote confidence and independence in practice.
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Offer Mentorship Opportunities
| Pair a high-performing learner with a charge nurse, nurse manager, or leader, or create alternative assignments in specialty areas. |
Engage in System-Level Thinking
| Encourage high performers to engage in quality improvement or nursing research activities within the unit or organization. |
Utilize Reflective Practices
| Incorporate reflective practice, such as self-assessment activities within daily workload to promote continuous self-improvement. |
Offer Specialized Education Opportunities
| Allow observation of differing clinical practices or care areas. Include the learner in nursing research, healthcare policy, and QI. |
Tanner’s Model | Possible Questions or Guidance to Promote Clinical Judgment | Positive Examples of Dialogue |
| Reflecting |
| Tyler: "After starting the IV, what went well, and what could we do differently next time?" Jalen: "I think I did well with the insertion technique, but I could improve on my communication with the patient to help them feel more at ease." |
| Noticing Cues |
| Tyler: "Jalen, did you notice the patient's veins seem more prominent in their left arm?" Jalen: "Yes, I noticed that too. It looks like it could be a good site for an IV." |
| Interpreting and Prioritizing |
| Tyler: "Jalen, based on the patient's history of difficult venous access, what do you think might be the best approach for starting the IV?" Jalen: "I think that maybe we should try warming the patient's arm with a warm towel to vasodilate the veins before attempting the IV insertion." |
| Responding |
| Tyler: "Do you think you have everything you need? Should we double-check the supplies?" Jalen: "I think I’d also like to talk through the order in which I’ll use the supplies." |
5 C’s of Reflecting with Students | Negative Examples of Dialogue | Positive Examples of Dialogue |
| Create Time | Tyler: "Jalen, I don't have time to talk about this so just write it up in your paperwork this week." | Tyler: "Jalen, let's plan to talk about your med pass right afterward for a few minutes, ok? I'll be interested to hear how you think it went." |
| Continuous | Tyler: "Jalen, we talked about med passes in Week One so we don't need to talk about it again." | Tyler: "Jalen, let's plan to talk about your med pass right afterward for a few minutes as we usually do each week, ok?" |
| Connected | Tyler: "I know we just finished your med pass, but can we instead talk about your upcoming assessment? We can talk about med pass later this week." | Tyler: "I know you have an assessment coming up, but since we just finished your med pass, let's touch base on it while it's fresh." |
| Challenging | Tyler: "You just started that IV. It was good, right?" | Tyler: "You just started that IV. I am hearing you say it went good. Can you tell me more about what specifically went well?" |
| Contextualized | Tyler: "You just started that IV. It was good, right?" | Tyler: "You just started that IV. I am hearing you say it went good. What might you do differently if this were the Emergency Department?" |
5 C’s of Reflecting with Self | Negative Examples of Dialogue | Positive Examples of Dialogue |
| Create Time | I'm so tired, I don't even want to think about this week. | Today was rough. I'm going to go back through this later tonight or tomorrow. I think I'll touch base with the other instructors as well for their perspective. |
| Continuous | Well, Week one is done and I gave them some feedback, they should be good to go! | I feel as if I am getting better at incorporating feedback into my time management. I'm going to make a plan to do the same next week. |
| Connected | I know I should dive into what happened today, but I just can't right now. | Today was rough. I think I'll do a 'brain dump' onto a piece of paper so I can check back in when I feel more ready. |
| Challenging | I think that went ok. I know that Jalen thinks he did well and I told him so, but how can I get him to raise the bar? | I think I'll ask him to write it out. I want to show him he's capable of doing more. |
| Contextualized | This student group will be over soon and I won't have to think about this again. I'm sure it will all be different next time. | This semester was my first and I did ok. I'm going to keep weekly check-ins next semester, but I'll need to do something differently if I really have a challenging student. |
In addition to module CE contact hours, preceptors may claim state of Michigan continuing education (CE) credit for precepting!
A preceptorship must be for a minimum of 24 preceptor hours with a preceptor ratio of one student or employee to one preceptor. 24 preceptor hours equals one continuing education hour. Preceptors can claim up to five continuing education (CE) contact hours per licensure renewal cycle in Michigan / every two years. If audited, an applicant shall submit written documentation from the educational institution or preceptor’s supervisor verifying the dates and hours of the preceptorship. There is no set format or form for documentation for hours or participant verification.
The Michigan Public Health Code Administrative Rules language, reference numbers and breakdown of continuing education hours calculation and details for your reference can be found here (pp. 45-49).