Clinical teaching models: a review of the role of preceptor in the undergraduate nursing program.

The relatively recent transition of nursing education in Australia from a hospital-based apprenticeship, into the higher education sector has been marked by an acknowledgement that the clinical knowledge of undergraduate student nurses is at risk of becoming separated from their theoretical knowledge. The length of time which student nurses spend on clinical placements experiencing the complexities of the clinical world is diminishing, partly in response to economic constraints on universities and health care agencies. This contrasts with an expectation that students will be safe and competent practitioners immediately on graduation. The preceptor model is being increasingly used in the final semester of the undergraduate-nursing course to facilitate the development of critically thinking, reflective practitioners. This paper examines some of the assumptions that have been made about preceptorship in its adoption into the Australian nursing education context. It is concluded that further research into the experiences of registered nurses in the preceptor role may increase our understanding of the potential of preceptorship as a clinical teaching model which can meet the future needs of both nursing education and nursing service.