Preceptors’ perceptions of supporting nursing students in prison health services: A qualitative study

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Embargoed until: 2022-01-11
Author(s)
Needham, Judith
van de Mortel, Thea F
Year published
2020
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Background: Our university commenced clinical placements for third-year nursing students in Prison Health Services (PHS) in 2014. Registered nurse preceptors employed in these services facilitated students’ experiential workplace learning, assessed their competence and assisted them to meet course objectives in this challenging environment. To date, no studies have examined preceptors’ experiences of supporting students in the prison health setting.
Aim: The study aim was to investigate preceptors’ perceptions of supporting nursing students undertaking clinical placements in PHS, in order to inform development of resources ...
View more >Background: Our university commenced clinical placements for third-year nursing students in Prison Health Services (PHS) in 2014. Registered nurse preceptors employed in these services facilitated students’ experiential workplace learning, assessed their competence and assisted them to meet course objectives in this challenging environment. To date, no studies have examined preceptors’ experiences of supporting students in the prison health setting. Aim: The study aim was to investigate preceptors’ perceptions of supporting nursing students undertaking clinical placements in PHS, in order to inform development of resources and processes. Methods: Qualitative data were collected via a focus group and interviews with preceptors (n = 6) working in metropolitan PHS. Data underwent thematic analysis. Findings: Participants valued the opportunity to support student learning, finding students contributed to the workplace by bringing in new ideas, and conducting beneficial projects. However, preceptors requested better rostering and workload management by their employer. They also wished for more detailed information from the university regarding student orientation and preparation to support student learning. They felt that the employer-provided preceptorship training did not fulfil their needs. Discussion: Preceptors in PHS settings shared many of the support needs of those in other settings, although some challenges were more specific to the setting. Conclusion: This paper makes recommendations on how preceptors in PHS can be better supported to fulfil the role.
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View more >Background: Our university commenced clinical placements for third-year nursing students in Prison Health Services (PHS) in 2014. Registered nurse preceptors employed in these services facilitated students’ experiential workplace learning, assessed their competence and assisted them to meet course objectives in this challenging environment. To date, no studies have examined preceptors’ experiences of supporting students in the prison health setting. Aim: The study aim was to investigate preceptors’ perceptions of supporting nursing students undertaking clinical placements in PHS, in order to inform development of resources and processes. Methods: Qualitative data were collected via a focus group and interviews with preceptors (n = 6) working in metropolitan PHS. Data underwent thematic analysis. Findings: Participants valued the opportunity to support student learning, finding students contributed to the workplace by bringing in new ideas, and conducting beneficial projects. However, preceptors requested better rostering and workload management by their employer. They also wished for more detailed information from the university regarding student orientation and preparation to support student learning. They felt that the employer-provided preceptorship training did not fulfil their needs. Discussion: Preceptors in PHS settings shared many of the support needs of those in other settings, although some challenges were more specific to the setting. Conclusion: This paper makes recommendations on how preceptors in PHS can be better supported to fulfil the role.
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Journal Title
Collegian
Copyright Statement
© 2020 Australian College of Nursing Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence, which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, providing that the work is properly cited.
Note
This publication has been entered into Griffith Research Online as an Advanced Online Version.
Subject
Nursing