Nurse Practitioner Preceptor Orientation by WIKI

The preceptor role is the foundation of clinical education.  It is imperative that nurse practitioner (NP) preceptors be supported by NP faculty in order to be valued members of the students’ entire learning experience.  NP preceptors gain benefits by being a preceptor, particularly through establishing a relationship with a university, and the opportunity to help shape the future of healthcare (Marfell, 2011).

Previously, the orientation program at this School of Nursing for NP preceptors consisted of a packet of information that the NP students printed out and gave to the preceptor.  This was an inadequate procedure to provide education to the preceptors.  Because many NP programs in schools of nursing have deficits in their educational orientation program for their NP preceptors, the School of Nursing NP Faculty developed a survey to address this deficit.  Based on the data from our survey, a WIKI orientation format was implemented.  This WIKI format was chosen due to the benefits of flexibility, ease, accessibility, availability, and ability to be modified at any time by faculty who created the WIKI. 

Included in the WIKI is a video introduction to the School, a welcome and thank you from the Dean, and testimony from previous students who are now preceptors.  Additionally, there is content on the role of the preceptor, learning styles, evaluation of the student and trouble shooting in the clinical setting.  DNP preceptors can access a link that has unique information for their role in the clinical setting.  Each clinical course has its' own link that allows for individualized information.