Experiences of Precepting Newly Graduated Nurses during Transition: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Preceptor nurses play a crucial role during the transition period of newly graduated nurses, guiding them from being nursing students to becoming proud of professional nurses. This qualitative research aimed to explore the experiences of precepting newly graduated nurses in their transitional period. The participants were 27 preceptor nurses working at a university hospital who were selected through purposive sampling based on specific criteria. Data were collected through focus group discussions with three groups consisting of 8–10 participants which lasted 60–70 minutes. Data were analyzed using content analysis.

The findings revealed that the experiences of the nurse preceptors for transitioning newly graduated nurses could be summarized into three main themes: 1) perceptions about the preceptor role comprised of being a confidence builder for clinical practice, a guide for initial hands-on experiences,  a problem-solving assistant, and a professional role model; 2) performing the preceptor role consisted of reviewing theoretical knowledge, sharing practical experience, encouraging independent practice, fostering a friendly work environment, and empowering professional practice; and 3) challenges in the preceptor role included being assigned the role without preparation, lacking confidence in one’s own knowledge, overlapping responsibilities, generational differences in perspectives, and the absence of clear guidelines for the preceptor role. The study suggests that nursing administrators should establish appropriate guidelines for selecting and developing the competencies of preceptor nurses for training newly graduated nurses. Additionally, management models should be developed to reduce role overlap and enable preceptor nurses to perform their roles to their full potential.