Attributes, roles, and benefits in fostering successful nursing preceptorship program Pantangco, Roselle Lupena 6

Thesis (M.A.) Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, 2011;A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate School of Health Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Nursing 56

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ABSTRACT: This study sought to find out the relationship between the attitudes and the role performance of the preceptors based on the evaluation of the respondents. The findings of the study served as basis for a capability building program. Specifically, the researcher sought to answer the following specific problems: (1) To what extent are the following attributes exhibited by the precepltors: Person, Knowledge, Attitude and Skill? (2) How do the respondents assess the performance of the preceptors in carrying out their roles: Professional Role, Relationships, Management of Client health/illness Status, Teaching Coaching, Monitors and Ensures the Quality of Health Care Practices? (3) What are the benefits that the respondents derived from preceptorship in terms of Career Enhancement, Leadership Opportunities, Ensuring Positive Clinical Experience, (4) is there a significant relationship between the attributes exhibited by the preceptors and the performance in carrying out their roles? (5) What Capability Building Program can be formulated based on the results of the study? The researcher utilized the descriptive-correlational research design. In choosing the respondents, the purposive method was employed which involved 100 staff nurses from two (2) tertiary government-owned hospitals who met the selection criteria. The questionnaire was the primary tool employed for data gathering which was adapted and modified by the researcher. The data that was collected were treated using descriptive and correlation statistics. General findings on the extent the attributes as exhibited by the preceptor as evaluated by the staff nurses. Person, attitude, knowledge and skills attributes were highly evident among nurses in the selected tertiary hospitals. The preceptors were rated very good in carrying out their roles along professional, relationship, management of client, teaching and coaching, monitoring and ensuring quality health practices. The staff nurses strongly agree that preceptors benefited from the program in terms of career enhancement, leadership opportunities and ensuring positive clinical experiences. Moreover, on the relationship between the attributes and the role performance of the preceptors the obtained r = .82 (p<.05) revealed that there is a significant relationship between attributes and the performance of the preceptors in carrying out their roles. It should be noted that all correlation coefficients attained between attributes and role performance significant at .01 level. Therefore, all the indicators fostered successful preceptorship. In the light of the above findings, the following conclusions were drawn; (1) The head /charge nurses who demonstrate positive attributes in terms of person, knowledge, attitude and skills are able to work with confidence and competence in teaching newly hired staff nurses the clinical skills needed to render quality nursing care to clients. (2) The head nurses/charge nurses in the selected hospitals who exhibited person, knowledge, attitude and skill attributes fostered successful preceptorship, (3) Registered nurses benefited from preceptorship in terms of career enhancement, leadership opportunities and ensuring positive clinical experience, (4) There is a significant relationship between the attributes exhibited by the preceptors and their role performance. The more positive attributes exhibited by the preceptors, the better their performance in carrying out their role. In view of the substantial results of the study, the researcher recommends the following: (1) the existing orientation program may be enriched by developing a more formalized program which should be monitored and regularly, (2) Care must taken in the selection of potential preceptors who can provide effective role models to beginning nurse, (3) The proposed capability building program should be implemented and its effectiveness should be evaluated, (4) A similar study be done involving more privately owned as well as government hospitals implementing the preceptorship program.

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