Newly qualified nurses’ experiences of a preceptorship

Research Question: What was the experience of preceptorship like for newly qualified registered nurses in a healthcare trust? Method: A qualitative approach was used with data collected using semi-structured one-to-one interviews with eight participants who had recently completed their preceptorship period. The data was analysed using Newell and Burnard’s (2011) Pragmatic Approach to Qualitative Data Analysis, which involved a six-stage analysis process. Findings: Two main categories emerged from the data. These were Support Requirements and Expectations of Preceptorship. Support was further broken down into two themes: time and build confidence. Expectations of preceptorship was further broken down into two themes; understanding the process and understanding the preceptor’s role. Conclusion: The participants felt that preceptorship offered support and helped them in developing their confidence in the transition to registrant. It would appear that consistency of provision of preceptorship is a key issue that would warrant further study.Key words: Newly qualified nurses ■ Preceptorship ■ Preceptorship