Preceptorship Roles and Responsibilities

As nurses, you respect and abide by the principles of privacy and confidentiality required by your profession on a daily basis. While this concept is a familiar one to you, there are some practices specific to teaching that are important to your role as a preceptor.

All nursing students sign a UNB Pledge of Confidentiality for their specific nursing program site when they begin the program. In addition to this pledge, students will sign any confidentially agreements required by their placement agencies.

The following section will provide you with guidelines for safeguarding the verbal and written communication and information exchanges that are a key part of the preceptorship experience. This can include:

• conversations with students
• conversations with faculty members (in person or via distance)
• written communications with students (i.e. text, email)
• written communications with faculty members (i.e. text, email)
• written notes kept to provide context for clinical assessments (i.e. Collaborative Assessment of Student Abilities)
• clinical assessments (i.e. Collaborative Assessment of Student Abilities)

The privacy rights of UNB students are protected under the New Brunswick Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RTIPPA). As such, we recommend the following:

• Conversations with the student (discussions about learning experiences, providing feedback) should preserve the student’s privacy. Conversations should be held in a private area without others present.
• Conversations with the faculty liaison and/or the preceptorship coordinator should follow the same principles.
• Student information on an electronic device (computer, laptop, tablet, mobile phone, usb drive, etc.) should be protected. The device should be password protected and encrypted. A screen lock should be timed to turn off after 5 minutes of inactivity.
• Student information in physical format (including the CASA document) should be safeguarded. Ensure that it is securely stored and not accessible by anyone but yourself (i.e. locked cabinet, locked office, etc.).
• Written notes about the preceptorship placement should be securely shredded if the student receives credit for the course. If the student does not receive credit, please contact your faculty liaison for further direction.
• If you lose any information or documents associated with the preceptorship experience, contact the faculty liaison and/or preceptorship coordinator immediately.
• Communication via email or text is not recommended when sharing personal information specific to the student’s performance.

Students are expected to prepare for their clinical experiences and are responsible for their learning. The following information has been shared with students to suggest strategies to enhance their learning:

The following information has been developed by Em M. Pijl, BScN, MEd, PhD, RN © 2005 – University of Lethbridge. Adapted and used with permission of author by Debra Amirault, Dr. Lisa Keeping-Burke and Karen Tamlyn, University of New Brunswick, 2017.

Students have been asked to write a letter of introduction to share with their preceptor. Included in this letter will be:

• Why the student chose a specific area of practice
• Educational background, including practice experiences
• Strengths and challenges
• Professional learning goals

During the first few days, the preceptor should review the letter with the student and set aside time for discussion about what the student has shared. It is helpful to revisit this letter throughout the experience, as it will help to provide context and guidance for learning.

Many preceptors ask faculty liaisons for a list of clinical skills that students have learned during the program as it is helpful to have an understanding of what students have/have not learned. There are a number of factors that result in variations of student practice experiences, and as a result, a definitive checklist is not feasible. However, a general overview of lab theory and practice is included in the section that follows, as a guide.

Psychomotor Skills Listing

Please note: This is an overview of the psychomotor skills taught throughout the BNASP. Due to the variations in student practice experiences, students may not have had opportunity to develop these skills in practice settings. Therefore, supervision by the preceptor is required to ascertain the student’s ability to perform the skill.

All parties involved in the preceptorship experience are partners in teaching and learning. This section will provide clarification related to the responsibilities and accountabilities assumed as part of the preceptorship experience.

Information from the following two documents has been adapted and included in the section that follows. Preceptors and students are requested to review and be familiar with the content of these publications.

“Guidelines for Supporting Learners in the Workplace” (NANB)

“Managing Legal Risks in Preceptorship” (CNPS)

These documents provide overarching concepts to guide student learning while ensuring client safety within the preceptorship experience.

As outlined in the Guidelines for Supporting Learners in the Workplace (NANB, 2016), “In supporting learners, an RN is responsible and accountable for sharing nursing knowledge and for maintaining safe, competent and ethical patient care in accordance with nursing standards. The RN working with the learner is not accountable for the learner’s actions provided that the RN has fulfilled her/ his responsibilities as outlined by the employer and in the learning agreement, if applicable (e.g. learning plan, appropriate supervision) (p.2). However, in accordance with the Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses (2008), the primary responsibility for the nursing care received by the patient remains that of the primary nurse to whom the patient has been assigned, (e.g. The RN should ensure that the learner is reporting to her on patient status throughout the shift).” (pg.2)

Client safety

Client safety is always the priority and the primary responsibility of the RN is to the patient.

Learning goals and outcomes

The university, the preceptor and the student collaborate to ensure all parties are aware of the learning goals and outcomes for the placement. The student will contribute to the development of their own learning goals of the placement in collaboration with the faculty liaison and, sharing these goals with the preceptor. The preceptor will facilitate the student’s learning with these goals and use course outcomes as the focus.

Competence

All parties must determine the level of supervision required, and to use this information to identify the distribution of responsibilities related to client care.

The student must recognize her/his level of knowledge, skill, and experience and communicate with the preceptor accordingly. It is imperative that students identify the need for supervision and to communicate clearly with the preceptor to request it. If a student is not competent to provide a specific type of care, they must not do so, and must communicate this to the preceptor.

The preceptor must be aware of the student’s knowledge, skill, and experience and supervise accordingly. In addition to verbal discussions to provide information about the student’s knowledge and experience, the preceptor will observe the student to determine if the student can perform a particular aspect of care safely.

The faculty liaison will be available as a resource to answer questions about the level of supervision required.

Resources and Policy

It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of agency policy and/or other regulations (from regulatory bodies and/or provincial legislation) and to provide care in accordance with established regulations, asking for clarification as needed.

The preceptor will act as a role model by adhering and referring to standards of nursing care and agency policy when providing care.

Communication

All parties must communicate effectively and professionally. This creates an environment for learning, fosters professional and respectful relationships, and supports the provision of safe care.

In the situation of unsafe practice by the student, or if a preceptor is concerned about a student’s competence, the preceptor must increase supervision and communicate with the faculty liaison promptly.

The faculty liaison is expected to maintain consistent communication with the student and preceptor and act as a resource throughout the preceptorship experience.

While there are many variances in the learning experience due to clinical settings, agency policy and student competence, it is important to note that students may not do the following, even while supervised:

• Act as a Graduate Nurse or Registered Nurse. The preceptee is a student nurse. Examples could include but are not limited to: witnessing consents or providing discharge instructions. This also includes situations when two RNs are required to provide nursing care, such as administering blood products.
• Perform functions defined as “delegated medical functions” by the agency (terminology may differ between placements).
• Perform care that requires additional training or certification programs for an RN to perform.
• Have possession of keys or access tools for narcotics.
• Students are not permitted to accompany clients on ambulance transfers.

Please note:

UNB enters into an affiliation agreement with the partnering agency prior to the student being placed.