Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
Analysis and Results
Colaizzi’s, (1978) seven stage process framework was applied to
guide the study from the data. One central theme, teaching and
evaluating clinical competencies and four related themes merged
from the data. These are knowledge and learning, questioning
competence, competing demands and confidence in ability.
Knowledge and learning reflects that all participants expressed
positive feelings in relation to teaching and evaluating students’
clinical practice. However, there was much uncertainty regarding
the theoretical dimension within the preceptorship role. The second
related theme revealed by participants was that the meaning of
competence was strewn throughout multiple ways of knowing
(Carper, 1978). Competence was described in an integrated way, as
a holistic approach in caring for the patient. The third theme,
competing demands, identified that while participants recount that
the patient is the foremost priority there was deep concern about
the lack of time for preceptoring nursing students’. The final related
theme, confidence in ability demonstrates the participants need for
acknowledgement and feedback on their role as preceptor.
Conclusions: Having considered study findings in relation to
pertinent literature addressing this area, implications for nurse
education are explored. It is envisioned that findings will illuminate
the lived experience of being a preceptor in evaluating students’
clinical practice as they reveal the potential to value the formalised
role of the preceptor. The challenge to nurse education is to ensure
that if this is to be realised sufficient preparation for the
development of this role is a fundamental requirement. These
issues shall be further explored in the presentation.
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