| Registered nurses that function as preceptors for senior nursing students, are responsible for assessing and evaluating the students' ability or inability to function as safe and competent practitioners. Preceptors are often identified as excellent staff nurses but have been provided with little preparation to assess and evaluate. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to illuminate assessment and evaluation techniques used by preceptors in the senior practicum. Adult learning theory and constructivism were the theoretical frameworks that guided this research study. The participant sample consisted of 10 registered nurses from two northeast hospitals. Semi-structured, audiotaped interviews were done and results were coded to identify themes. Participants identified the following themes as strategies in assessment and evaluation: feedback, critical thinking, support and encouragement, verification, autonomy, and collaboration with the student and faculty. Implications for practice include differentiating formative and summative assessment, incorporating strategies into preceptor preparation that will include a focus on collaboration with students and faculty and the design of strategies for preceptors that will allow for verification of skills and assessments. |
