What does preceptorship in Scotland look like?
Information on how Scotland views preceptorship and the role it plays.
About Preceptorship in Scotland
Within Scotland preceptorship is defined as additional support and guidance offered to nurses and midwives during their transition or adaptation, to a new role. Although it is of particular relevance to newly qualified Registrants who are taking up their first post as a Registered nurse or midwife, it is equally valuable for experienced nurses and midwives who are new to a speciality, workplace or country, or taking up a promoted post. Being person-centred, the experience of preceptorship should be flexible, negotiable and dependent on the role and identified learning needs of the preceptee.
Whilst the NMC (2020) do not state an optimum timeframe for preceptorship, in Scotland it is recommended that the period of preceptorship be no less than 6 months and no more than 18 months. Furthermore, each preceptee should have a named preceptor to support their learning and development, as well as facilitate their adaptation and socialisation into the new role, culture and environment.
The diagram below represents the framework for preceptorship in Scotland.
The outer frame illustrates how a preceptorship programme provides a cocoon, or safe and supportive environment, for preceptees to orientate to the new culture and environment and to learn and develop the skills required to work confidently and effectively in their new role. Preceptorship programmes however do not operate in isolation but should add value to existing processes. A preceptorship programme should encompass local and/or corporate induction processes, clinical supervision and professional development planning relevant to the new role and environment.
For example, newly qualified registrants will be offered, expected to engage with, and complete, the Flying Start ® NHS programme in the first year of employment. Indeed, in some instances, student nurses, midwives and SCPHNs will have the opportunity to engage in preceptorship towards the end of their pre-registration nurse, midwife or SCPHN programme.
Alternatively, experienced registrants will have the opportunity to reflect on their learning needs for their new role within their professional development plan. The professional development plan (PDP) within Turas Appraisal provides the chance for preceptees to reflect on their learning needs for their new role, set objectives and formulate a plan to address the objectives and learning needs that are specific to their new role during the preceptorship period.
While not depicted in the diagrammatic representation of Scotland’s preceptorship framework featured above, also assimilated within preceptorship is clinical supervision. Clinical supervision is defined by Pollock et al (2017) as:
"…the facilitation of support and learning for healthcare practitioners enabling safe, competent practice and the provision of support to individual professionals who may be working in stressful situations"
Although the concepts of clinical supervison and preceptorship are similar, there are differences. According to Morton-Cooper & Palmer (2000), preceptorship is time limited, structured and focused on supporting the preceptee to integrate, socialise and function confidently and effectively in their new role and environment. Clinical supervision is less structured, but more practice focused with the relationship between the supervisor and supervisee clinically and professionally enabling.
Reflecting on the notion of preceptorship, it is evident that practitioners at the point of registration require preceptorship but it is important to remember that those more experienced practitioners may require preceptorship at key transition points throughout their career, for example when they take up new employment, change speciality, move into promoted posts and so forth. Preceptorship programmes therefore will vary in content, but the framework presented above identifies the components that are essential.
Promoting Wellbeing, Resilience and Coping Strategies
Within the preceptorship period there will be opportunity to participate in supportive discussions. It is suggested that the preceptee adopts a ‘What matters to me’ approach within these discussions which will aid the preceptee to consider their personal resilience and wellbeing. A number of resources that can support staff with their personal resilience and wellbeing are outlined below.
Supporting Resources
On Turas Learn you will find:
External resources include:
Within the ‘Portals and Topics’ section of The Knowledge Network, the ‘Good Practice’ portal provides many resources including ‘top tips’ and videos in relation to promoting personal wellbeing and ‘managing work life balance’.
Mind Tools provides information on stress and its management
Promis : National Wellbeing Hub that links to a variety of resources to support staff wellbeing