Why is a preceptorship framework needed?
Some information on the Scotland’s preceptorship framework and overall guidance for delivery of preceptorship.
About the Framework
In the section headed ‘What does preceptorship in Scotland look like?’ you were introduced to the diagrammatic representation of Scotland’s preceptorship framework (see diagram below).
This preceptorship framework is a guide that aims to promote a consistent approach to preceptorship across Scotland. It has been developed to support practitioners to utilise resources and materials that are already freely available and accessible to practitioners in Scotland. The framework supports links to NMC Revalidation, Flying Start ® NHS, and Personal Development Plans and therefore should not, normally, incur additional work for preceptees.
Preceptorship aims to facilitate practitioners to develop the skills for autonomous practice (Maxwell et al, 2013., Ellis and Chater, 2012), therefore the learning needs of the preceptee is central to the process as well as recognition of experiential learning. This preceptorship framework, therefore, seeks to facilitate preceptees and preceptors to:
- Create the context and environment for empowered action
- Learn from real life experience
- Support practice-based challenges
- Explore solutions to address issues raised
- Support action and change
Guidance for Delivery of Preceptorship
The NMC (2020) do not stipulate or recommend and optimal duration for preceptorship programmes. In Scotland preceptorship programmes are generally delivered over one year, although a recent scoping exercise revealed preceptorship programmes to range from 6 – 18 months duration. This preceptorship framework, therefore, supports a 1-year programme of preceptorship but recognises the need for flexibility to increase or decrease the duration of preceptorship dependent on the level of expertise, transferrable skills and learning needs of the preceptee.
During the preceptorship period, preceptorship meetings should take place regularly. The length and frequency of meetings should be negotiated at the outset and agreed by the preceptee, preceptor and line manager in the preceptorship agreement.
Regarding the frequency of meetings, the Institute of Health Visiting (McInnes and Page, 2015), McInnes (2015), and Phillipps et al (2013) recommend preceptorship meetings to take place 4-6 weekly and this is reflected in local preceptorship programmes in Scotland. However, 6-8 weekly meetings were also reported to be effective in the evaluation of a small pilot preceptorship programme (Evans, 2018). This preceptorship framework recommends 4-8 weekly meetings to allow flexibility for more, or less frequent meetings as the needs of the preceptee, local capacity and circumstances allow. Preceptorship programmes, therefore, should be tailored to meet the learning needs of the preceptee and the local practice.