Preceptorship

A period of preceptorship is offered by most NHS Boards; Health and Social Care Partnerships; and other organisations that employ nurses and midwives, however there has long been a desire for a consistent approach to preceptorship across Scotland. In 2019 and in response to the request from the National Health Visiting Leads group, a short life working group was established with the aim of agreeing consistency as well as developing guidance for preceptorship to newly qualified health visitors and school nurses. Using the nominal group work technique, a guidance document was developed but this was put on hold in December 2019 due to the imminence of the publication of the NMC Principles for Preceptorship and because of the Scottish Government and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) ambition for a national approach to preceptorship for the nursing and midwifery workforce in Scotland.

In March 2020 and prior to the coronavirus covid19 pandemic, the work towards developing a national approach to preceptorship began with the ‘Shaping Preceptorship for Nurses and Midwives in Scotland’ event. This was a dynamic and lively event that provided an opportunity to explore ideas about preceptorship and to share current good practice with colleagues across Scotland and the UK.  Following publication of the NMC Principles for Preceptorship in July 2020, NES reconvened an Advisory Group and established a Short Life Working Group, that included nurses and midwives working in practice and education, as well as colleagues from NES and Scottish Government to lead and drive the preceptorship project. Building on the feedback from the ‘Shaping  preceptorship event’ and the work started by health visitors and school nurses, as well as taking cognisance of the NMC Principles for Preceptorship the work to develop a consistent approach to preceptorship began in earnest and evolved and developed to produce this preceptorship resource.

Evidence suggests that the offer of a good preceptorship experience is attractive to newly qualified nurses and midwives and helps retain nurses and midwives in their posts creating a stable and satisfied workforce (Lee et al, 2009). Focusing on newly qualified nurses and midwives in England, the RePAIR: Reducing Pre-registration Attrition and Improving Retention Report (NHS Health Education England, 2018) describes the period of transition for the end of programme students taking up their first a post as a Registered nurse or midwife as ‘being on the flaky bridge’.

The analogy being that the ‘flaky bridge’ is wobbly and a cause of great anxiety for those crossing it to reach their destination. For example,  they worry:  Will they get to their destination on the other side? Will the supporting structures of the bridge be strong enough to enable them to cross safely? Will they fall off? Those crossing the bridge look for someone to guide them across and to reassure them that the bridge is safe and will support them on their journey. This analogy reflects the experience of newly qualified nurses and midwives. It also reflects the feelings of experienced registered nurses and midwives who are changing role, be it to a promoted role, a new workplace, speciality, NHS Board/ Organisation or country.

The ‘flaky bridge’ depicts a period of vulnerability for nurses and midwives during their transition to a new role and/ or environment regardless of their experience and stage of career journey. A period of preceptorship, therefore, aims to support nurses and midwives to safely navigate their way across the ‘flaky  bridge’ and reach their career destination with invigorated and newfound confidence.