Recruiting Retaining Rewarding Participants who attend this session will be able to: State two strategies each for recruiting, retaining, and rewarding preceptors in a dietetic internship, coordinated program, or ISPP setting. Explain how preceptor best practices could apply in general education settings. Develop a plan to implement at least one strategy in the participant’s specific setting. Learning Need Codes: 7000, 7090 Level 1 Since 2003, the number of DI slots has not kept pace with the number of DPD students seeking internships Result = ~50% match rate since 2007 CADE Connection July 2011 Lack of preceptors was identified as the #1 barrier in efforts to expand DI slots ACEND, accessed March 2012 at http://www.eatright.org/ACEND/content.aspx?id=6442464994 Clearly, our profession needs to: recruit more preceptors retain those we have and those recruited reward current and future preceptors as a statement of how much they are valued DPD Directors: Build the expectation for acting as preceptors into students while they are still in our programs Alumni Communications: Remind alums who are RDs that they would not be where they are without their preceptors DI Directors: Stay connected with your state and local dietetic associations in order to build working relationships with RDs who can serve as preceptors. ACEND: Building the Preceptor Database http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/preceptorinterestsurvey is the link to the database for interested preceptors-to-be Please encourage potential preceptors to volunteer! At this point, the database is available to program directors only, and ACEND shares names based on region In the future, names might be made available to students seeking preceptors, but only with previous preceptor permission (cf. Find an RD…) Suggestions? We need to understand that preceptors are usually facing a lot of strain in order to precept. Most RDs do understand the importance of precepting and are probably willing to support the profession in that way. But their place of work might not be so understanding and supportive. Provide the resources to make precepting as smooth as possible Most students will require more supervision than they will provide aid. Streamline reports and competency tracking, etc. Rotate preceptors regularly so that you do not overburden any one preceptor or host institution Suggestions? Current ideas Provide CPEUs free of charge Preceptors are RDs, too, and need to keep up their professional development Honor a Preceptor of the Year for your program A monetary component of the award is a nice bonus. This might be financially possible when payment to preceptors is not possible. Thank you to ACEND for supporting a national Preceptor of the Year through NDEP! Current ideas NDEP is providing honorary membership for a year to encourage preceptor networking. Gifts are another way to provide financial reward even when direct payment is not possible Gift cards Host an appreciation meal Provide a resource (text, DVD, software?) needed by the preceptor’s host institution Current ideas Set up a lunch meeting with preceptors at the end of the year and review how the year went and thank them. Suggestions? Ulric Chung, ACEND Executive Director Toni Martin, NDEP coordinator, Area 3 Victoria Getty, NDEP coordinator, Area 5 Ana Abad-Jorge, NDEP coordinator, Area 6 Rayane AbuSabha, NDEP coordinator, Area 7