Mentors and Preceptors:
Expanding Roles in
Professional Development
Linda Thornbrugh BSN, RN
Anne Burnett MSN, RN-BC, CRRN
Purpose: To present a successful application of mentor and
preceptor roles for expert nurses pursuing professional development activities.

Describe mentor and preceptor roles

Identify supporting nursing theory

Adapt traditional mentor/preceptor roles for the expert
nurse clinician who is a novice presenter

Correlate application of roles with successful outcomes

Analysis of process and program
Purpose and Learning Objectives

For VHSO nursing staff, will educational
support from an Evidence Based Practice
(EBP) Council mentor and preceptor
increase staff participation in EBP projects
resulting in professional nursing
presentations?
PICOT

EBSCO Host
Search Preceptors
871 Results
1981-2012
Narrow Dates
2006-2012
376 Results
Full Text only
156
Add nursing
0 Results
Literature Search Skills
Mentoring
2455 Hits
1983-2012
Narrow date 20062012
1249 hits
Full Text Only
584
Add Nursing
14 Results
• Literature review includes currently available
information on the subject
•Applying that information to the area of interest.
Literature Review
EBSCO Host
Article Title
Target Population/
Applicable here?
What was tested?
Applicable?
Strengths of the Study
Weakness (es) of
the study
Roles and Responsibilities of the
student nurse mentor.
2011
Casey & Clark; British Journal
of Nursing 20(15) pp933-937
Mentoring: A meaningful
collaboration between two people.
2011
Seislove, Journal of Trauma Nursing
18(3), pp.139-140.
Nursing school instructors,
Nurse management,
educators, &/or staff
Defined role and
responsibilities of the
mentor. Listing some
benefits of a formal
mentoring program.
Editorial continuing a
theme on professional
collaboration.
Peer reviewed Journal
Article giving the
research support for
mentoring practitioners.
Nurse Midwifery Council
in England.
Not a study
Experiential exploration on
the role of a mentor in
professional development.
30 articles, 20 research
studies, 10 non-research
topical articles from 1981
to 2009
Integrative Lit review;
total of 1486 nurses in
the review studies.
3 studies were too wide
audience & used pilot
studies.
Some studies limited by
convenience samples. Used
mentor/preceptor
interchangeably
President’s message for
Journal of Trauma Nursing
Staff nurses’ experiences as
preceptors and mentors: An
integrative review.
2010
Omansky, Journal of nursing
management, 18, pp.697-703.
Nursing management,
information for setting up
orientation programs for
student nurses
Scholarship and mentoring: An
essential partnership?
2010
Turnbull, International journal of
nursing practice (16), pp.573-578.
Nursing academics
Explores study participant Descriptive of mentoring
experiences of mentoring & & how it can be used to
increasing scholar activities.
reduce professional
Describes mentoring skills development barriers.
and the need for more
mentors.
Appraising the Evidence
23 subjects, interview
format using a
hermeneutic,
phenomenological
approach.
Dr. Jean Watson developed her
Theory of Human Caring proposing the
idea that human interactions are at the core
of nursing as a caring profession.
Caritas 6 and 7 speak to mentoring and preceptor process.
•
•
Use creative scientific problem-solving methods for caring
decision making.
Share teaching and learning that addresses the
individual needs and comprehension styles.
Dr. Jean Watson

Mentor
A nursing mentor is an experienced nurse
who shares knowledge with less experienced
nurses to help advance their careers.
The mentor has a long term impact on the mentee and
affects all areas of the mentee's career.
There is no assigned time limit.

Preceptor
The definition of preceptor implies a teaching relationship.
This teaching relationship ends when the novice is
considered educated and able to perform independently.
Task oriented with a finite time frame.


Fawcett, 2002
Chitty, 2001
Definitions

Nursing clinical skills check list mandated by
required proficiencies relative to a clinical
position

Nursing department monitors and tracks skills
competency

Relationship with the mentor or preceptor is
limited to that assigned by the checklist
completion
Mentored Professional Projects vs.
Nursing Clinical Skills Competency

Nurses are already considered proficient to
expert in their practice area according to
Benner’s Stages of Clinical Competence

Well acquainted with hospital policies and
procedures

Not based on current clinical position/skill
How is it different from Hospital
Orientation?
Expert staff nurses may be assigned:
To councils and committees
 Performance Improvement Projects
 Systems Redesign Projects
 Research projects

How does it Apply to Seasoned Nurses?

Professional mentors and preceptors focus on
professional role development

Assist with appropriate venues for presentations
or publications

Facilitate abstract edit and presentation materials

Completely voluntary for both participants

Can be an ongoing relationship over years
Professional Mentors & Preceptors
Preceptor Role/Process
Determine focus within a project
Seek venue for novice presenter
Develop abstract to fit submission format
Abstract accepted
Assist with presentation requirements
Making it Work
Abstract formats vary by venue
Read each call for abstracts carefully
and repeatedly
Be prepared to give additional information
1. Some type of CV
2. Brief bio sheet
3. Conflict of Interest statement
Formats
Increased
opportunities for
presentation
Expanded
mentorpreceptor roles
Additional
collaborative
relationships
that enhance
professional
development
VHSO Number of presentations
25
2 Articles
20
20
17
1 Article
15
FY08
13
FY09
10
FY10
5
FY11
1
0
FY08
FY09
FY10
FY11
80% of presentations by nursing staff
outside of senior nursing leadership
Outcomes
FY12 YTD = 20 Presentations
Develop Nursing in-services
for all interested staff
Encourage expert nurses to
share their experiences as
novice presenters
1 Article currently in final peer review for FY 12
Where do we go from here?
A Mentor is a Friend at Work
•
•
•
Focus: Help protégé's focus on the job at hand
Relationship: Help build relationships between the VA and protégé
Involvement: Involved in the protégé's successful employment
at the VA
Enjoyment: Help the protégé find enjoyment here at the VA
Nurture: Nurture the protégé's progress within the VA
Direction: Give advice to direct the protégé through the maze of the VA
•
•
Attention: Give undivided attention to the protégé success at the VA
Training: Provide training and skill enhancement opportunities.
•
•
•
•
Willingness: Always be willing to help, it’s the VA WAY!
Orientation: Guide the protégé through the VA orientation process
Retention: Our overall goal is to retain the protégé employed at the VA
Key: We will be the “key "to the protégé's success in the VA
•
•
•
Annie Yaktiyol BSN,RN - staff nurse
Mentor Poem
Contact Information:
Linda.Thornbrugh@va.gov
Anne.Burnett@va.gov
Questions

Alspach, J. G. (2000). From staff nurse to preceptor: A preceptor development
program (2nd ed.). Aliso Viejo, CA: AACN.
Benner, P. (2001) From Novice to expert. Commemorative edition. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice Hall Health.
Casey, D., & Clark, L. (2011). Roles and responsibilities of the student nurse mentor:
An update. British Journal of Nursing 20(15) pp933-937.
Chitty, K.K. (2001)Professional Nursing: Concepts and Challenges, third edition. W B
Saunders Co, Philadelphia, PA.
Fawcett, D.L. (2002) Mentoring: What it is and how to make it work. AORN Journal.

McEwen, M., Wills,E. (2007) Theoretical Basis for Nursing (2nd Ed.).

Omansky, G.(2010). Staff nurses’ experiences as preceptors and mentors: An
integrative review. Journal of Nursing Management 18, 697-703.
Seislove, E. (2011). Mentoring: A meaningful collaboration between two people.
Journal of Trauma Nursing, 18(3), pp139,140.
Turnbull, B. (2010). Scholarship and mentoring: An essential partnership?
International Journal of Nursing Practice (16), pp 573-578.
Watson Caring Science Institute, International Caritas Consortium retrieved
3/11/2012 from: http://www.watsoncaringscience.org/caring_science/10caritas.html







References: