7 PROVEN PRACTICES FOR PRECEPTING
You’ve just received the call from Human Resources. Three newly graduated nurses will be joining your team next week. While onboarding new staff can feel daunting, approaching it with thoughtful preparation can make the process smoother, more efficient, and rewarding for everyone involved.
First impressions are critical, and if you can assign a Preceptor, aim to select your strongest team members for the role. Your top performers are skilled clinicians and excellent examples of the work habits, organizational skills, and teamwork essential for success in your unit. Setting the tone with a strong preceptorship program can help new nurses build confidence, foster relationships, and clearly understand their role within the team.
From clarifying the responsibilities of team members, like the unit secretary, to navigating workflows and locating key resources like care plans and diet information, the onboarding experience should eliminate uncertainty and frustration for new hires. With the right approach, precepting can be a transformative experience for everyone. Let’s explore eight actionable strategies to set new nurses up for success and strengthen your team in the long term.
1. The SBAR Framework
Let’s start with a foundational tool every nurse knows: SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation). While it’s most often used for concise hand-offs, it’s also a fantastic framework for getting to know your new hires and setting them up for success. Before they step onto the floor, use SBAR to identify their goals, strengths, and areas that need attention.
For instance, what’s their “situation”? Are they fresh out of school and nervous about med passes? What’s their “background”? Do they already have some experience in healthcare, or is this all brand new? An honest assessment of their skills and learning styles will help you determine how best to support them, and you can make tailored “recommendations” for their development. Think of it as creating a mini-report on your trainee to help both you and them stay on track.
Pro tip: The better you know your new nurses, the smoother your preceptorship will go. And who knows? You might even discover that they bring something fresh to the team—like a killer way to organize patient charts or a passion for evidence-based practice.
2. The Nursing Care Plan
The Nursing Care Plan isn’t just for residents—it’s also a perfect framework for structuring preceptorship. Use it to outline clear goals, interventions, and measurable outcomes for your new nurse’s training. What do you want them to achieve by the end of their first week, month, or quarter? Maybe it’s mastering time management or learning to chart efficiently. Whatever the case, write it down and review it together.
A great Preceptor isn’t just a teacher; they’re also a mentor and role model. Pair new nurses with someone who aligns with their ambitions. For example, if your hire aspires to be in nursing leadership one day, assign them a Preceptor who’s already on that path, like a charge nurse or an aspiring ADON. The right pairing can inspire big-picture thinking while laying the groundwork for leadership skills.
3. Provide Constructive Feedback
Mistakes will happen. It’s not “if” but “when.” How you handle them, though, can make or break the learning experience. We’ve all heard the horror stories of nurses “eating their young,” but that outdated mindset has no place in modern healthcare. Instead, focus on constructive, supportive feedback.
If your trainee forgets to double-check a medication or fumbles with a procedure, don’t jump down their throat. Instead, explain what went wrong, why it matters, and how to do better next time. Use the moment as a teaching opportunity, not a punishment. Being calm and encouraging will build their confidence and foster a culture of learning.
Remember: your goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress. And a nurse who feels safe to ask questions and admit mistakes will grow much faster than one who’s constantly afraid of messing up.
4. Avoid Common Pitfalls
Preceptorship comes with its own set of challenges, but there are a few universal “don’ts” that every Preceptor should avoid:
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- Don’t berate or embarrass your trainee in front of others. Nobody learns well when they feel humiliated.
- Don’t gossip. It’s unprofessional and sets a terrible example.
- Don’t cut corners. Even if you’re in a time crunch, teach the right way to do things.
- Don’t get too casual. You’re here to mentor, not to be their new best friend.
- Don’t let things slide to avoid confrontation. It’s better to address issues early than let them snowball into bad habits.
These “don’ts” may seem obvious, but in the heat of a busy shift, they’re easy to start. Stay mindful, professional, and focused on the big picture: helping your trainee become a confident, competent nurse.
5. Teach Communication Through Action
Skills are important, but so is communication. One of the best ways to teach both is to model them simultaneously. Whether you’re inserting an IV, performing wound care, or completing a med pass, explain what you’re doing as you go. For instance, if you’re treating a cognitively impaired resident in Memory Care, narrate your process: “I’m going to clean the wound now. You might feel a little pressure, but it won’t hurt.” This not only reassures the patient but also shows your trainee how to approach tasks with empathy and clarity.
Strong communication is the backbone of nursing. By teaching your trainee how to explain their actions, you’re giving them tools to build trust with patients and colleagues alike.
6. Prioritize Breaks
Breaks aren’t a luxury—they’re a necessity. Even a five-minute pause can make a world of difference in a chaotic day. Use your break time to connect with your trainee on a more personal level. Grab a coffee, sit for a moment, and ask how they’re feeling about the day so far.
7. Focus on Collaboration
Not every day will go smoothly. Maybe the shift was chaotic, the residents were cranky, and your trainee is questioning their career choice. That’s okay. Nursing—and preceptorship—is a marathon, not a sprint.
If things aren’t clicking between you and your trainee, don’t take it personally. Sometimes, personalities just don’t mesh, and that’s fine. Talk to your supervisor about a reassignment, if necessary, but always approach the situation professionally.
And most importantly, don’t expect perfection—from yourself or your trainee. Mistakes will happen, tasks will get missed, and not every day will feel like a win. But if you approach preceptorship with patience, planning, and a willingness to adapt, you’ll be planting seeds of knowledge that will grow into a capable, confident nurse. Who knows? One day, they might be the one saving your shift.