Importance of public health nurses precepting students in clinical practice: A qualitative study

SummaryBackgroundPreceptors' working environment, support and competence affect how they perform the preceptor role, are therefore important for developing students and can influence students' roles as students and future professionals. Previous research has focused on precepting student nurses and not so much on public health nurses or other postgraduate students. Knowledge in this field is therefore lacking.ObjectiveThe article aims to present a grounded theory of the role of public health nurses as student preceptors in Norway.DesignWe conducted 20 interviews with public health nurses in addition to a focus group with four participants. We used classical grounded theory method to gather and analyze data.FindingsThe preceptors were strongly concerned about invisibility and lack of recognition of the preceptor role. This main concern was resolved by the strategy of being obligated and included three patterns: optimistic, ambivalent and reluctant performance, all with differing motivation for being obligated. All stakeholders involved in clinical practice seem to contribute to making the preceptors' role invisible and thereby contribute to the lack of recognition, support and reward, which again seem to self-reinforce invisibility.ConclusionThe study highlights the obligation of public health nurses in precepting students and increases the understanding of the challenges of this role. Ensuring education of a high academic standard requires paying more attention to developing effective support for the people involved.