Problem-Based Learning: A Tool for Preceptors in Clinical Practice

A report by the Committee for the Advancement of Teaching Preparation suggests nursing education must make a radical change in how nursing students are educated to be consistent with changes in care delivery. Clinical education based on development of critical thinking skills, using such techniques as problem-based learning (PBL), will enhance the clinical experience and serve as a means for preceptors to connect the classroom to clinical learning. The following article presents an application of PBL designed to assist preceptors in developing their students' critical thinking skills in the clinical setting.