Peers and partners: working together to strengthen preceptorship in mental health nursing.

The Sussex Education Consortium commissioned a development project to identify the education and training needs of community mental health nurses (CMHNs). The project also afforded an opportunity to examine the CMHNs' perception of their role of preceptor with pre-registration diploma nursing (PRDN) students following the mental health branch. Utilizing a 'responsive evaluation' methodology, stakeholders' views were captured. As a consequence of the issues and concerns raised, the Consortium commissioned a second project, following a similar methodolgy, to explore preceptorship in greater depth. This paper reports stakeholders' views on preceptorship arrangements expressed in semi-structured interviews, focused group discussions and other fora during the two projects. Preceptor preparation and support arrangements did not meet the needs of preceptors. Many preceptors felt their role was neither valued nor acknowledged. The link lecturer role was perceived as important by preceptors; but lecturers were often unable to meet the expectations placed upon them. The volume of students and allocation arrangements caused problems for placement areas. Finding time to carry out the roles of the preceptor was a challenge for practitioners. Recommendations for improving preceptorship are discussed and developments described, illustrating how locally commissioned research may influence both education and practice in mental health nursing.