Preceptorship in undergraduate nursing education: an integrative review.

The traditional clinical component of undergraduate nursing education has been reputed to inadequately prepare students for professional nursing. Preceptorship programs have become prevalent in nursing education as an alternative clinical teaching method, yet few empirical studies have been performed to support its benefits or advantages over the traditional clinical experience. Sixteen research studies examining measurable changes in students as a result of preceptorship were reviewed. Overall, 56% of the studies reviewed supported the use of preceptored clinical experiences in undergraduate nursing education, whereas the remaining 44% found no significant differences in students after a preceptorship experience. Specifically, preceptorship failed to demonstrate significant benefits over traditional clinicals in the areas of critical thinking, clinical competence, and NCLEX-RN pass rates. Further empirical studies are warranted to elucidate the role of preceptorship in undergraduate nursing education.