A pilot study to compare the effectiveness of preceptored and nonpreceptored models of clinical education in promoting baccalaureate students' competence in public health nursing.

Preceptor models in nursing have only recently begun to be evaluated, and the published results of their effectiveness are inconsistent and inconclusive. To date, the preceptor evaluation studies found in nursing literature refer to clinical practice in hospitals. This descriptive correlational pilot study (N = 25) compared the effectiveness of preceptored and nonpreceptored models of clinical nursing education in promoting baccalaureate nursing students' competence in public health nursing. The study also compared the learning experiences of students in the two models. Findings from the study revealed that although students in both models reported similar numbers of learning experiences, there were some differences in the types of experiences obtained. Students in both models demonstrated significant gains in perceptions of clinical competence during the 12-week experience. However, there was no significant difference found between the two groups in gain in perceived clinical competence.