St. Elizabeth Healthcare

PreceptorOrientation Program Guidelines

Definition:The time during which an orientee gains an understanding of the

philosophy, policies, and procedures of St. Elizabeth Healthcare, and helps them adjust to new environment, role, and duties.

Purposes:1. To help the orientee effectively carry out his/her responsibilities to meet

patient’s needs.

  1. To assist the orientee in adapting to the staff nurse role.
  2. To help the orientee fulfill his/her job requirements by conclusion of the orientation.

Objectives: By the end of the preceptor orientation period, the orientee should be able

to:

  1. Find and use resources.
  2. Perform duties of his/her job description.
  3. Work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals to meet patient/family needs.

Responsibilities of the Preceptor Coordinator

The role of the Preceptor Coordinator will be determined on a unit to unit basis depending on the Nurse Manager. These are general guidelines for the Preceptor Coordinator. It is the Responsibility of the Preceptor Coordinator to collaborate with and keep the Nurse Manager informed during the orientation period.

  1. Organizes the orientation program for their individual unit
  2. In conjunction and collaboration with the unit management team, designates appropriate staff members as preceptor.
  3. May delineate and matcheach orienteewith the most appropriate preceptor (per unit Manager’s discretion).
  4. Provides structure for preceptors by clearlydefining their role and responsibilities.
  5. Acts as a resource/mentor for the unit preceptors; problem solves and facilitates decision making regarding orientation issues.
  6. Distributes, monitors, and collects all orientation documentation.
  7. Discussorientee’s progress, accomplishments, problems etc. with preceptors. In addition, keeps Nurse Manager informed of orientee’s progress and immediately reports any issues that may arise during orientation.
  8. Serves as the primary liaison between the unit preceptors and the Nurse Transition Program’s Educator via attendance at Preceptor Coordinator Meetings.
  9. Acts as a mediator, should problems or personality conflicts arise between preceptor and orientee.
  10. Provides unit specific orientation for orientee including tour of department, provisions of introductions, the unit’s structural organization, job description, staffingpatterns/grids, scheduling process, break and meal times, dress code, communication methods, and fire plan, and other unit specific information.
  11. Assess and validate stated competencies of the experienced nurse orienting on unit.

Responsibilities of the Preceptor(s)

  1. Introduce the orientee to other staff members of the unit/department.
  2. Inform the orientee of the location of policies/procedures and resource manuals.
  3. Introduce the orientee to the routine of the unit/department.
  4. Works closely with the nurse manager/Assistant Nurse Manager, Preceptor Coordinator and Nurse Transition Program (NTP) Educators to keep them informed of the progress of the orientee.
  5. Describe and role model the position to the orientee.
  6. Provide opportunities for the orientee to carry out clinical checklist nursing skills as available with supervision and independently.
  7. Provides immediate feedback to orientee.
  8. Discuss and plan the progression of patient assignment with the orientee as applicable.
  9. Holds a weekly conference to discuss and review performance and progress toward objectives as discussed in previous conference. Progress reports should also be communicated to the manager on an ongoing basis or as directed by their manager.

10. Document the orientee’s progression with specific strengths, and/or problems and weekly goals

(weekly progress report form) beginning the first week of clinical orientation and continuesweekly throughout the orientation.

11. Completes and reviews with the orientee a final evaluation form addressing completion of

goals and. /or any further needs and action plan at the completion of orientation.

12. Completes the clinical orientation checklist. (Orientee should do a return discussion or

demonstration of all clinical skills listed.) If the opportunity was not available to preform skill, then

review item with orientee and document by circling R=Reviewed, able to find resource. A comment

to the effectthat the orientee knows the resource should be included.

13. It is important to note that the primary responsibilities of the preceptor are observation and

development of the orientee’s skills. It is by use of the clinical checklist and progress reports that this

is documented.

  1. The Nurse Manager addresses occurrences of tardiness and absenteeism.

Criteria for Preceptor Selection

  1. RNs employed in the clinical area for at least one year.
  2. Demonstrates competent practice in assigned work area as evidenced by performance evaluation and competency checklists.
  3. Demonstrates the ability to use critical thinking skills based on deliberate and thoughtful decisions on scientific and behavior principles and thorough assessments.
  4. Demonstrates the ability to perform thorough and accurate assessments.
  5. Regularly performs quality patient care.
  6. Demonstrates characteristics of a team player on the unit
  7. Demonstrates above average communication skills by promoting positive interpersonal relationships through tactful, patient, direct, and sensitive interactions.
  8. Demonstrates the ability to provide both positive and negative feedback in a tactful manner.
  9. Demonstrates the ability to maintain confidentiality when appropriate.
  10. Demonstrates a positive and professional attitude at all times.
  11. Demonstrates key leadership skills, i.e. serves as a role model (even during adverse, critical or frustrating situations), is knowledgeable and acts as a resource person in their clinical area, makes sound decisions, prioritizes well, is dependable, timely and approachable.
  12. Demonstrates the ability to introduce, interpret and practice hospital protocol and procedures.
  13. Exhibits an interest in professional growth through participation and attendance in unit in-services, performance improvement studies, staff meetings, educational offerings, clinical ladder, etc.
  14. States an interest in serving as a preceptor, is willing to attend workshops, complete necessary paperwork, evaluations, etc.

Guidelines for Preceptor Orientation Program

The Preceptor Orientation Program aligns its values with the hospitals values which include: I = Innovation, C = Collaboration, A = Accountability, R = Respect and E = Excellence.

  1. Orientation is individualized according to the needs of the orientee.
  2. The Nurse Manager/Assistant Nurse Manager/Preceptor Coordinator, or designate will choose a preceptor(s) for each orientee.
  3. The first week may include classes and sessions with other departments as well as time on the nursing unit assigned to patient care. The orientation Education Specialist (Staff Development) will keep a classroom checklist. At the completion of the classroom sessions, the orientee and the orientee’s Education Specialist will sign the checklist. It will be forwarded to the orientee’s Nurse Manager.
  4. Following completion of the classroom orientation, the orientee will begin clinical orientation on the unit. Experienced Nurses will begin clinical orientation with a designated preceptor on the unit. Graduate Nurses will begin an internship through the Nurse Transition Program (NTP). The Educator’s in the NTP will provide additional classroom education, clinical education, and on-going support during the first year of employment.
  5. The orientee provides the preceptor with a preceptor packet (see below under Evaluation), which is obtained from the Staff DevelopmentEducation Specialist. The orientation packet is also available on the Intranet.
  6. The preceptor and/or orientee will keep the clinical checklist. At the completion of orientation, the checklist will be signed by the orientee and the preceptor(s) and then forwarded to the Nurse Manager. Each line must be dated and signed individually.

Evaluation

Responsibilities of the Orientee

  1. The Initial Skill/Equipment Competency Checklist is continuously updated by the orientee and/or preceptor and completed by the end of the orientation period.
  2. The Weekly Progress Report-is completed by preceptorand discussed with orientee and Nurse Manager each week. It is the Orientee’s responsibility to ensure that this paperwork is completed weekly by their preceptor.
  3. The Evaluation of Clinical Orientation is to be completed by the last week of orientation and given to the Nurse Manager.
  4. The Orientee’s Evaluation of the Preceptor is to be completed by the last week of orientation and given to the Nurse Manager. Each preceptor should be evaluated individually.

Responsibilities of the Preceptor

  1. The Weekly Progress Reportis the written evaluation completed each week by the preceptor and discussed with the orientee. This information will also be discussed with the Nurse Manager/Assistant Nurse Manager. The Weekly Progress Report is signed by preceptor, orientee, and Nurse Manager after reviewing.
  2. Final Evaluation – The primary preceptor who had the orientee the majority of the time (or designated as the primary preceptor) willcomplete the final evaluation form. This preceptor will discuss the final evaluation with the orientee the last week of orientation.
  3. The Preceptor Verification Record- is completed weekly by the preceptor.

The number of hours spent with the orientee and the number of actual clinical hours

are to be documented weekly, the form signed and sent to the Nurse Manager/Preceptor

Coordinator or designee upon completion of the orientation.

Preceptor Payment Criteria

Preceptor payment is contingent upon meeting certain predefined criteria. Once criteria are met, the Preceptor Coordinator, Nurse Manager, or other designated person will submit the paperwork for preceptor payment. Criteria for preceptor payment include:

  • Precepts for each orientee 32 hours or more.
  • Contributes to completion of the clinical checklist
  • Completes at least one weekly progress report during and/or at the end of the orientation period
  • Documents the hours spent with orientee on the preceptor verification record

In addition, the following must be completed before any preceptor payment is approved:

  • All necessary paperwork must be completed, signed, and turned into Nurse Manager: Clinical Checklist, all Weekly Progress Reports, Final Evaluation form, Preceptor Verification Record)
  • Once all forms are completed and turned in the Preceptor Coordinator, Nurse Manager, or other designated person will complete the Preceptor Payment Sheet and submit it for approval of payment.

11-2011 MV Q Drive/2011 NTP/Preceptor Coordinator Meeting