Teaching of Preceptors Who Perceive that New Graduate Nurses Can Effectively Improve the Quality of Nursing Practices

Abstract

〔Aims〕This study aims to identify new graduate nurses’perception of the teachings of preceptors who perceive that new graduate nurses can effectively improve the quality of nursing practices and to consider the characteristics of such perceptions.

〔Methods〕Questionnaires were distributed by traditional mail to 838 nurses with less than two years of experience at hospitals nationwide in Japan. The collected data were analyzed using content analysis for nursing education based on Berelson’s methodology.

〔Results〕We received responses from 207 nurses and analyzed data from 155 respondents who provided specific descriptions in open-ended questions. As a result of the analysis, we distinguished 37 categories representing the teachings of preceptors who perceive that new graduate nurses can effectively improve the quality of nursing practice, such as “Explain what the new graduate nurses are doing, what they are not doing and what they can improve.”

〔Conclusions〕After comparing our 37 categories with the existing literature, 10 characteristics of new graduate nurses’ perception of the preceptor teachings were found. These included “Support for reliably acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary for new graduate nurses.”