This week, the findings from a Nursing Times campaign, supported by the Florence Nightingale Foundation and UNISON the Union were published. They revealed a stark fact – that newly registered nurses and midwives are not receiving good-enough preceptorship.
Over 5,000 nursing staff, students and educators took part in the survey which asked participants to share their insights on the support made available to them in the early part of their careers.
When registered nurses were asked what the key factors were that affected their access to preceptorship, 89 per cent cited workplace pressures while 54 per cent indicated that it was due to a shortage of preceptors. Fifty-four per cent of student nurses, meanwhile, shared that an offer of a preceptorship would affect their decision on a future first job.
FNF’s Academy Director Gemma Stacey and Research and Policy Associate Jess Sainsbury have been active throughout this campaign and are determined that more awareness is raised about such an important subject – and that nurses’ and midwives’ voices are heard.
“There’s not really any doubt among the profession that this is something that’s been needed, and now there needs to be some remedial efforts, because it hasn’t been happening,” Gemma told the Nursing Times.
“The experience of our current newly registered nurses and early career nurses is different to those who came before them,” added Jess. “We must act swiftly and collaboratively to support and retain them before it is too late.”
Thanks to FNF’s members, we are aware of excellent practice and preceptorship offers, and we wish to shine a light on best practice. If you would like to share your learning to support newly registered nurses and midwives, please do get in touch with us at [email protected]
The survey also drew attention to clinical supervision. A striking 86 per cent of students indicated that good preceptorship included clinical supervision, with just 38 per cent stating that it had been part of their preceptorship.
Commenting on the issue, Gemma told the Nursing Times: “You could say it’s resource intensive, in terms of the logistics of releasing time and preparing the supervisors to do it. What we know is that the return on that investment is so significant.”
Click here to read the full article by Nursing Times News Editor Gemma Mitchell.