A qualitative study (N=6) was undertaken examining the experiences of newly qualified staff nurses following Project 2000 Child Branch education, within which the experience of preceptorship was explored. All staff had an allocated preceptor, but experienced the process with varying degrees of success. In-depth interviews were undertaken at five months post-qualifying: content analysis of the data revealed a number of themes relating to the process of preceptorship, and the staff nurses' views of factors which either promoted or hindered its effectiveness. Factors contributing to successful preceptorship appeared to be: the availability of the preceptor; planning of learning objectives; ongoing feedback regarding progress; the enthusiasm and commitment of the preceptors for their role. In no case did preceptorship appear to have a formal structure and it was unclear what criteria would be used to assess staff performance at the end of the preceptorship period. This paper examines the background to preceptorship and the debate concerning its structure and intended outcomes. The experiences of the study participants are then examined in the light of this discussion. The study identifies some fundamental questions about the nature and process of preceptorship.
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