The Impact of Preceptorships on Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Perceptions of Caring

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine how time spent in a preceptorship experience changed senior-level nursing students' perception of caring. In addition, different types of clinical units and preceptors were explored as a means to change caring perceptions of students. Caring perceptions were measured using the Caring Dimensions Inventory. A significant relationship was found between the years of experience of the nurse preceptors and students' perception of care. The results of the study demonstrated that nursing preceptorships can play an integral role in providing care ethics education within the nursing curriculum.