Position Description: Preceptors

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Qualifications
Desired characteristics
Role
Responsibilities
Resources
Courses and orientation materials

• At least two years of experience as a public health nurse
• Able to develop a one-to-one, time-limited relationship with a resident
• Interest in becoming a preceptor
• Demonstrates competencies in the following areas:
  • Feedback/evaluation
  • Conflict management
  • Learning styles
  • Promoting critical thinking
  • Appropriate selection of learning activities
• Familiarity with the Community/Public Health Nursing [C/PHN] Competencies (PDF)

• A passion for public health nursing and a desire to share the practice with others
• A strong knowledge of population-based and community-based public health nursing including community resources, partnerships, and events
• Experience as a public health nurse with the ability to convey the essential components of the public health nursing role
• Effective verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to listen and ask questions
• Well organized and dependable: self-managed and autonomous
• Strong problem-solving skills with an emphasis on critical thinking
• Willingness to share professional values, beliefs, and skills with new public health nurses

Context: Missouri Dept. of Health and Senior Services: Public health nursing preceptor orientation manual (PDF)

Provide guidance and supervision to promote clinical competence and skill development in the novice public health nurse.

• Be available to resident as determined, and contact resident if unable to make a scheduled meeting
• Assist resident in developing knowledge and skills for population and community-based practice • Model professional practice
• Provide feedback regarding resident's progress, identify problems, and suggest ways to resolve issues
• Evaluate the preceptor experience with the resident with the agency

Adapted from: Missouri Dept. of Health and Senior Services: Public health nursing preceptor orientation manual (PDF)

• Conflict management concepts and strategies for preceptors
• Evaluation concepts and strategies for preceptors
• Community/Public Health Nursing [C/PHN] Competencies (PDF)

Courses and orientation materials

While many of the resources listed below were developed for precepting nursing students, many of the concepts will apply to nurses new to public health practice.

• Bethel University: Preceptor training
• Missouri Dept. of Health and Senior Services: Public health nursing preceptor orientation manual (PDF)
• University of Wisconsin-Madison: Preceptor information and resources