Clinical Preceptorship of Nursing Students at an Academic Hospital in Kenya: A Descriptive Study of Preceptor Contributions and Student Perspectives

Abstract

Nursing education exists to prepare a nursing workforce competent to meet the healthcare needs of the population. Practical learning and experiences nursing students receive in the clinical setting are critical to nursing education’s effectiveness. Preceptorship is the teaching-learning method used in Kenyan, clinical, nursing education, but little is known about this model in the Kenyan context. This qualitative descriptive study set in Eldoret, Kenya was conducted to (1) describe the contributions Moi University School of Nursing & Midwifery faculty, Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital bedside nurses, and clinical nurse educators bring to the nursing students’ preceptorship experience at Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital, (2) describe the strategies Moi University School of Nursing & Midwifery faculty, Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital bedside nurses, and clinical nurse educators use to conduct nursing students’ preceptorship at Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital, and (3) describe the nursing students’ perspective of their preceptorship experiences at Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital. Data was collected from faculty members, bedside nurses, and clinical nurse educators through one-on-one interviews and from 3rd and 4th year nursing students through focus group interviews. Data was analyzed using constant comparative analysis. The results revealed unique contributions faculty, bedside nurses, and clinical nurse educators provided nursing students’ preceptorship and strategies used to accomplish each contribution. Faculty members were involved from preparation to final assessment. Bedside nurses provided practical training and opportunities for growth. Clinical nurse educators added hospital standards and quality improvement. Nursing students described their preceptorship experience as a “two-sided story”, acknowledging contributions from each preceptor role, but also expressing barriers to learning. Students’ learning was guided by clinical learning objectives and influenced by their relationships with nurses and their own self-initiative. Challenges to the preceptorship experience emerged naturally from preceptor and student data and included conflicting responsibilities and teaching-practice differences. This study deepens the understanding of Kenyan nursing education and provides foundational knowledge for future studies on clinical education and preceptorship in the Kenyan context.