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)

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