title: Developing a preceptorship/mentorship model for home health care nurses.
abstract: Preceptorship and mentorship programs are used in the health care sector to educate nurses, enhance their leadership skills, and improve their quality of work life. Recognizing the importance of these initiatives, Saint Elizabeth Health Care sought funding to create an innovative model of preceptorship/mentorship that meets the unique needs of home health care nurses. The methods utilized included focus groups, key informant interviews, and a workflow analysis. Factors that influence preceptorship such as nursing workload, preceptor training and remuneration were examined to develop a new model that offers career enhancement and leadership opportunities for preceptors and mentors, and promotes a welcoming environment for preceptees. Reward and recognition programs were created for preceptors to acknowledge their leadership contribution at the front line. This study demonstrates how evidence and innovation were used to create a preceptorship/mentorship model to develop community nursing leaders of the future.
authors.affiliation: Saint Elizabeth Health Care. jdecicco@saintelizabeth.com
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DeCicco
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008611:Mentors / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D017145:Models, Educational; D016294:Models, Nursing; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D009864:Ontario; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011361:Professional Competence; D016730:Program Development; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires