title: Preceptor Support in Hospital Transition to Practice Programs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to describe newly licensed RN (NLRN) preceptorships and the effects on competency and retention.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Preceptors are widely used, but little is known about the benefit from the perspective of the NLRN or about the models of the relationships. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing added questions about the preceptor experience in a study of transition-to-practice programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospitals were coded as having high or low preceptor support in regard to scheduling NLRN on the same shifts as their preceptors, assignment sharing, and preceptor release time and a low number of preceptors per preceptee.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Half of the 82 hospitals were classified as high, and half as low preceptor support. NLRNs and their preceptors in high-support hospitals evaluated the preceptor experience and NLRN competence higher. In addition, NLRN retention was higher in the high-support hospitals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To improve NLRN competence and retention, preceptors should have adequate time with each NLRN, share shift and patient assignments, and have few preceptees assigned to each preceptor concurrently.
authors.affiliation: Author Affiliations: Professor Emerita (Dr Blegen), School of Nursing, University of California San Francisco; Director (Dr Spector), Regulatory Innovations, National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Chicago, Illinois; Senior Partner (Dr Ulrich), Innovative Health Resources, Lakeway, and Professor, University of Texas Health Science, Houston; Professor (Dr Lynn), School of Nursing, and Assistant Director, Quality and Training, Office of Human Research Ethics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Professor Emerita (Dr Barnsteiner), Pediatric Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Associate Regulatory Innovations (Ms Silvestre), National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Blegen
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Spector
authors.forename: Beth T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: Mary R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lynn
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barnsteiner
authors.forename: Josephine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Silvestre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009657:North Carolina; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D009820:Ohio; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D015397:Program Evaluation; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic