Phenomenological study of preceptors' experiences with fostering nurse practitioner students' professional autonomy development in a clinical learning environment

Abstract

Background: Nurse practitioner students' progression from observational to more independent clinical activities with minimal preceptor prompting is necessary to prepare students for practice. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe and explain NP and physician preceptors' experiences with preparing nurse practitioner students for their transition to becoming autonomous clinicians during their experiences at clinical sites. Methods: This hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative study was based on Van Manen's methodology. A purposive criterion and maximum variation sample of 27 preceptors was recruited. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and analyzed by VanManen's approach. Results: Results showed that within the themes of human relation, lived body, lived time, lived things, and lived space, subthemes of student's characteristics (preparedness, motivation, and confidence), preceptors' characteristics (expectations, trust, feedback), site characteristics (documentation and EMR; preceptors; providers, staff, and resources; patients and patient care complexities), and time (clinical schedule and time to teach) were present. The key factors in fostering students' professional autonomy development were preceptor trust and their entrustment decisions. Conclusions and implications: This study's results can help create preceptor and faculty guidance on how to foster NP students' professional autonomy development and successfully incorporate more independent clinical activities within the clinical learning environment (CLE).

Publication Title

Journal of Professional Nursing

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