Week 3: Relationships That Foster Growth – Mentors and Preceptors
Isaac Newton’s scientific work in the 1700s led to a great deal of understanding about physics. Allegedly struck in the head by a falling apple, Newton went on to develop theories that explain why anything with mass (like an apple) is attracted toward the source of a gravitational force (like the Earth). In effect, we learned that gravity is the force that keeps our feet on the ground and prevents us from floating away.
If you reflect on some of your most memorable professional experiences, you may recall some that were not very positive. Perhaps these relationships acted like gravity, restricting your efforts to reach desired heights. On one hand, the role of mentors and preceptors is to work like a gravitational force as well, helping to keep learners’ feet on the ground while guiding them through the trials of learning and growing within the profession. On the other hand, these relationships help learners rise beyond these trials and reach the goals they have established.
This week, you examine the impact that mentors and preceptors can have on professional goal attainment. With an appreciation for this impact, you will propose a plan for seeking a mentor who can help with your journey. This plan will inform your completion and submission of the Practicum Experience Plan.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Contrast mentors and preceptors
Describe strategies for using mentoring to facilitate professional/career development in the context of nursing education
Develop measurable individualized practicum objectives
Develop a Practicum Experience Plan
Construct a time log to facilitate practicum time management
Synthesize the literature and nurse educator competencies to justify practicum projects*
