Description of team The team is made up of the OR educators, clinical competency educator, clinical competency manager, surgical services' vice presidents, directors, managers, assistant nurse manager, educators, specialty coordinators, and charge nurses.
Assessment It was reported to me by my OR employees that the material covered in the organizational courses were more applicable to inpatients units vs. procedural areas. In addition, classes were not always in a location and at a time that was conducive to the procedural areas' schedule.
Our organization implemented a leveling system for nurses that required the preceptor classes to be completed. This created a greater need for the procedure areas to have their own preceptor class.
Preparation and planning With the support of the surgical services leadership team, we met with the professional development manager and preceptor program coordinator. We were granted permission to teach the class.
As part of my training to teach the preceptor classes, I attended the preceptor class and advanced preceptor class taught by the preceptor program coordinator. I was able to ask her for tips and tricks to make the procedural preceptor class successful.
After I completed my training with the preceptor program coordinator, I reviewed and identified areas that I could alter to make the material more applicable to the procedural areas.
Implementation After reviewing the course content, I worked with our education platform administrator to build the courses so that staff could sign up for these classes we would offer.
We scheduled the classes at a centralized location to our 6 campuses.
After that, I created posters advertising the classes and shared with the leaders of the procedural areas so that they could announce and advertise in their departments.
Outcome Since November 2023, we have taught 70 employees in the beginning preceptor course and 40 employees in the advanced preceptor course. Additionally, we have provided an area for employees or all the procedural areas to come together, form relationships, and share their knowledge with each other to provide a well-rounded training program and improve the cross departmental relationships and train employees to adequately precept new staff resulting in increase staff retention.
Implications for perioperative nursing Having a preceptor training for procedural areas, can improve the onboarding of new staff to these areas and allow collaboration among employees in like areas.
