Preceptorship is an exciting and rewarding experience for teaching undergraduate and graduate nursing students the complexities of professional nursing practice in the clinical setting. According to the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) (2004), preceptorship is a formal process of providing clinical guidance, instruction, and formal evaluation. The relationship is led by an experienced and competent nurse who facilitates the learning and development of the learner. Preceptorship typically is comprised of three participants: the student, the preceptor, and the faculty member or instructor. The relationship among all three is critical to the teaching and learning process and must be a strong one if this experience is to engender the best possible outcome for all involved (Myrick & Yonge, 2005).

This site provides essential information needed for preceptorship including information about the University of Alberta's Faculty of Nursing program, goals of the preceptorship experience, orientation checklists, teaching strategies, decision-making guidelines, and links to key resources.

This information is intended to support you in your role as a University of Alberta Nursing preceptor in the changing and complex environment of nursing practice and education.