Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Nursing

Advisor

Eileen Fowles

Abstract

For newly licensed registered nurses (NLRNs), a nurse preceptor is an essential resource in a successful transition-to-practice from a nursing education program. Serving in the preceptor role is often performed in addition to a nurse’s primary patient care responsibilities. There is a gap in knowledge about the frequency with which a nurse performs this role and how that frequency affects overall job satisfaction. Using Herzberg’s motivator-hygiene theory as a framework, the purpose of this descriptive, cross‐sectional, comparative study was to examine how frequently nurses serve as preceptors to NLRNs in the hospital inpatient setting and whether the frequency affects their level of overall job satisfaction. Role-frequency questions and the Nursing Workplace Satisfaction Questionnaire were completed by 129 nurse preceptors. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Almost three quarters (72%) of the participants served as a nurse preceptor to 1-4 NLRNs in the 12 months prior to the study. Almost two-thirds (63%) of the respondents received no training prior to performing in the role for the first time. With equal variances assumed (p > 0.05), the study did not show any difference in job satisfaction between nurses who served in the role more frequently over those who served less frequently, F(12, 116) = .599, p > .05. Findings from this study can impact positive social change by guiding nursing leaders on the need for preparation for the nurse preceptor role and on the frequency of assigning the preceptor role to experienced nurses.

Included in

Nursing Commons

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