SBHCS Nursing Center for Professional Development

Orientation and Precepting

We believe that a comprehensive and supportive orientation is the foundation for a successful career in the profession of nursing. To that end, significant amounts of resources have been allocated to assure that our newest hires experience a smooth transition into their new nursing careers within the Saint Barnabas Health Care System. A complete and comprehensive orientation training program has been designed to meet the individual needs of our newest hires.

Our orientation programs are supported by advanced practice nurses, clinical educators and preceptors. Orientation is under the guidance of the Directors of Education at each of the facilities. It consists of the following:

• An Orientation Coordinator who assists and coordinates the training for the new hire through his/her first several months of employment
• Extensive classroom instruction and in-services
• Clinical skill labs affording new hires the opportunity to practice their clinical skills prior to caring for patients
• Individual mentoring by highly trained preceptors
• Extensive training on the patient care units (up to six months in some specialties) as the orientees gradually increase their patient assignment
• Ongoing education in critical thinking and clinical decision making
• Regular progress meetings with preceptors, educators and nurse manager
• Specialized transition for foreign recruits including an extensive program in acculturation

At SBHCS, supporting preceptors is critical to the orientation process. Sharing knowledge and expertise, preceptors are “role models for professionalism and best practices in the clinical setting. They also socialize nurses into the work group.”
----- M. Krugman, PhD, RN, FAAN, Precepting: The Chance to Shape Nursing's Future, Nursing Spectrum -- May 8, 2006

Preceptor Workshops are provided throughout the year within the SBHCS. These workshops are intended for nurses who are new to the preceptor role. The program includes review of reality shock; principles of adult learning; principles of evaluation; correct completion of forms used in orientation (skill checklist, daily progress record, etc); constructive feedback. Case studies at the end of the program assist participants in the assimilation of information presented.(A similar version of this course is offered for non-professional nursing staff - nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, techs, etc. - who may also function in a preceptor role for their respective specialties). An Advanced Preceptor Workshop is also available.

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