Whether you are a student in a clinical preceptorship, or precepting in a new position, there are unwritten rules of "etiquette" in place when working with a nursing preceptor. Follow these tips for a more positive and enriching experience. When in doubt, pause and put yourself in the preceptor's shoes to gain insight into your responses before you respond.

Never act like you know everything upfront. Using expressions akin to "Duh" or "I knew that" do not bode well for a positive preceptorship experience. Allow the preceptor to do his or her job which is to teach you what you need to know. Until he/she assesses your skill and knowledge abilities, he/she may train you at a level below what you think you deserve. Let him/her make the adjustment based on your demonstrated skills and abilities. Do not act like you are better than his/her training or that he/she is wasting your time!

Be a listerner, not a talker. Your preceptor's job – in addition to his or her regular duties – is to train you to excel in performing in your new nursing position. He/she is giving you a wealth of information. Listen to that information and write it down if you have to. Don't interrupt when the preceptor is talking with pearls of wisdom such as, "That's not how I did it at my last job." You will not win points. Listening is an active and interactive experience. Be there for it.

Ask lots of questions. Remember, there are no dumb questions - just unasked ones. Your preceptor wants you to clarify issues and asks questions. Don't save the questions for the day you start working on your own. Question instructions for clarification and further information as needed. You do not look dumb by asking a lot of questions. Your preceptor knows you are listening and are engaged in the process when you ask questions.

Allow your preceptor to be your resource. He/she did not just enter the organization as you are doing. A preceptor is chosen by management because of his/her experience in the job position and nursing skills and knowledge. Use this to your advantage and have the preceptor be your resource for everything. You don't need to limit this resource to on-the-job duties - they even have useful information such as where the closest bathroom is and what time the cafeteria opens.

Thank your preceptor at every opportunity. When I was working at a pediatric ER, I remember a co-worker, whose nursing student was not following the above tips say, "Time for my 13 dollar headache." She was getting paid an extra dollar an hour to be a nursing preceptor. Even with a positive experience, that is not close to payment enough for the extra mile a preceptor goes every day for you. You do not need to shower this person with compliments or gifts – although he/she would likely not mind. But you do need to thank this person, at least once a day, for his/her attention to your needs. Expressing appreciation is still one of the best cost-free gifts a person can extend to another.

Traditional vs Distant Learning Nursing Education

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By: Christopher David Kowal

I have often heard nursing students and colleagues proclaim about nursing education, “If a nursing school isn’t accredited, it is no good.” “Regional accreditation is more important for getting a job.” “A traditional degree is better than an online one.”

What makes nursing education good? Is a traditional education program better than an online one? Do you receive better nursing education from an accredited program versus one that is not? Let us consider everything with a grain of salt and look at the facts as well as the reality.

The merits of receiving an education from an accredited institution speaks to the point that the particular school ranks average or better than average within a conglomerate of similar institutional programs. According to the US Department of Education, which does not accredit nursing schools but provides rationale for its purpose, an educational program that is accredited has shown that they provide quality higher education according to standards set by a private regional or national accrediting agency. Accreditation for nursing schools is a peer review process that evaluates educational programs based upon agency-set criteria.

When examining the value of traditional versus distance learning, many feel there is much to be said. Perhaps the discussion is merely academic (no pun intended). The arguments certainly can be positive or negative for both sides, but where do they stem from? Is it fact, fiction, or fear? Look at the status quo. Traditional nursing education (attending classes within the physical environment of a learning institution) is exactly that: tradition. What nursing education can only be taught exclusively in the “physical” setting of the classroom? In today’s technologic revolution, do you think you are more likely to have your particular learning style better stimulated through traditional or distance learning, or are they equal? Are you more likely to have a diverse group of instructors from across the national and professional spectrum in the traditional setting, and does that make for a better learning experience? The jury may still be out, but the evidence is weighing-in.

My personal academic growth has exposed me to both styles of education: traditional and distance learning. Personally, I have been a dedicated distance learning university student for the past 4-years. The university is accredited through the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) as well as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). I have enjoyed the privilege of earning two masters degrees-one in nursing management and organizational leadership and the other one in nursing education. Currently, I am enrolled in a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program for executive nursing leadership at the same institution which is also applying for doctoral accreditation through the National League for Nursing (NLN). What benefits have I reaped? In the last year-and-a-half, nothing but doors to opportunity have opened for me.