Greetings!
I have the pleasure of announcing the newest addition to our residency offerings. Versant will begin to offer a professional development system for preceptors in the Fall of 2015!
As always, Versant remains an outcomes-driven organization. Rather than just focusing on what a nurse must know to fit into his or her role, our competency-based model identifies specific outcomes that must occur for an organization to meet its own goals. Our approach in creating this program was no different. Through discussion with preceptors as part of a job analysis, we identified the competencies required for every preceptor to consistently meet your required performance and process outcomes. What will the Preceptor Development System include?
You will be provided a formal structure and metrics to determine who in your organization is already a proficient preceptor – and the tools and support necessary to ensure that each and every preceptor is. The benefits of such a program to your organization will be immediately clear.
Key competencies specific to the preceptor role are identified. One of our key findings was how important leadership competencies are to being a successful preceptor. Of course, this comes as no surprise – we believe that leadership competencies are important for every nurse to have – but we are proud to help nurses grow into their role as leaders. The role of a preceptor does not just focus on clinical competencies – it focuses on having the capacity to provide the support necessary to help a resident focus on acquiring clinical competence.
We have found preceptors have the experience necessary to be self-disciplined and self-driven learners. As such, a preceptor can remain at the point of care and prepare themselves for preceptor competency validation through use of Performance Support Tools (PSTs) created to be completed either in a classroom setting such as workshops or individually as an e-module.
Of course, Versant Voyager® will assist you in managing preceptor performance. In the future, a mobile application will be available for competency validation to be much more accessible!
Our goal is to begin introducing the Preceptor Development System as client organizations transition to the Versant II model. In the near future, your POM representative will reach out to answer any questions you have and discuss what the implementation process in your organization could look like.
Signed,
Larissa A. Africa, MBA, BSN, RN
President
