Can state-supported interprofessional coalitions cure preceptor shortages?

The shortage of clinical preceptors compromises the current and future supply of healthcare providers and patient access to primary care. This article describes how an interprofessional coalition in South Carolina formed and sought government support to address the preceptor shortage. Some states have legislated preceptor tax credits and/or deductions to support the clinical education of future primary care healthcare providers. As a result of the coalition's work, a bill to establish similar incentives is pending in the South Carolina legislature.

Review of State Boards of Nursing Rules and Regulations for Nurse Preceptors.

BACKGROUND: The clinical education of undergraduate nursing students relies heavily on the use of staff nurses who assume the preceptor role. The best and most efficient utilization of preceptors is unknown. METHOD: This study reviewed Board of Nursing rules and regulations for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories for their published requirements regarding preceptors. Specifically, this review focused on preceptor-student and faculty-student ratios, role responsibilities, and requirements of preceptors and faculty in undergraduate precepted clinical experiences. RESULTS: Although some commonalities were noted, such as eligibility (RN licensure), degree requirements (baccalaureate), and years of experience (1 to 3), 11 states had no documented regulations. The existing documents appear to lack depth, specificity, and consistency. CONCLUSION: Because preceptors are utilized to such a great extent, the eligibility, selection, preparation, and expectations of preceptors and faculty who work with them should be more explicit. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(3):134-141.].

5. Professional issues in practice.

Becoming a midwife is the 16th series of'Midwifery basics' targeted at practising midwives and midwifery students. The aim of these articles is to provide information to raise awareness of the impact of professionalism on women's experience, consider the implications for midwives'practice and encourage midwives to seek further information through a series of activities relating to the topic. In this fifth article of the series, Jancis Shepherd explores issues of supervision of student midwives in perineal suturing, the practical and legal implications of misadministration of medicines and accountability issues.

Legal issues in clinical nursing education.

Nurse educators are concerned about legal implications of teaching students in clinical settings. Although literature is available about legal issues in working with students in the classroom, there is little recent information on clinical nursing faculty's legal liability when working with students and ways to reduce the risk of becoming involved in a lawsuit. This article discusses the major issues in clinical settings that contribute to lawsuits against faculty and offers suggestions to reduce legal liability with students in clinical settings.

Awareness of the 2010 guidelines implemented by the New York State Education Department for respiratory therapists in their role as clinical preceptors.

BACKGROUND: In 1993, the New York State (NYS) legislature and governor signed into law the Respiratory Therapy Guide to Practice Education Law to guide and regulate the profession of respiratory care under the auspices of the New York State Education Department. New guidelines were implemented by the New York State Education Department for respiratory therapists (RTs) in 2010 to provide the opportunity for RTs to receive continuing education units (CEUs) when participating as clinical preceptors. This study was conducted in June 2012 to determine the extent to which the NYS RTs are aware of the new licensing guidelines and amendments. METHODS: In June 2012, a web-based survey was e-mailed to 2,503 NYS members of the New York State Society for Respiratory Care, 14% of which (n= 360) completed the survey. The survey included 21 items to assess RTs' awareness of the licensing guidelines that were implemented in 2010, and these respondents were analyzed using basic descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The study showed that 50% of the respondents were not aware of eligibility to earn CEUs as a clinical preceptor in NYS. Twenty-eight percent responded correctly that licensed RTs were eligible to earn CEUs as a clinical preceptor in NYS. In addition, 67% of those who responded were unaware of how many CEUs could be earned for each renewal period for clinical precepting. Finally, 70% of the respondents indicated that they would be inclined to seek employment at a facility that has a clinical affiliation with a university or college respiratory care program. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that more education is needed in NYS to make licensed RTs aware of the 2010 guidelines. Practitioners may require incentives to become actively involved in the clinical education of respiratory care students as their clinical preceptors.

Dental students' part-time jobs in dental practices in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: In the Netherlands, the Individual Health Care Professions Act (IHCP Act) allows dental students, amongst other non-qualified individuals, to work under certain conditions in a dental practice. The aim of the study was to determine how many dental students have part-time employment in dental practice and which professional tasks they carry out. We also asked the dental students their opinion about the IHCP Act. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All the enrolled dental students at the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA) in the Netherlands received a questionnaire by e-mail. Within 1 month, two reminders were sent. RESULTS: The response was 44% (427 students). Of the responding students, 71% had paid employment in addition to their study. Twenty-five per cent of all students worked in a dental practice, usually 8 h a week. Study year and age were positively related to working part-time in dental practice. Activities frequently performed were providing chair side assistance, giving oral hygiene instruction, fluoride applications, scaling and root planning. The self-reported knowledge about the IHCP Act was positively related to study year and working in a dental practice. Hardly any information about the requirements of the IHCP Act with regard to delegation of tasks was provided by the employer. CONCLUSION: Many Dutch dental students work in a dental practice, taking over a variety of tasks. Although the self-reported knowledge about the IHCP Act was relatively high, many dental students expressed the need for more detailed information about the legal aspects of their tasks.