The Impact of an Online Preceptorship Training Program on Preceptor Self-Efficacy among Nurse Case Managers Working in an Acute Care Setting

Abstract

Purpose/Objectives: The U.S. health care system is experiencing a critical workforce shortage of nurse case managers exacerbated by an older workforce and looming retirements and the growth of this specialty. This quality improvement project aimed to develop an online case manager preceptor training program and examine its impact on the nurse case manager preceptors’ self-efficacy. Practice Setting: This project was implemented at a 395-bed acute care, community-based hospital in the northeast. Methodology and Sample: The target population for the intervention included a convenience sample of 13 nurse case managers who were assigned a preceptor role. The intervention was an abbreviated version of an online preceptorship program by Lippincott. The Preceptor Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.96, measured nurse preceptors’ confidence in various skills including fostering critical thinking and providing feedback. Data from pre- and post-intervention PSEQ surveys were analyzed using a Wilcoxon rank sum test in SPSS version 28. Results: The Wilcoxon rank sum test revealed a statistically significant improvement in preceptor confidence scores (p = .043) between pre- and post-intervention PSEQ results. Implications for Case Management Practice: This project demonstrated feasibility of an online nurse case manager preceptor training program while also identifying improved preceptors’ self-efficacy. Future research can include investigating the impact of a preceptor training program on the nurse case manager learners receiving role training from the trained case manager preceptor.