Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions of registered nurse (RN) preceptors working in psychiatric care concerning the organisation of clinical placements and their own preceptor role with undergraduate nursing students.

Background

Clinical placements play a central role in undergraduate nursing education, and it is crucial that psychiatric care clinical placements are of high quality.

Methods

The RNs’ perceptions before and after the introduction of changes in the organisation of clinical placements were compared. A total of 103 surveys with quantitative and qualitative data were returned, from 59 RN preceptors at baseline and 44 RN preceptors at follow-up. Data were analysed with non-parametrical statistics and qualitative content analysis.

Results

The majority of RN preceptors perceived the changes to have been beneficial, but there was still a desire for the students to have more time in their psychiatric care clinical placements according to the RN preceptors. At follow-up, significantly more RN preceptors perceived that they had an intentional pedagogical foundation for their precepting.

Conclusions

We conclude that the changes introduced into the clinical placement are beneficial, but there is still need for further improvement in relation to the amount of time student nurses spend in psychiatric clinical placements and in the opportunities provided for RN preceptors to attend preceptor preparation courses.