What does a Preceptor do?
Preceptor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real preceptor resumes:
- Provide continuous telemetry monitoring and managing multiple patients with multiple high-risk medical conditions, utilizing interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Perform blood draws and specimen collection on patients for phlebotomy Preceptorship course.
- Monitor patients on EKG, are able to detect abnormal rhythms.
- Provide emotional support with patients before pending surgery, and provide advocacy by calling doctor to answer the pt's questions.
- Observe students during surgery, gather supplies need for surgical procedures and set up.
- Assist with ADL's, medications, blood transfusions, chemotherapy infusions, education, admissions, discharges, and charting.
- Provide first aid as needed.Phlebotomy Preceptorship (non-compensate )
- Provide intravenous therapy, tube feeding, suctioning, catheter insertion, and intravenous insertion/removal.
- Provide comprehensive care to patients and their families experiencing acute medical surgical health alterations under guidance of preceptor R.N.
- Provide care to patients needing monitoring for cardiac abnormalities, requiring mechanical ventilation, and requiring long term rehabilitation.
- Provide community education programs/exhibitions relate to acute rehabilitation hospital criteria.
- Practice and apply concepts relate to maternity nursing, medical-surgical nursing and the operating room setting.
- Provide community education programs/exhibitions relate to acute rehabilitation hospital criteria.
Preceptor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 34% of Preceptors are proficient in Patients, Direct Patient Care, and CPR. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Compassion, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Preceptors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 34%
Provided comprehensive care to patients and their families experiencing acute medical surgical health alterations under guidance of preceptor R.N.
- Direct Patient Care, 7%
Demonstrated increasing responsibility and independence in direct patient care.
- CPR, 6%
Performed First Aid or CPR if needed.
- Preceptorship, 4%
Performed nursing preceptorship in the intensive care unit at Southern California Hospital, gaining much experience in critical care.
- IV, 4%
Assumed responsibility in monitoring vital signs, managing IV lines, and administering medication.
- Surgery, 4%
Supervised pharmacy residents on rotations in Infectious Disease and in Surgery.
Most preceptors use their skills in "patients," "direct patient care," and "cpr" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential preceptor responsibilities here:
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a preceptor to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "registered nurses must be able to communicate effectively with patients in order to understand their concerns and evaluate their health conditions." Additionally, a preceptor resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "utilized therapeutic communication skills when interacting with patients, families, and team members. "
Compassion. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling preceptor duties is compassion. The role rewards competence in this skill because "registered nurses should be caring and empathetic when working with patients." According to a preceptor resume, here's how preceptors can utilize compassion in their job responsibilities: "provided compassionate care for 4 assigned patients on a busy med/surge telemetry specializing in care for endocrine and renal patients. "
Detail oriented. preceptors are also known for detail oriented, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to preceptor responsibilities, because "registered nurses must be precise because they must ensure that patients get the correct treatments and medicines at the right time." A preceptor resume example shows how detail oriented is used in the workplace: "performed detailed assessments, medication administration, and discharge teaching to patients. "
Emotional stability. A big part of what preceptors do relies on "emotional stability." You can see how essential it is to preceptor responsibilities because "registered nurses need emotional resilience and the ability to cope with human suffering, emergencies, and other stressors." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical preceptor tasks: "provided physical and emotional support for patients and family members. "
Organizational skills. A commonly-found skill in preceptor job descriptions, "organizational skills" is essential to what preceptors do. Preceptor responsibilities rely on this skill because "nurses often work with multiple patients who have a variety of health needs." You can also see how preceptor duties rely on organizational skills in this resume example: "developed systems and organizational tools for research data collection and storage. "
Physical stamina. Lastly, "physical stamina" is an important element of what a preceptor does. Preceptor responsibilities require this skill because "nurses should be comfortable performing physical tasks, such as lifting patients." This resume example highlights how preceptor duties rely on this skill: "analyze and interpret patients' histories, symptoms, physical findings, or diagnostic information to develop appropriate diagnoses. "
The three companies that hire the most preceptors are:
- Harvard University5 preceptors jobs
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine5 preceptors jobs
- Amedisys3 preceptors jobs
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Preceptor vs. Clinical research nurse
A clinical research nurse is responsible for conducting research studies on various health conditions, illness treatments, and healthcare methodologies, analyzing existing scientific research to make new reports. Clinical research nurses also communicate with other health professionals and health organizations for their insights and recommendations for a specific medical study, ensuring to report their findings to doctors and medical researchers for further validation and clinical trials. A clinical research nurse must have excellent knowledge of communication, both written and spoken, as well as expertise in the medical industry.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, preceptor responsibilities require skills like "cpr," "preceptorship," "epic," and "internal medicine." Meanwhile a typical clinical research nurse has skills in areas such as "bls," "acute care," "acls," and "patient outcomes." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
The education levels that clinical research nurses earn slightly differ from preceptors. In particular, clinical research nurses are 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a preceptor. Additionally, they're 5.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Preceptor vs. Home health nurse
A home health nurse is responsible for assisting patients usually in their households, strictly monitoring their health conditions and treatment plans for fast recovery. Home health nurses work with the patients' attending physicians and other health professionals to develop healthcare plans and administer timely medications. They update the patient's chart regularly, record temperature and vital signs, manage food intake, and respond to the patients' inquiries and requests. A home health nurse must have strong organizational and time-management skills to perform various nursing duties under certain conditions.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real preceptor resumes. While preceptor responsibilities can utilize skills like "cpr," "preceptorship," "surgery," and "epic," home health nurses use skills like "home health," "rehabilitation," "physician orders," and "infection control."
In general, home health nurses achieve similar levels of education than preceptors. They're 4.7% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 5.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Preceptor vs. Ambulatory care coordinator
An ambulatory care coordinator coordinates with physicians to ensure that the patients' individual medical needs are identified and addressed on time. Ambulatory care coordinators work directly under the supervision of an assigned ambulatory manager and supervisor to promote patients' health and welfare through face-to-face, telephone, or email. They maintain knowledge and expertise in electronic software tools so that medical records can be encoded into the computer. Ambulatory care coordinators are also required to take the licensure exams for registered nurses.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a preceptor is likely to be skilled in "direct patient care," "preceptorship," "iv," and "surgery," while a typical ambulatory care coordinator is skilled in "social work," "patient care," "home health," and "rehabilitation."
Most ambulatory care coordinators achieve a higher degree level compared to preceptors. For example, they're 7.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 4.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Preceptor vs. Student nurse
A Student Nurse is responsible for treating and taking care of a patient's needs while upholding all the rules and medical regulations of a hospital or clinic. They work and function under the supervision of a Clinical Instructor while still gaining practical experience. Furthermore, among the duties of a Student Nurse revolves around following guidelines given by superiors, administering medication according to schedule, dressing patients, handing meals and changing beds, gathering and charting data, and coordinating with the instructor at all times.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between preceptors and student nurses, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a preceptor might have more use for skills like "epic," "primary care," "medication administration," and "internal medicine." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of student nurses require skills like "administer medications," "med-surg," "wound care," and "infection control. "
In general, student nurses hold similar degree levels compared to preceptors. Student nurses are 4.9% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 5.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of preceptor
Updated January 8, 2025