Building, growing and supporting a well-rounded community for preceptors is what two faculty members at Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON) are embarking on a journey to accomplish.

Currently, there are few resources available to those who precept students. Iris Padilla, PhD, FNP-BC, assistant professor at DUSON and Kathryn Kreider, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, assistant professor at DUSON have teamed up to create the Communities of Practice (CoP). Sponsored by a HRSA grant, the CoP has enabled Duke to build an online portal that DUSON preceptors can join to stay connected and access the latest innovations in advanced nursing practice. The grant has also allowed DUSON to create an Endocrinology specialty for MSN students and establish relationships with local community health centers.

The Communities of Practice website provides preceptors with clinical and academic resources as well as a platform to come together and share best practices from their experiences with other preceptors.

“Our goal for the CoP is to not only recruit preceptors but to also retain them,” says Kreider. “We want to provide a community of preceptors with support to help guide them in their role.”

The concept of the CoP is built on a foundation of collaboration and innovation. The website can be accessed around the clock to allow for ease of access and greater collaborative learning and engagement with other academic and community partners.

“Oftentimes, preceptors find themselves in roles they may not be prepared for, but our CoP has an entire section of resources on preceptor development. A preceptor who needs additional information, or ideas can find best practices for how to engage with students or enhance their knowledge to make the experience more rewarding for everyone involved,” says Padilla.

The CoP website also features a unique organizational structure that facilitates learning and collaboration through interactions and personal relationships.

“This site is a way for DUSON to provide access to materials and resources for preceptors that they wouldn’t otherwise have access to,” says Kreider. “This is a great way to connect preceptors to DUSON and a way for our School to give back in thanks to them for the service they provide.”

At many nursing schools around the country it’s the students’ responsibility to find a preceptor to learn from in their clinical placements—at DUSON, the School takes on the responsibility in matching its students with preceptors, allowing students to focus on their education. 

To learn more about DUSON’s Communities of Practice, visit their website at cop.nursing.duke.edu