Interventions Used by Nurse Preceptors to Develop Critical Thinking of New Graduate Nurses: A Systematic Review

J Nurses Prof Dev. 2017 Jan/Feb;31(1):E1-E7. doi: 10.1097/NND.0000000000000318.

Abstract

Healthcare complexity and patient acuity necessitate competent nurses with critical thinking abilities. However, these skill sets are less developed among newly hired graduate nurses. The overall purpose of this systematic review was to examine interventions/strategies implemented by preceptors in healthcare organizations to promote critical thinking of new graduate nurses. A systematic search of the literature resulted in 602 citations, with nine studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Educational interventions were varied and will be described in this article. Preceptor education was a key component in the studies reviewed.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Curriculum / trends*
  • Humans
  • Nurses / psychology
  • Nurses / standards*
  • Preceptorship / methods*
  • Thinking*