Book excerpt: The Preceptor Program Builder: Essential Tools for a Successful Preceptor Program Diana Swihart, PhD, DMin, MSN, APN CS, RN-BC Solimar Figueroa, MHA, MSN, BSN, RN The Preceptor Program Builder provides professional development staff the keys to creating a successful preceptor program in the healthcare environment. In this essential package, you will find the core tools, best practices, processes, adaptable forms, and training materials for developing and evaluating preceptors, information for preparing preceptors for certification through portfolio-building, and a tested framework for preceptor programs. Use this resource to develop a preceptor program for any population, such as nurses or pharmacists. The book provides a core design for developing preceptors that can be applied to any program and discipline where preceptors orient or transition new employees, students, or persons transitioning into a new role or position. This work moves beyond previous editions' focus on single disciplines and invites all groups, disciplines, and professions to create a framework built on practical tools, definitions, principles, and concepts for training preceptors and building formal preceptorships. This resource will help you: Design preceptor training programs from the ground up Revitalize existing preceptor training with new curricula, including fully customizable PowerPoint(R) training and preceptor workbooks Assess the quality of preceptors and evaluate the training effectiveness Develop a preceptor certification Overall Program Builder objectives: Recognize the components of a preceptorship and the value added to a healthcare organization Prepare preceptors for the roles and responsibilities defined by an effective preceptor program Employ critical thinking skills and evidence-based practices within a preceptor program Apply effective feedback, competency assessment, and performance evaluation techniques Outline effective strategies for successful communication within the professional team Implement a preceptor program within a practice setting Build a preceptor program that promotes professional development and the eventual transition from preceptor to mentor What's new The Preceptor Program Builder is a professional quality, occupation-agnostic system for building a preceptor program in the healthcare industry. This resource represents a foundation for the future. Key changes compared to previous editions of the Nurse Preceptor Program Builder: Evidence-based guidance and a methodology based on research Discussion of the advancement of preceptoring as a specialty Presentation of the new "Married State Preceptorship Model" and the research related to its development Tips and tools for establishing preceptorships across any discipline, not just nursing How to develop a portfolio How to prepare for preceptor certification Nursing Contact Hours: HCPro is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. This educational activity for 3.6 nursing contact hours is provided by HCPro. Nursing contact hours for this activity are valid from April 1, 2014 - April 1, 2016. For further information on how to obtain your contact hours, please see the Instructional Guide on the download page after purchasing the book.