Scope and Standards of Practice for Preceptor Advancement

Preceptors have always been present in board rooms, clinical settings, schools, and work environments where onboarding and role transitions occur. They formally and informally engage in coaching and mentoring in varying degrees for a specific time period, working with students, new graduates, new employees, and individuals moving into new roles and responsibilities. Exceptional Preceptors inspire preceptees (sometimes called proteges) to excel, to explore their organizations, and to actively contribute to their own success. Effective Preceptors provide the grounding students and employees need to ensure a successful emersion into the culture and climate of their studies and work.However, for all the power Preceptors have to make or break a career depending on their motivation, preparation and support in any organization, there has been no standardization of competencies or practice for preceptoring until now. This work establishes a scope and standards of practice for advancing Preceptors in alignment with recognizing preceptoring as a specialty requiring a unique set of qualities and skills. It provides the definitions, values and beliefs, theoretical framework, scope of practice, standards of practice and competencies of preceptoring in health care as established by the American Academy for Preceptor Advancement (AAPA) Preceptor Certification Committee following an in-depth practice analysis of preceptoring in academic and healthcare facilities. This Scope and Standards of Practice for Preceptor Advancement is an essential text for practicing and aspiring certified Preceptors at every level of achievement.