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"Absolutely essential to our nursing students"

On a recent afternoon at the Health Sciences Campus, nearly three dozen nursing preceptors gathered around tables in a large conference room. Over the next four hours, they gained updated training aligned with the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing curriculum, mission, and vision. They earned important Continuing Nursing Education credits, and they connected with—and learned from—others performing the same vital work.

As valuable as that experience was for participants, the April 26 preceptor workshop and reception also gave Loyola Nursing an opportunity to underscore how much it values preceptors’ hard work and commitment.

“I like the ability to tell them how important they are to me, and that they are absolutely essential to our nursing students,” said Mary McNamara, associate dean of innovative partnerships and faculty practice. She led the workshop. “It’s great to learn more about what it’s like for preceptors in the clinic, hear their perspectives, and figure out how we can better support them in their work.”

A celebration and recognition followed the workshop. Nine participants, chosen by students and faculty, were named “Outstanding Preceptors” for the last academic year.

“Taking a student adds to preceptors’ time and can slow them down,” said Karen Berg Helfgot, director of strategic health care partnerships. She noted that nursing preceptors are unpaid for their work.

“These folks are very much invested in educating and preparing future practitioners,” Berg Helfgot added. “We know that’s a big contribution on their part, and we do as much as we can to recognize and celebrate them.”

At the workshop, participants engaged in interactive sessions on a range of topics, including effective teaching strategies, constructive feedback techniques, and navigating challenging situations. They learned about methods for assessing student performance, talked through real-world scenarios, and explored evidence-based approaches to managing complex patient cases with students. 

“I feel like I’ve learned a lot,” said Megan Bravo, who has been a preceptor for about 25 years and finds it “super rewarding” to cultivate students’ ability to teach their patients about health care. A woman’s health nurse practitioner, Bravo is the only preceptor in her clinic.

“It’s definitely nice to hear the perspectives of other preceptors on what’s the best way to handle a certain situation or the best way to help a student if they’re having trouble,” she said.

Preceptor Evelyn Perez, who has been performing that volunteer service for more than 30 years, called the workshop “a great refresher” that allowed her to network and catch up with friends and former colleagues.

Most recently working at Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Perez said she relishes that her role as a preceptor allows her to pass along her knowledge and caring approach to the next generation, who will pass it along to subsequent generations.

And she enjoys serving as a preceptor for Loyola Nursing students, who she called “dedicated, very warm, knowledgeable.” She has hired two Loyola Nursing graduates.

“They work well in clinical environments,” Perez said. “The patients love them. The staff love them.”

Recipients of Loyola Nursing’s 2024 Outstanding Preceptor Awards are: Jarrod Georgacakis, Denice Gibson, Leo Hall, Jeanne Heid-Grubman, Kristin Kleiderer, Jenny O'Donohue, Amanda Roman, Annabella Vidal-Ruiz, and Nicole Wynn.