Preceptor Preparation: An Investment in the Future Generation of Nurses

Nurse preceptors fulfill a primary role in the success of preceptorship experiences during the education of student nurses in their final year of study. Evidence suggests that this success depends greatly on adequate preceptor role preparation and support. The purposes of this qualitative, descriptive study were to explore and describe preceptor role support and development within the context of a rural and northern mid-sized Canadian community. More specifically, in this study the following are described: preceptors’ (a) perception of past role preparation and current role support; (b) use and evaluation of the existing print-based fourth-year Preceptor Resource Manual (PRM); (c) perception of role support facilitators and barriers; and (d) recommendations for improvements to preceptor role preparation and support. Data were collected through individual and group interviews. Through content analysis four major themes emerged: accessible resources, role complexity, partners in precepting, and role development.

Using of welfare economics instruments for evaluation of agricultural research benefits

Except for direct forms of support of agriculture, including market price support, direct payments and support of agricultural inputs, there also exist many forms of indirect support of agriculture. Within this support of general services has an important role support of agricultural research. As an inevitable precondition to evaluate efficiency of used financial sources from state budget is a quantification of benefit of agricultural research. The paper is focused on possibilities of using welfare economics instruments to quantify the benefit of agricultural research.