The implementation of a dedicated education unit in a public health setting

1 | INTRODUCTION Preparing public health nurses and social work professionals for preceptorship of nursing students can contribute to, and enhance, the learning environment for preceptors, students, and clients and their families. Preceptors who have skills in teaching and learning best practices, are more likely to provide an authentic learning experience for student nurses (Mitchell, Ridgway, & Sheeran, 2018). However, preceptors are not always equipped with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be effective preceptors for nursing students. Received: 26 January 2020  |  Revised: 18 July 2020  |  Accepted: 21 July 2020 DOI: 10.1111/phn.12786 SPECIAL FEATURES – EDUCATION The implementation of a dedicated education unit in a public health setting Kathryn J. Frie1 | Jenny Prochnow2 | Sonja Meiers2 | Tammy Fiedler3 | Cynthia Jones1 | Silas Bergen4 1Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, Winona State University, Winona, MN, USA 2Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, Winona State University, Rochester, MN, USA 3Wabasha County Public Health Services, Wabasha, MN, USA 4Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Winona, MN, USA Correspondence Kathryn J. Frie, Department of Nursing and Health Sciences at Winona State University, 175 W. Mark Street, Stark Hall, Room 303 Winona, MN 55987, USA. Email: Abstract Introduction: The dedicated education unit (DEU) is an innovative clinical model that prepares preceptors for success in clinical settings with nursing students. Though the DEU is mostly used in acute-care settings, this project explores the implementation of a DEU in a public health setting. Objectives: Better preparation of public health nurses and social workers as clinical preceptors for nursing students with the implementation of a DEU in a public health setting. Design: IRB approved, pre/post survey with participant comments. Measurements: Clinical Nurse Teacher Survey was assessed pre/post intervention with registered nurses and social work staff (n = 13). Paired t-tests analysis was used to determine significance. The Clinical Learning Environment and Nurse Teacher (CLES+T) scale completed postimplementation by nursing students (n = 8) after the clinical rotation. Results: Clinical Nurse Teacher Survey mean scores preintervention was 4.56 and increased postintervention to 4.89, though not statistically significant (p-value .11). CLES+T showing 100% fully agree or agree that the Public Health DEU is an effective learning environment. Conclusions: The DEU model in a public health setting is an opportunity to improve lived clinical experiences of preceptors and nursing students, which may increase nursing students’ positive perceptions of, and increase interest in serving as a public health nurse after graduation. KEYWORDS academic partnerships, dedicated education unit, interprofessional, preceptor preparation, preceptor-based model, prelicensure nursing student, public health nursing, public health preceptor 790  |    FRIE Et al. Collaboration between academia and the clinical setting can facilitate growth of preceptors and subsequently the students within those sites (Mitchell et al., 2018). The dedicated education unit (DEU) is an integrated approach that nursing faculty can use to improve the preparation of preceptors in the clinical setting, thus improving the clinical experience for nursing students, and strengthen relationships between academia and the clinical setting. Leaders at the Public Health Department partnered with nursing educators at the University to improve the clinical experiences of preceptors and nursing students. The goal was to increase nursing students’ positive perceptions of public health nursing that would help to better recruit nursing school graduates into public health. Discussions between clinical leaders and nursing faculty unearthed ideas of how to better engage preceptors and nursing students. After an exhaustive literature search, the DEU was found to be the best evidence-based option to improve clinical experiences for both preceptor and student. Learning the public health role from public health professionals in current practice is important for the transfer of important knowledge, skills, and abilities that will prepare the next generation of public health workers (Sowan, Moffatt, & Canales, 2004). Reduction in the number of public health agencies, public health nurses, and prepared preceptors has negatively impacted the clinical experience of the student nurse. The DEU as a preceptor training model for clinical site/academia partnership is one strategy that can close the gap between clinical practice and tertiary education (Mitchell et al., 2018). Evidence also shows that preceptor training enhances the students’ transition to practice (Piccinini, Hudlun, Branam, & Moore, 2018). 2 | BACKGROUND Would public health nurses and social workers be better prepared for, and increase their confidence in, precepting undergraduate nursing students with the implementation of a DEU in the public health agency? Preparing public health nurses as preceptors has been a reoccurring necessity found in the literature (Mitchell et al., 2018). The DEU as a model of education that is used across the nation, mostly in acute care settings, to improve education in the clinical setting. A recurrent theme throughout the literature is the importance of consistent relationship building between academia and the clinical setting for success in implementing and sustaining a DEU (Bentin, Betony, Moore, & Yarwood, 2012; Betany & Yarwood, 2010; Moscato, Nishioka, & Coe, 2013; Mulready-Shick & Flanagan, 2014). Clear expectations for students, preceptors, and faculty were noted for success in a DEU, as well as having a team approach of learning as a shared experience (Bentin et al., 2012; Rusch et al., 2018). Faculty have an important role in preparing and training professionals to become effective preceptors as well as role modeling appropriate behaviors and skills that are conducive to precepting (Glynn, Mcvey, Wendt, & Russell, 2017; Rhodes, Meyers, & Underhill, 2012; Seibert & Bonham, 2016). The adaptation of the DEU allows preceptors to step in as the primary educators for students in the clinical setting and supports faculty stepping into a coordinating role. The literature also shares the outcomes of implementing a DEU. Multiple studies noted increased job satisfaction for preceptors and faculty, improved relationships among the clinical setting and academia, and student nurse preparation (Hannon et al., 2012; Jones, Simpson & Hendricks, 2017). In one study, preceptors within the DEU had increased motivation, leadership, and autonomy (Jones et al., 2017). Although DEUs are more commonly implemented in an acute-care setting, evidence exists of the positive impact of DEUs in nontraditional settings (Bentin et al., 2012; Betany & Yarwood, 2010; Harmon, 2013). 3 | IOWA MODEL OF E VIDEN