(297) Adjunct Preceptor Perceptions of Motivation, Understanding, and Support for the Precepting Role

Objective : Given documented concerns about pharmacy workplace environments and practice conditions, the purpose of this survey research was to document perceptions of adjunct pharmacy preceptors regarding three domains: motivation to precept, understanding the precepting role, and support for precepting. The hypothesis was adjunct preceptors would demonstrate general positivity toward precepting, but potential concerns would be identified.

Methods: An online cross-sectional survey of 2,429 adjunct preceptors for four schools of pharmacy was conducted. Participants ranked their agreement with 81 statements regarding the three domains, including eleven subdomains. Survey results were analyzed using descriptive and reliability statistics.

Results: Mean scores for the three domains were slightly below the positive response level, with lower scores found for the subdomains of workload, precepting norms, and extrinsic benefits/rewards. Individual statements indicated increased workload due to precepting, need for more preceptor recognition and appreciation, perceptions that precepting was stressful or draining, and a preference for one concurrent learner. More frequent need for extra coaching for advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) students negatively impacted all domains, including nine subdomains.

Conclusions: This study provides a formal evaluation of adjunct preceptor perceptions of their precepting role. These results may indicate lower satisfaction with precepting, suggesting opportunities exist to improve the adjunct precepting experience. Actions by school/colleges of pharmacy are necessary to ensure experiential education capacity including addressing workload concerns, increasing preceptor recognition and appreciation, and supporting preceptors when students need extra coaching.