STEPPING INTO PRACTICE: THE PRECEPTORSHIP EXPERIENCE OF NEW NURSES

The study employed a descriptive correlational design to determine the relationship between preceptorship and self-reported confidence of newly licensed nurses transitioning into the workforce. Conducted in Asian Hospital and Medical Center Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines, the study has a total of 66 respondents randomly selected using a systematic sampling technique. The sample is made up of predominantly young adults with 23 as the most common age, 43 were female while 23 were male, and most of the respondents were deployed in the medical-surgical wards. The analysis of self-reported confidence levels among new graduate nurses after the preceptorship program revealed consistently high mean scores across all demographic and specialty categories, with all values interpreted as "very high self-confidence. Consequently, the evaluation of the preceptorship program showed that nurses that graduated recently had positive perceptions of their preceptors as the supervision and guidance provided received high mean scores across all demographic and specialty categories. Self-reported confidence scores yielded statistically significant increases in the post-preceptorship program. The implications of the results of this study are far-reaching: investing in intentional, theory-informed preceptorship models can enhance individual readiness, strengthen team dynamics, and contribute to safer, more resilient healthcare environments.