Mastering the Art of Precepting: Insights from Dr. Beth Ulrich

What happens when a new nurse is suddenly asked to teach others? For Dr. Beth Ulrich, it launched a lifelong mission to redefine precepting. Drawing from her Mastering Precepting series, she shares why great preceptors do more than teach—they lead, coach, protect, and inspire.


Dr. Ulrich challenges the idea that any skilled nurse can precept, sharing a student’s simple but powerful question: “Why can’t you put us with nurses who like students?” Her insights highlight the importance of intentional selection, preparation, and ongoing support for preceptors.


From building professional identity to supporting nurses through career transitions, this episode offers practical, evidence-based strategies for developing strong, sustainable preceptor programs.


GUEST: Beth Ulrich, EdD, RN, FACHE, FANNA, FAONL, FAAN
Professor, Department of Graduate Studies, University of Texas Medical Branch, School of Nursing; Editor-in-Chief, Nephrology Nursing Journal

Beth Ulrich is a nationally recognized thought leader who is known for her research studying nursing work environments and the experiences of new graduate nurses as they transition from nursing school into the workforce, and for her leadership in developing the roles of nephrology nurses and improving the care of nephrology patients. Dr. Ulrich has extensive experience as a healthcare executive, educator, and researcher. She is currently a professor of nursing at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) School of Nursing at Galveston, teaching in the DNP Program, and Editor-in-Chief of the Nephrology Nursing Journal.

Dr. Ulrich has been the primary investigator on a series of national nursing workforce and work environment studies, including five studies of nurse work environments conducted for the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. She has numerous publications and presentations to her credit on topics including nurses' work environments, how new graduate nurses transition into professional nurses, nephrology nursing, and mastering precepting. Dr. Ulrich’s books Mastering Precepting (2012, 2019) and Mastering Simulation (2014, 2020) received AJN Book of the Year Awards. The 3rd edition of Mastering Precepting was published in 2024.


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Ulrich, B. (2024). Mastering precepting (3rd ed.). Sigma Theta Tau International. (https://www.sigmanursing.org/learn-gr...)

Ulrich, B., Harper ,M.G,, Maloney, P., Warren, J.I., Whiteside, D., & MacDonald, R. (2025). National Preceptor Competency Consensus Study. Journal of Nursing Administration, 55(1), 14-21. DOI: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000001523 (https://journals.lww.com/jonajournal/...)

Ulrich, B., Barden, C., Cassidy, L., Varn-Davis, N., & Delgado, S. (2022). Critical care nurse work environments 2021: Findings and implications. Critical Care Nurse, 42(5), 58-70. https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2022798 (https://aacnjournals.org/ccnonline/ar...)

Harper, M., Ulrich, B., Whiteside, D., Warren, J.I., & MacDonald, R. (2021). Preceptor practice: Initial results of a National Association for Nursing Professional Development study. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 37(2), 154-162 DOI: 10.1097/NND.0000000000000748 (https://journals.lww.com/jnsdonline/f...)


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