Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
6-18-2026
First Advisor
Lisa Drake
Second Advisor
Beatrice Bailey
Abstract
Adjunct clinical instructors are essential in helping nursing students connect classroom learning to real-world patient care. A needs assessment within an associate degree nursing (ADN) program identified that adjunct clinical instructors received only a brief overview of policies, contributing to role uncertainty and inconsistent preparation for clinical teaching responsibilities. Current literature supports the use of structured orientation and mentorship to better prepare nurses as they transition into clinical educator roles. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental quality improvement project was to evaluate the impact of a structured orientation program on adjunct clinical instructors’ perceived capabilities. Guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act change framework and Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory, the intervention consisted of a self-paced online orientation module and structured faculty mentorship over six weeks. Five adjunct clinical instructors participated in the project. A modified Capabilities of Nurse Educators (CONE) Questionnaire was administered before and after the intervention to measure perceived educator capabilities. A two-tailed Wilcoxon signed-rank test was conducted to compare pre- and post-intervention CONE total scores. Median post-intervention scores were higher than median pre-intervention scores; however, the difference was not statistically significant, V = 2.00, z = -1.48, p = .138. The small sample size was the primary limitation. Despite this limitation, findings suggest that structured orientation and mentorship may improve perceived educator capabilities. This project advances knowledge at the project site by supporting a more consistent adjunct orientation process and contributes to nursing education by highlighting a practical strategy to strengthen clinical instructor preparation and support quality clinical teaching.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Stone, Amanda, "Preparing Adjunct Clinical Instructors for Success: The Impact of a Structured Orientation Program on Perceived Capabilities as Measured by the Capabilities of Nurse Educators (CONE) Questionnaire" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 364.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/364
