This issue of Critical Care Nurse is devoted to caring for families of critically ill patients. Another group who merits our consideration, care, and support is preceptors, who help integrate the newly hired into the family of unit staff and assist them in completing their orientation to the facility. To effectively function as ambassador and educational facilitator, preceptors need at least minimal support from 3 sources: administration, peers, and education. From administration, preceptors need sufficient staffing and relief from their assigned workload to enable them to be available and accessible to new staff for instruction or assistance whenever needed. From their peers, preceptors need support and cooperation in determining patient assignments, identifying teachable moments, and covering for necessary absences. From education, preceptors need initial instruction to prepare them to serve in this capacity and ongoing support for troubleshooting situations and solving problems that may arise when working with new staff....

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