Table 2 Steps and outputs using EBCD

Recruitment of co designers

A purposive sampling approach to recruit a diverse cross-section of the population representing "typical" members of a nursing preceptorship relationship (SPP). Students undertaking a Bachelor of Science (BSc) General nursing degree programme and qualified nurses who held the position of preceptors, were invited to participate via email through a gatekeeper (a senior administrator from the university programme office). Members of the public were recruited through several methods, including social media advertising posts, community advisement boards and word of mouth through the wider community. Recruitment of representation was sought from nursing experts, educational experts, and technology-enhanced educational experts to collaborate with the SPP groups as the project evolved

Recruitment of (n = 26) diverse sample incorporating SPP, nursing, educational and technology-enhanced educational experts from across Ireland. Please see Table 1 and Acknowledgments section.

Semi-structured in-depth interviews

Individual 1–1.5 h interviews with each participant and independently of the group they belonged to (i.e., SP or P) (n = 15) to identify crucial touchpoints for SPP and to Identify educational topics for inclusion in the new programme. Please see Additional file 1 for a complete list of questions and key themes

Detailed qualitative data capturing SPP touchpoints and suggested themes and pedagogy approaches for the new educational programme

Thematic analysis

Dualistic inductive (bottom-up approach analysing SPP touchpoints) and deductive analysis (top-down approach to identify key topics the SPP wished to include in the new educational programme) of the qualitative data gathered. [75]

SPP touchpoints, both positive and negative that influence nursing preceptorship relationships. Key topics the SPP wished to include in the new educational programme

Individual SPP co-design workshops

Each SPP group held a collaborative workshop separately to discuss findings from thematic analysis to reach a consensus on touchpoints and concepts, and teaching methods for inclusion in the programme. The patient group did not wish to have a group workshop; therefore, the lead researcher adapted and encouraged participation by emailing or posting the thematic analysis results from the one-to-one interviews and spoke with each person individually over the phone. The lead researcher then combined all their ideas and populated their chosen outcomes. These were then emailed or posted to all patients for further review and the opportunity to comment

Agreement on touchpoints to represent each group. Development of audio trigger videos. Agreement on key concepts and pedagogical approaches to include in the educational programme

SPP joint co-design workshop

Multi-group design workshop to bring all groups together to work collaboratively. Each SPP's touchpoints were introduced using audio clips. The lead researcher presented a table summarising the educational topics and pedagogical approaches suggested by each group

Agreement on SPP touchpoints to embed in the new educational programme. Agreement on educational themes and pedagogical approaches (PleasesSee Additional file 2)

Specialists co-design workshop

To ensure the new educational programme was also guided by nursing, educational and technology enhanced educational experts, thus grounded in nursing and educational theory and SPP experiential knowledge. An overview of the project, including suggested educational topics and pedagogical approaches, was presented at a virtual workshop, followed by audio presentations of SPP touchpoints. The specialist group discussed and agreed on the proposed outline for the new educational programme, agreeing it would meet its intended outcome to create an authentic learner-centred educational programme for developing interpersonal and communication skills amongst preceptors

Agreement on outputs from SPP joint co design workshop. Agreement to underpin the new programme in behavioural change theory to ensure effectiveness and uptake of the new programme

Presentation of an outline of the new programme

All codesign team members were invited to a presentation of the outline of the new educational programme, offering further opportunities to provide input and feedback. An overview of the suggested timeline for the development of the programme was presented, and a collective agreement was made that the lead researcher would send the codesign team bi-monthly updates on the status of the project

The programme outline was finalised and agreed upon

Codesign/production of RLOS, role play simulations and virtual reality experience

An iterative design process grounded in educational design was implemented to codesign and produce the new educational programme

Prototype of the new educational programme

Celebratory event

The final product was available for all to experience. The lead researcher gave a short talk summarising the project, how it is hoped it will impact nursing education and plans for future research projects investigating the impact of the educational programme on nurses' interpersonal and communication skills and thanked everyone involved in the project

Informal celebration event held on a university campus

Pilot launch of the new programme

This blended learning programme will be piloted across several general nursing hospitals in Ireland that run preceptorship programmes in late 2022. Following implementation, the researchers will seek feedback to establish possible areas for improvement and the perceived impact on learners' future practice regarding their interpersonal and communication skills and their role as a preceptor

Set to be piloted in late 2022