The Health Service, nursing and education have witnessed some wide-ranging changes over the last few years. Education and 'keeping up to date' is playing an ever increasing role within nursing. There is no exception within theatres. Over the last 10 years we have seen the introduction of 'Project 2000' meaning fewer nurses coming to theatres after they have qualified and more recently we have seen the government introduce the National Vocational Qualification. We have also heard numerous terms such as role model, mentors, facilitators, assessors, supervisors and more recently the term preceptor and preceptorship.