Help: Preceptor with 2 new grads...

[mcknis]

So, I am only in my second (starting 3rd tomorrow) week of orientation and have been 'advised' through the grapevine that my preceptor will be having another new grad orienting with us (we are both RNs). I am scared to death of this because at this point in time I am expected to take and handle a full pt load by myself (6-7pts). If another new grad is thrown into this, I will automatically be knocked down to 3 pts to care for. its not that I don't like the lesser of the two, but how am I supposed to train properly if I am not given the chance to do so? I am worried that my preceptor will not be able to watch over me and this other new grad at the same time, and someone will end up getting hurt over it. My preceptor ended up telling me that this was going to go into effect Aug 14th, and that she had never had two grads before. She told me that she was a little hesitant at first but would be willing to try it.

Would I be over stepping my boundaries if I told my nurse manager how i felt, and that this situation would not be fair to my learning environment? Supposedly the reason why there will be another RN in the mix is because her preceptor had some family situation in that time frame where she needed to take some time off of work. my thoughts are, "If this preceptor can't fullfil her duties, then another preceptor should be brought in to replace her, not have the new girl thrown into another team." Maybe I am just over thinking and over worrying, but I would like to learn as much as i can in my orientation (8wks) without other disruptions. I know I will probably take some heat from the other posters, but I am just curious to hear what you would do in this situation...

Thanks!

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

I can't imagine precepting two new grads at the same time. In fact, I'd be putting up such a stink they'd have to reconsider the idea and come up with a Plan B. This is wrong on so many levels I don't even know where to begin.

From a preceptor's perspective (try saying that fast three times) the responsibility involved is enormous. There is no way s/he can be in two places at once, observing or assisting with two things at once. And since both of you would be essentially practicing under her license, (I know, I know, you both have your own licenses, but let's be realistic... if one of you does something seriously wrong and a patient is harmed, the management will come down on both of you, but her harder because she's supposed to be supervising you) I'm surprised she's agreed to that in the first place. What happened to patient safety being paramount?

From a new grad perspective, there is only so much you can learn in nursing school, and the rest you learn by doing. If your preceptor is busily running back and forth between two of you, there will be very limited opportunity for you to learn new skills with supervision and guidance. Ever tried learning how to do a new skill from a policy or procedure manual? It isn't easy! and how do you know you've done it correctly and safely? So many things are going to have to be done by someone else. You learn little and your cohort learns little, and everybody's workload is just that little bit heavier. Having said that, you will get very proficient at doing the skills you've already mastered, because that's pretty much all you'll be able to do.

I'm for talking to the manager. Surely there is someone else qualified to take on orienting the other new grad. If there isn't, then I'm afraid that unit is going to chew you up and spit you out, because NOBODY is really competently practicing!

[RedhairedNurse, BSN, RN]

I think you should voice your concerns to your preceptor before going to your manager. Don't over step that chain of command.

[mcknis]

Thank you to the both of you for your encouragement. I found out the next day when I got to work that there will not be 2 of the new grads udner my preceptor. Needless to say i am not disappointed.