New grad as preceptor and charge nurse?

Nurses New Nurse

Published

So, when I got to work last night, I was greeted by our educator who said he was going to start training me to be a preceptor. I'm a new grad on a medical unit and have only been off orientation for just barely 5 months. I was quite surprised that they would want to use me as a preceptor already! I'm still learning myself!

Then later in the night, my charge nurse informed me that they were going to also start training me to be a charge nurse! I don't think I'm ready for that kind of responsibility just yet. She told me to take it as a compliment, but I'm not sure I'm charge nurse material after only being an RN since February.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think it's too soon?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I had exactly the same thing happen-- graduation in May, new job in the PACU the next week, orienting students in October, charge on evenings by Christmas. They do it because they see your potential. They wouldn't do it if they didn't think you could be a good role model (including how to say, "I don't know but I'll find out"), learn fast, and have the interpersonal skills to learn management. Congratulations!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks GrnTea! I'm just nervous and unsure of my potential as a charge nurse so soon. We've had a lot of nurses leave for better opportunities lately so they need to train others for charge and precepting. I'm thinking they chose me because I'm older and have previously been an aide for 16 years before getting my RN. Most of our staff are very young new nurses.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Congratulations! I also think that these opportunities are due to recognition of your ability.

The best preceptors are nurses who can still identify with the problems of a newbie. They can provide very practical advice and guidance. On the other hand, I have frequently found that the long-tenured, highly expert nurse may be just too far removed from the 'beginner' experience - becoming frustrated because of unrealistic expectations & the newbie is too intimidated to speak up.

It's a real complement to be entrusted with the 'safekeeping' of a new nurse. S/he will remember this experience for the rest of her/his life..... Your guidance can have a profound effect on how perceive their entire nursing practice. No pressure there, right?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I think it is a great opportunity ... particulary if they are easing you into it and not just throwing you in the deep end of the pool without any mentoring. It sounds like thay are doing it right - identifying the potential leaders for the future and starting their training for the "next step" in their careers before you are actually needed to fulfill those roles full time. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn these more advanced functions while you can ... before you look around someday and realize YOU are one of the senior people and it is your job to lead.

That used to be the way we did things all the time ... precepting and charge responsibilities were things my generation learned early in the careers, and we started practicing in those roles while there were still more senior people around to mentor us. By the time we became the senior people, we were ready to lead because we had gotten mentored experience in those roles as young nurses.

I was a new grad in a NICU at 22 ... started learning the Charge role after about 6 months. Started taking the Charge position regularly after about a year or so, at the age of 23. Entered grad school at 24 ... was teaching grad school part time at 26 while also being a CNS in a large urban NICU. Yes, things were a little different "back then." Perhaps the biggest difference was that newer nurses were mentored for leadership roles from DAY1 -- and it was simply a normal part of the practice for each nurse to be mentoring those less experienced to help them move to the next level. People didn't expect (and weren't allowed) to simply "stay where they were" for very long. We were all expected to be able to lead the team when it was our turn to do so -- and everyone wanted it that way -- to share the burden and to assure that every nurse was strong enough to do it.

But in the past few years, we have allowed people to grow stagnent and not continue to advance -- and most importantly, all nurses do not see it as their role to mentor everyone around her who needs it. We shouldn't have to make such a big deal about mentoring as we do today. We shouldn't have to pay people extra, etc. It should simply be automatically done by everyone because it is in everyone's best interest.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in cardiac, stroke, special care.

I'm just going on 2 years as a telemetry nurse. I was asked to precept a student as well. I'm feeling as you are- of all people to ask, would I be most beneficial to a student? I would hate for the student to feel short changed. That is my biggest concern- how much confidence will the student have in me with so many other more experienced nurses on the unit?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment