A feeling of impending doom

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Disaster is on the horizon. We have new grads orienting, once they finish their orientation they are being given an orientee to train. They took away preceptor pay and with our floor being so short staffed, there simply is not anyone willing to train anyone. I love new grads. I love them, they are positive and full of hope and knowledge. But they don't know what they don't know and should be learning not teaching. And our manager chooses the cocky ones to be the preceptors. So there are a few "know it all" newbies leading the troops. There are people who have never put in a foley teaching new people how to put in a foley. Its a mess. I think the time has come to move on.

Please discuss. Anyone ever seen anything like this? Its scary.

Specializes in ICU / Urgent Care.

Doesn't sound like a healthy culture to adopt and the more I read the more prevalent it seems. Its all about the bottom line $$$

Those of is with experience need to do what we can to help guide the new graduates. The cocky ones will always exist, but from experience I know that many new nurses gravitate more toward those who offer kinder guidance. Just be available, and let them know you are available. It won't solve the problem, but it doesn't make it worse.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

It's a frightening trend....they take away the pay for the seasoned nurses an the newer nurses feel that they are of course qualified I mean after all they do have a BSN....it's what they've been trained to do.....:facepalm:

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.
It's a frightening trend....they take away the pay for the seasoned nurses an the newer nurses feel that they are of course qualified I mean after all they do have a BSN....it's what they've been trained to do.....:facepalm:

HAHA!!

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

not a good scenario for sure. I would get your risk manager and CNO involved with some nurses who can present documentation and evidence as to why this is a poor method.

However, if their budget does not allow preceptor pay and preceptors won't work without it, then the problem is also with the preceptors. They have a professional duty to assist new hires in reaching competency

Agree c classicdame. Bring along a couple of copies of "From Novice to Expert" for support and to share. Bet they have no clue.

not a good scenario for sure. I would get your risk manager and CNO involved with some nurses who can present documentation and evidence as to why this is a poor method. However if their budget does not allow preceptor pay and preceptors won't work without it, then the problem is also with the preceptors. They have a professional duty to assist new hires in reaching competency[/quote']

There is no such thing as preceptor pay where I am from. Not everyone is good at teaching and I respect that. As such, not everyone is cut out to be a preceptor. I do it because I like to, and in that vein I agree with you.

Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

This just sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

not a good scenario for sure. I would get your risk manager and CNO involved with some nurses who can present documentation and evidence as to why this is a poor method.

However, if their budget does not allow preceptor pay and preceptors won't work without it, then the problem is also with the preceptors. They have a professional duty to assist new hires in reaching competency

I disagree. As someone who occasionally takes on an orientee, the amount of work it entails if done PROPERLY is enormous. It should be compensated. You literally have to watch everything and you are liable if they make a mistake. You have to go to meetings and stay over to check charting etc.It is a lot of work. You go home doubly wiped out and mentally and physically exhausted. While I do not mind helping out, I will not be taken advantage of any more than I already have been. Even with pay precepting is not easy. Don't blame the preceptors for not wanting to work extra for free.

Yikes. As a new grad I would certainly hope my preceptor had a wealth of experience under her belt before training me. I would not be comfortable with this at all.

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

More and more we're all kow-towing to the bean counters. Until nurses are in charge of nursing again, it's just best not to get sick.

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