Preceptors

[joe007]

So, I have 13 months of nursing experience in the ER and just started a new ER job at a different hospital. I have this preceptor who is very dominant, not open to suggestions, likes to say there's only one way to do something. It's very funny looking at our EMR and equipment because I'll suggest another way of tabbing over or entering information that I've found out, and she'll tell me it cannot be done that way (because she's never bothered to learn that there are multiple ways of doing something), though it obviously can be done the way I suggest... total power trip over petty things. I like to enter triages in pt. rooms. She says I should do it all at the nurses station. It comes down to preference. I am thorough and like to type my triage directly which saves time rather than half ass it. She doesn't even put in a note most of the time with presenting problem, history, etc. Essentially, I'm pretty sure she's motivated by control and power and proving she is an expert while being deathly afraid of making a mistake. Recently I watched her access a port since I never did this at my prior facility. She made some minor errors in applying the dressing and now the educator emails me asking why I put it on wrong. I told the educator I didn't access the port and that my preceptor did while I watched. Anyhow, I have one more day with her before I go to nights. Also, why isn't the educator asking the preceptor instead of asking me what happened seeing as how I'm the preceptee and the preceptor is responsible for me. I had another nurse unprompted ask me why I haven't asked for another preceptor yet, and I told her it's because I only have to be with her one more time.

I have noticed that people who are new preceptors which my preceptor is (usually around the 2-4 yr mark) seem to be control freaks because they've just enough experience to now be trusted with precepting someone with a year's experience so they get to be the boss, but have no actual precepting experience. To be a good preceptor you have to give your preceptee the tools they need to succeed, like directing them to supplies, helping them with procedures they are unfamiliar with, and step in when you need to. Please stop trying to show me how smart you are by smothering my already intact skills (which you even acknowledge are good) or by doing things for me because you're "afraid" something will not be done which I've already done... I will ask for help when I don't know how to do something or have never done it before. I cannot wait for nights.

[I<3Nursing]

Sounds like you are insightful and learning. Please keep an open mind she may be great when she isn't percepting, hopefully you get someone more your speed and style for nights.

[Jules A, MSN]

FWIW usually when precepting there is a limited amount of time to teach the new hire the down and dirty of how things are done at a particular facility. Unless something is actually unsafe it really isn't appropriate for the orientee to attempt to orient the orienter, imo.

[joe007]

Oh, so the nurse educator emails me and pretty much is like why did you let your preceptor mess up the dressing... LOL... I AM THE PRECEPTEE... God almighty (my preceptor) is not open to correction or suggestions especially in front of patients.

[Jules A, MSN]

God almighty (my preceptor) is not open to correction or suggestions especially in front of patients.

And this is surprising to you why???

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

God almighty (my preceptor) is not open to correction or suggestions especially in front of patients.

Why on earth are you trying to correct your preceptor in front of patients? Asking questions afterwards in private is the appropriate place to do this unless the patient is at immediate risk.

My advice: if it isn't causing patient harm, let it slide and do these things the way you were taught once you are on your own. Pick your battles wisely.

[joe007]

Exactly my point Rose... I didn't correct my preceptor and now I'm getting **** for it...

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Not everyone is a good preceptor; not everyone even gets a choice about whether to BE a preceptor. Sometimes the job of being a preceptor is so overwhelming that one gets lost in the minutia . . . .

But please don't correct your preceptor -- especially in front of patients -- unless the patient is in immediate danger.

[Libby1987]

I've been thinking preceptor threads, having been precepting lately myself.

It makes me wonder why all the wonderful fabulous other nurses who are nice as well as competent aren't precepting.

[Gooselady, BSN, RN]

I've been thinking preceptor threads, having been precepting lately myself.

It makes me wonder why all the wonderful fabulous other nurses who are nice as well as competent aren't precepting.

Perhaps we aren't hearing about the good or neutral preceptor experiences? Folks EXPECT 'good' and react to 'bad', thus what gets said is going to be mostly about the 'bad'.

Whenever I've been precepted by a nurse who sticks to a 'certain way to do everything', I just go along with her/him, and keep on the low down about how *I* might do it a bit differently. Some nurses are just that way, and it's not a bad way to be, and if they are one's preceptor . . . they call the shots :) period.

I did have ONE preceptor who *I* needed to watch lol . . . she'd just gotten back from a month's sick leave for an injured back and she was having trouble with everything, from signing into the computer to trying to give our patient someone else's Imipenem. It was interesting, but I exploited the irony. It was my first acute care hospital job, after avoiding the hospital for 17 years. I thought "If this nitwit can do it, so can I " Turned out I was purty good at hospital nursing after all.

If you are being precepted, and your preceptor is reasonably intact as a nurse, just go along with them at first, and as your relationship develops, THEN 'introduce' some of your own 'stuff', but discuss it first, outside the patient rooms. And that's rough that you got called out on NOT correcting your preceptor. Any manager that calls out a preceptee for not correcting her preceptor is a manager I'd keep an eye on, because that is just bass ackwards, and this crap doesn't happen in a vacuum