Questions about preceptorship

[mountainnurse]

Hi everyone, I am in my last semester of nursing school currently doing my preceptorship the emergency room which I was REALLY excited about starting. My first couple days with my preceptor have been really disappointing and I am trying to make the best of the situation but could use some advice. I am a fast learner and a hard worker and am passionate and positive about nursing. My preceptor has been working in the ED for about 15 years and while she is very knowledgeable and a great technical nurse she is less than enthusiastic about her patients or teaching me. The first day she had something negative to say about each and every patient we cared for and instead of taking the time to talk to me about what she was doing she said just to watch her and ignored me most of the day. Now I am not a very sensitive person and I thought that maybe this was not to overwhelm me, but the second day got worse. She doesn't communicate with me at all, she disappeared for an hour and half first thing in the morning and I finally tracked her down in another area. She had taken over for another nurse and stayed there while her collegues were left to care for her patients and I had no idea where she was. She ignores direct questions I ask her about tasks necessary for care of our patients, and instead of taking the time to explain procedures to me she does them. I have asked her multiple times if I can do any one of the many tasks we have and she brushes me off. I understand that working in a busy ED that we need to move fast but she has not even taken the time to explain their charting system and it is my first time in this hospital. She gossips constantly about the patients and her co-workers and is out drinking many nights of the week (a fact which she is proud of). I am getting more guidance and experience with other nurses than with her and I have the sneaking suspicion that she is only doing this because it gives her extra money. I am really sad about this because I LOVE nursing and I want to keep a positive attitude about my profession and about our patients. I don't expect her to give me 100% of her time and attention, but 10% would be nice. I would love some advice on how to change this rocky start because I want to learn!!

[triagethis]

Coffee is wearing off ! lol

[mountainnurse]

I know how that feels

Thanks for the advice, I definitely have been seeking out other experiences and the other nurses have been warm and extremely helpful. I have so much respect for the nursing profession and most of the nurses I have worked with through my program have been exceptional, so I am not going to be influenced by her behavior. And I know now the type of nurse I DO NOT want to be! I hope that sometime down the road I have the opportunity to work with students and can make their experience a positive and productive one!

Now I just have to find the best solution to my current situation. Thanks again for everyone's input, since this is my first preceptorship I did not know what to expect...

[caliotter3]

Agree with clee1, you need a new preceptor, as in yesterday. Report this to your clinical instructor and demand a new preceptor until you get one. You should also report this person to her supervisory chain and in a written statement make it clear that you believe she has no business being a preceptor. Precepting, while not required in all jobs, is often a job duty listed on employee job descriptions. If this is the case here, she is failing at one of her job duties. And make no mistake about it, she has the power to see that you do not pass your clinical rotation. I saw it happen in my school. If you go with the flow, you may be the one who gets demolished in the end, notwithstanding the fact that you are not getting the experience that you are there for. Good luck. Hope things turn out for you.

[triagethis]

Sorry to hear that. Believe it or not you are still learning. Use this as an example of what not to do. Try to concentrate on the input from the nurses who are willing to help you. Remember your objective is to get as much out of this experience as you possibly can. When one door is closed another maybe open. There are still good nurses out there . Don't let this experience determine your view of this profession. Always kepp this in mind. "We are not born nurses".