Desperately Seeking Preceptor

[NTPinky]

Hi all,

I'm in nursing school, and this fall semester (which starts on Wednesday!) we're reuqired to do a preceptorship. The problem is that my school has NOT found me a preceptor and I'm stressing out because most of my classmates have theirs already lined up.

...Which brings me to this forum. If there's any R.N. out there who would be willing to precept me (or knows someone who would), please get in touch with me asap by clicking on my username and sending me a private message.

The preceptorship requires 170 hours, which I would have the length of the semester to complete, although I'd like to complete my hours sooner rather than later.

I'd like to do my preceptorship in Maternity (specifically antepartum or L&D) or Community/Public health. I speak Spanish almost fluently so it would be a plus to be in a setting where I could use those skills.

Btw, I need a preceptorship in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Thanks so much!

[renerian, BSN, RN]

Wow things have changed if your school does not help you with that......very sad.

I am not in acute care...

Can I ask how that works? Do you go to the facility that your preceptor works in? How are you supervised? Legally how is the covered?

I am not trying to be baggering I am just shocked at the lack of assistance from your school.

renerian

[NTPinky]

Hi Renerian,

We each turned in our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices for our preceptorships to the office back on March 28, 2005. In my case, my first choice (Maternity at a local hospital) sat on my request until last Friday, when they told the school that they were NOT going to take me. The problem with this scenario is that the school waits until the first choice says no before asking your second choice, and in my case, my second and third choices seem to have already accepted other students and don't have room for anyone else.

As for the legal stuff you asked about, I'm not sure. All I know is once we get a preceptorship lined up, we are assigned a preceptor who supervises us when we put in our 170 hours.

Back in my second semester, I met a guy at my clinical site who was a year ahead of me in the same program. The school didn't get him a preceptorship until October, and he was forced to put in clinical hours every day (including weekends) to try and get his 170 hours. I'm scared that that's what will happen to me. This semester's going to be hard enough without the added stress of trying to find a preceptor.

The school says they're making loads of phone calls to try and find something for me, but I'm very pessimistic right now. I don't know how to find one on my own, and out of desperation I posted to the forums here.

Wish me luck, I need it!

[renerian, BSN, RN]

Wow I am sorry your school is set up like that...I do wish you luck. Did you try posting in the California forum? Maybe you will get some bites that way?

renerian

[NTPinky]

No, I didn't. Thanks for the suggestion!