Advice - New coworker on orientation may be let go

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

I recently started working on a fast paced surgical floor (I had been working overtime there when I worked on my old unit). There is a nurse who was hired from a nursing home (she said she worked with people on vents and trachs, not sure of the exact acuity). She has great skills, but she is not fast enough. She has been on orientation for 2 weeks. She is now in her 3rd week, which was extra. She has two more days of orientation. The main issues are documentation and delegation. Her assessments are not documented til after the shift is over. She does not delegate. Her preceptor keeps on trying to talk to her. She feels her preceptor is being tough on her. Her preceptor was saying that she likes her orientee a lot, but she doesn't think she will survive. I went over to her and casually brought up how orientation is tough in this hospital because they are very on top of documentation. I wanted her to realize that it's not just her, it's everyone. I also talked a little bit about how I organize my day. I don't think she realizes that she may be let go and not finish orientation. I don't think she realized the "hot water" she is in. I would hate to see her go. What should I do? I am younger than this nurse and have been nursing for less years I think. I am also pretty new to the unit. I wrote up a little something, which I'm attaching. I also have a great report sheet (also attaching) that I revised based on a report sheet I found on this website.

How to Survive Med.doc

Report Sheet Med surg.doc

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're brand new on the unit, and you're looking to "save" an older, more experienced nurse who you believe to be in danger of being fired. I don't think you're in a position yet to save anyone. You've already tried to speak to this nurse, and she wasn't receptive. You've done your part. It's between her and her preceptor now. Once you've been there long enough to be a fully integrated member of the team, you'll have a little bit more leeway, but for now worry about your own performance. It's nice of you to want to help, but . . . .

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Your kindness is commendable. You have given her your "cheat sheets," and since time is short your work with her is probably about done. Even if she doesn't make it she will remember who was kind to her, noticed her drowning, and tried to help. As for you, since you are perceptive about this sort of thing, you may get tapped to be a preceptor yourself sometime.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

I gave her the thing I wrote up and the report sheet. She seemed grateful. I feel bad for her preceptor at this point. "I've never failed anyone" she said. One more day to go for her orientation. Today she had 7 patients (which we do get every once in a while), so it was crazy busy for her.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Your kindness is commendable. You have given her your "cheat sheets," and since time is short your work with her is probably about done. Even if she doesn't make it she will remember who was kind to her, noticed her drowning, and tried to help. As for you, since you are perceptive about this sort of thing, you may get tapped to be a preceptor yourself sometime.

Thank you. I appreciate your comment. I do enjoy teaching, especially to the nursing students who come around. I do want to precept one day.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're brand new on the unit, and you're looking to "save" an older, more experienced nurse who you believe to be in danger of being fired. I don't think you're in a position yet to save anyone. You've already tried to speak to this nurse, and she wasn't receptive. You've done your part. It's between her and her preceptor now. Once you've been there long enough to be a fully integrated member of the team, you'll have a little bit more leeway, but for now worry about your own performance. It's nice of you to want to help, but . . . .

Oh, it's not that I believe she's in danger, she is in danger according to her preceptor and the other nurses. I'm not sure how experienced she is, I just know she is older than I am and seems to be well practiced at her skills.

[traumagirll99]

I know this wasn't the focus of the OP's question but do I understand correctly the older nurse's preceptor has been talking about her performance to other nurses including the OP who is relatively new to the unit herself? I have been a preceptor many times in the past when I worked ICU and I would never talk about a new nurse's performance to anyone but the new nurse or my manager.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I know this wasn't the focus of the OP's question but do I understand correctly the older nurse's preceptor has been talking about her performance to other nurses including the OP who is relatively new to the unit herself? I have been a preceptor many times in the past when I worked ICU and I would never talk about a new nurse's performance to anyone but the new nurse or my manager.

Or other preceptors, but not to the OP, who is new to the unit.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Somehow ...this post sounds a bit like "someone" wants to have someone else lose their job, and is coming here to ask if they have the paper-trail in order to get that accomplished and still smell like a rose. Maybe, a friend is waiting for a position to open?

I just smell something other than a rose.

[Emergent, RN]

They only give 2 weeks of orientation for a nurse coming from LTC? I don't think that's long enough.

I'm not sure why the original poster is coming here for advise. She's not the preceptor, but another newbie on that unit, who apparently is much much better that that over-the-hill LTC nurse.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I know this wasn't the focus of the OP's question but do I understand correctly the older nurse's preceptor has been talking about her performance to other nurses including the OP who is relatively new to the unit herself? I have been a preceptor many times in the past when I worked ICU and I would never talk about a new nurse's performance to anyone but the new nurse or my manager.

Right?? Why does the OP and the other nurses "know" she's in danger? That seems highly inappropriate. Any danger she's in is between her and management, anyway...the preceptor is just there to precept.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Right?? Why does the OP and the other nurses "know" she's in danger? That seems highly inappropriate. Any danger she's in is between her and management, anyway...the preceptor is just there to precept.

The preceptor is the one to decide whether or not the orientee is safe to work unsupervised. So the preceptor has a great deal of input into who succeeds and who does not. But what does bother me is that the OP "knows" this other orientee is in danger. The other nurses can probably figure things out for themselves, but the OP isn't in a position to do so and shouldn't have been privy to that information.