Advice from nurses about finding own preceptors

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU.

I originally posted this in the student section, but it has fallen to the dreaded 3rd page with no responses, so I thought I would post here to see if I could get any advice. Thanks in advance for any help!

Hi all! I've done a quick search and it didn't yield the results I am looking for so I thought I would post here. I am in my 3rd semester and will be doing my capstone next spring. While my school does have a system for assigning preceptors, I've been told by an instructor that I can find my own if I choose. If I were to contact a hospital (or even specific floor/unit) who would I want to get a hold of? The nurse manager? Or possibly someone in HR? Has anyone done this for their RN? I found several posts for students in nurse practitioner programs, but not specifically RN. Any help is appreciated!

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Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.

We didn't have a system of assigning preceptors either. What the students did that wanted the more guided tour was stake the willing nurses out during clinical. I don't know how anything was negotiated etc...since I did not avail myself to have a guide. I do remember it was OK for the willing nurses to do so because we were at a teaching hospital. Of course anywhere you are doing clinical is going to be some type of teaching hospital.

Why not pick your instructors brain about it since she told you that it was acceptable? Good luck to you.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

When I was in school, we were allowed to find our own preceptor, or let the school find one. Some people found willing nurses they liked during clinicals, and some used friends that were nurses to make connections with willing preceptors on the unit they wanted.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU.

Thanks guys for the info, looks like I will have to seek out past nurses I was assigned to during clinicals and see what I can find that way.

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Specializes in none.

We were allowed to pick our own. The best advice is "Word of mouth". Ask previous students or RNs who they recommend, they do it for a reason :) Good Luck and don't forget, think of it as a job. You need those letters of reference when you are done :)

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