Any other ppl have bad preceptors?

[NewGrad07]

I recently finished up my practicum rotation and I really feel like I got screwed with my preceptor. She herself was a new nurse and she had an absolutely horrible attitude. Nothing... and I mean nothing... I did was ever right. I always sensed her frustration when she had to explain something to me that I was unsure about. I'm wondering why someone with so little patience and so little desire to teach would ever volunteer themselves to be a preceptor. No one has ever made me feel so stupid in my life. It really scares me because I've never doubted myself before, but here I am wondering how I'm going to handle things as a "real nurse" at my new job. Has anyone else has a bad preceptor? Please share.

[ZootRN]

From my experience, bad preceptors are very common. Out of three that I have had at different jobs, two gave me very hard time.

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

when in this situation you need to bring it to the attention of your instructor so that a change can be made. If a change is not feasible then you really need to stand up for yourself and say in a polite manner that you were insulted by her comment. Remember therapeutic communication? Use it on him/her! "You sound angry", "You sound frustrated". "tell me what is bothering you". I will bet this person saw you as an inconvience to her routine. She has already forgotten how it felt to be in your shoes. Well at least you learned how NOT to behave.

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

I too have had bad preceptors. Just do the best you can and move on. Funny thing is those preceptors are not there any longer, but I am. Now, when the unit gets a new person I take it upon myself to make sure they feel welcome and supported. Needless to say I have made a lot of new friends with this policy.

One nurse where I work takes preceptees and lets them loose and sits all day. She makes them do all her work, even though they don't know how, while she yacks with her friends all day. I feel very sorry for the poor souls that have her.

Management knows, but in our unit right now if you haven't killed anybody in the last 3 years you've got a job.

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

One nurse where I work takes preceptees and lets them loose and sits all day. She makes them do all her work, even though they don't know how, while she yacks with her friends all day. I feel very sorry for the poor souls that have her.

Management knows, but in our unit right now if you haven't killed anybody in the last 3 years you've got a job.

By gosh, I really can relate to what you're saying Gonzo nurse! I had this situation happen to me during nursing school of all places, when the nurse assigned to me was found on the other side of the unit yacking with my clinical instructor; nothing worse than having to run over to her ask a question, get something signed and hurry back to my two recent open heart pts, yikes!

I am very grateful that I had really fine preceptors at my place of employment and even an extension...this is one spoiled puppy!

[thenurse2006, RN]

ouchh, and yaiks.. dont get me wrong dear nurses, i guess a bad preceptor lacks the touch of intelligence and self confidence, scared of your hidden talents that u may have that will be overwhelming thru the entire process of precepting you. a good preceptor is calm and oozing with self confidence,humility and humors that may help you in this learning process.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

Ha every so often we get a new thread about bad preceptors. We never see a thread about bad to horrific preceptees. And Ive seen a few of those in my decades also. Gotten to where I classify preceptees as either Will Be's, Wanna be's, and Will Never Be's........ Ive seen some that were excellent and some that should have been given the BOOT.

[sicushells, RN]

My practicuum in nursing school was similar. She was nice and then extremely frustrated and short-tempered. She had been a nurse for three years, and had precepted two other nursing students before me. When I brought my frustrations to the nursing instructors attention, I was told "yeah, that's been a problem before. Next semester we're not going to place nursing students there." The nurses were very clique-ish, but... I made it through, I passed my class, and then graduated and passed boards, and I'm a much better nurse for knowing how NOT to act. So, take it as a learning experience that a lot of us go through.