about to become a fearless leader...

RN1982 · Oct 6, 2008

1. Don't be judgmental

2. Listen to your student's concerns

3. If you see her drowning, don't continue to let her do so.

nurseshepherd · Oct 7, 2008

The fact that this new grad chose you to be her preceptor speaks volumes. One of the hardest things I find is suppressing the urge to step in and do things myself when I see them fumbling or moving too slow, but that is the last thing you need to do unless the situation is critical (and in that case, give them the easiest thing to do with clear instructions). I offer help and guidance when they are doing something new but I let them do it. I've heard other nurses say they leave the room because it makes the new grads nervous if we stand over them, but I don't. I've worked with enough students to know leaving them alone to sort out a new skill is not the answer. We all have to learn to work under pressure and it starts with having getting used to having a 'friendly' with you as backup.

Ideally you will have some slower times that you can talk through hypothetical situations (or previous cases you've worked on) discussing what to look for, what your priority interventions are, etc. so she will at least be a little familiar with the routine when her first MI rolls in the door.

She needs to get familiar with where things are real quick, nothing is more frustrating for newbies than being asked in a code to grab something and then not being able to remember where said item is located. One of the hospitals I used to work for had a scavenger sheet that was specific to the department that was part of orientation but the manager suggested we make a copy and carry it until we knew where things were, she was right.

Be patient, forgiving, supportive, and professional. Set a good example, because much of what you do will be noticed and adopted. Congratulations and good luck. :nurse:

onetiredmomma · Oct 7, 2008

Ask her what her goals are for this rotation. Schedule some time each week to review what went on that week. As time passes and you become more comfortable with her abilities, challenge her! Make sure she learns how to read and take off orders, interpret MD hand writing! Be reassuring, kind and approachable! Have fun!:wink2:

sxybuttrfly · Oct 7, 2008

:yeah:i agree wit nurseshepherd... thiz student 0bvi0uzly seen s0mething n u 2 ch00ze u az her percept0r! dat iz a great h0n0r n validatez da fact ur 0bvi0uzly a great nurse n r0le m0del:} i say juz be urself n u'll d0 juz fine! :up:

Creamsoda, ASN, RN · Oct 7, 2008

i know this has nothing to do with the thread, and im not perfect...but oh dear. grammar goes along way in making your post readable. i get a headache reading posts that are typed like this.

:yeah:i agree wit nurseshepherd... thiz student 0bvi0uzly seen s0mething n u 2 ch00ze u az her percept0r! dat iz a great h0n0r n validatez da fact ur 0bvi0uzly a great nurse n r0le m0del:} i say juz be urself n u'll d0 juz fine!

TraumaNurseRN · Oct 9, 2008

I don't mean to burst your bubble here or to be overly rude.....but I really feel that only 9 months in the ED does not qualify you as a preceptor. That position should be left to the tenure/seasoned nurses. In 9 months....I am certain you have not had the experiences/revisited so that you are skilled and comfortable to "really" tell it like it is. I'm sure you are a good nurse, and I'm sure you can give good advice, but to precept is to teach the down and dirty, this is what I've seen, this is what I do in the ER, kind of perceptor who knows P&P inside and out, over the years, experience. Goodluck though.....

S.T.A.C.E.Y, LPN · Oct 14, 2008

I don't mean to burst your bubble here or to be overly rude.....but I really feel that only 9 months in the ED does not qualify you as a preceptor. That position should be left to the tenure/seasoned nurses. In 9 months....I am certain you have not had the experiences/revisited so that you are skilled and comfortable to "really" tell it like it is. I'm sure you are a good nurse, and I'm sure you can give good advice, but to precept is to teach the down and dirty, this is what I've seen, this is what I do in the ER, kind of perceptor who knows P&P inside and out, over the years, experience. Goodluck though.....

I agree with you, and while thats all well & good, thats not always the best option. I know in my department, so many new people have been hired over the past few years that the senior staff have actually gotten very tired of orienting new people and explaining P & P over and over again. Most actually refuse now, they just want to show up, do their job, and be done with it. Most of our preceptors have less than 3 yrs in the department, and they're often far better preceptors because they remember the stuff they didn't know, the stuff no body told them, and the stuff they had to lookup themselves. I agree with you 9 months isn't much, but I don't think that time should be the only criteria.

futurecnm · Oct 15, 2008

I agree with you, and while thats all well & good, thats not always the best option. I know in my department, so many new people have been hired over the past few years that the senior staff have actually gotten very tired of orienting new people and explaining P & P over and over again. Most actually refuse now, they just want to show up, do their job, and be done with it. Most of our preceptors have less than 3 yrs in the department, and they're often far better preceptors because they remember the stuff they didn't know, the stuff no body told them, and the stuff they had to lookup themselves. I agree with you 9 months isn't much, but I don't think that time should be the only criteria.

Most of my preceptors are "newer" RN's. Many of the experienced ones do not want to precept. Plus, I think I read that RN's that have been working a very long time tend to not be the best preceptors because everything comes so naturally for them, they forget to teach and explain. For them, many skills are just unconcious. I can't remember, but there is a time frame (something like RN for 5 yr) that is the ideal time to teach/precept. You still are conscious of your abilities yet competent enough. I agree, 9 mo isn't a lot but you can still teach a student a lot. They don't need to know everything and definately will get a learning experience. My main preceptor has only ben a RN for less than 2 yr.

TraumaNurseRN · Nov 2, 2008

Most of my preceptors are "newer" RN's. Many of the experienced ones do not want to precept. Plus, I think I read that RN's that have been working a very long time tend to not be the best preceptors because everything comes so naturally for them, they forget to teach and explain. For them, many skills are just unconcious. I can't remember, but there is a time frame (something like RN for 5 yr) that is the ideal time to teach/precept. You still are conscious of your abilities yet competent enough. I agree, 9 mo isn't a lot but you can still teach a student a lot. They don't need to know everything and definately will get a learning experience. My main preceptor has only ben a RN for less than 2 yr.

They don't need to know everything? Then let's just let the new grads precept the newbie in the ER.....That's a great system.....

Please don't put either on my team thankyou

Carlitos · Nov 3, 2008

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They don't need to know everything? Then let's just let the new grads precept the newbie in the ER.....That's a great system.....
Please don't put either on my team thankyou

I think you missed the point here. We can't possibly teach a new grad EVERYTHING they need to know in the EC in the 6-8 weeks that they typically get. Just like when we took the NCLEX... We were being tested to make sure we would be safe RNs, not to make sure we knew everything. Likewise, in the EC, we precept new RNs to bring their skill and assessment level to that of a safe and prudent EC RN. As great a nurse as one might be, I somehow doubt that anyone knows everything.

The only exception to this rule, of course would be me. But I can't possibly precept everone.

'Los

TraumaNurseRN · Nov 5, 2008

I think you missed the point here. We can't possibly teach a new grad EVERYTHING they need to know in the EC in the 6-8 weeks that they typically get. Just like when we took the NCLEX... We were being tested to make sure we would be safe RNs, not to make sure we knew everything. Likewise, in the EC, we precept new RNs to bring their skill and assessment level to that of a safe and prudent EC RN. As great a nurse as one might be, I somehow doubt that anyone knows everything.
The only exception to this rule, of course would be me. But I can't possibly precept everone.
'Los

The NCLEX was general knowledge based test, not specialty nursing. Sure, nobody knows everything.....but a newbie precepting a new grad...is scarey and as a tenure nurse, I tend to get stuck picking up the pieces, taking over when the deer gets caught in the headlights. It's not a safe system......plain and simple. Being an RRT(14 yrs) prior to RN (11)....when the tenure nurse has to take her assignment and cover the newbie precepting the new grad.....Who suffers......THE patient. (Let alone my patients) :twocents: