Hello everyone. First off, thank you for reading my post and thank you for any replies that you give. I'm graduated 12/13, took NCLEX 2/14. I'm in my second RN job-I left the first one for this because it's a hospital and pays more, also I'll obviously get lots more experience. Anyways, it was hard to get a hospital job-as everyone knows, as a new grad.
I'm doing my BSN now but won't be done till 6/2015. I'm still training/orienting-which is 10 wks long. I'm in my fourth week. I need advice about my preceptor.
On my unit-the preceptor who oriented everyone left that unit just before I started for another unit. I know this because there's someone whom just came off orientation and everyone told me. My preceptor has not oriented anyone in years. She told me so also. She knows what she's doing because she's been there really long-but she's not teaching me nor doing things the right way.
First off-she literally went into a contact room with NO PPE on, not even gloves, and pulled the patient. By pulling-I mean she was touching the patient. She has not taught me anything about wound care, which the techs normally do but I'm worried about when the state comes-so I don't even know where to find the orders. I will ask about the orders though.
On top of that-she's already made a comment about me not having any skills. Duh-I'm a new grad. She showed me how to restart an IV. The next day she said to go restart another one. I said can you please help me. She said I showed you yesterday and I was like yeah, you showed me one time.
Also, she had gone on lunch and I had come back on the floor. She had an admission that was being wheeled in. I asked the other nurse-whom is the Clinical Coordinator on the unit if anything was done with the admission. She said no, your preceptor said to give out meds. I had never had an admission before so I gave out meds. She comes up on the floor and says did you check the admits vitals? I said no. And then in front of everyone she says when you have a new admit you must ck their vitals as soon as they get here, like I'm supposed to know.
I know some of this may sound like common sense to anyone who reads this, but in my opinion, she should not be precepting. And I feel as though I've gotten the short end of the stick because I speak with the other orientees that started with me(they are on other units)and they are not going through this.
I was an LPN before and I was bullied by my manager and was very unhappy. I don't know what to do. Sometimes I want to talk to the person that is following my progress-she is a nurse educator-I think-but I have to keep working on this unit with this woman-so I don't want to cause conflict already. Plus there is no one else precepting on the unit.
I've looked to see what other units have openings-they are only evenings where there are 12-13 patients per nurse or days-3 8 hr shifts(we have 8 hr shifts). I had another job offer right before this near me which paid well but was assisted living. I turned it down because of the hospital. I don't want to leave-I need the experience-but I already see I will not be happy on this unit.
Any advice please? If you think I should have a conversation with my nurse educator, what do you think should be said. Thank you.
People do ask questions, but I think that what might be confusing people is the idea that you sound like you are uncomfortable with skills that are taught in nursing school. And that is carrying over to work, so I'm going to hypothesize that she's surprised that you really don't know and/or don't have the experience.
Did your school have any clinical rotations in facilities, or was it all simulations with manikins?
Not to mention - LPN skills include things like basic wound care, suctioning, IV management...did you not learn that during LPN school?
I think a lot of us are just really sick of some nurses being so quick to claim "bullying." Just because someone doesn't act warm and fuzzy with them. True bullying is soooo much more than that.
My personal opinion is that bullying is not quite as prominent in our profession as some people would have you think (with people using stories like this as a perfect example).
Anyhow, you need to start to advocate for your own orientation. Do this as diredirected above. A lot of good advice here.
You will be a "new grad" for about 2 years. Believe me. You will continue to learn throughout your career.
You will do much better in the long run if you learn how to start finding answers on your own (reading, you tube videos for procedure basics, watching others, taking notes, etc.).
A thick skin is a must in this profession. You will always have someone or something that can hurt you (without it being actual bullying) if you let them. Patients, doctors, coworkers. They aren't always nice. I try to look at it as a challenge (to be nonconfrontational back at em).
I also apologize for calling this "bullying." I guess it's more I feel uncomfortable being new and feeling like I can't ask questions without being reprimanded in front of everyone. I'm guessing most of you know how that feels from your first times working as a nurse, but maybe it's normal. Thanks again. I may talk to the nurse educator and explain the situation.
Yes, bullying is not applicable to your current orientation situation. However...YOU feel lost in your orientation. You have a preceptor unwilling to properly guide you. Other posters have chosen to make you accountable for knowing what guidance you need during this period.
As an oldie-moldy that precepted any one that walked through the door, and a traveler/agency nurse that required many brief orientations.. I disagree.
You are new to the facility and deserve a well planned orientation. Again, please seek out nursing education and get the orientation you deserve.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Really? How many times did I say she showed me how to an admission? We haven't even done one yet because if they come after a certain time we don't do the whole admission. The admission nurse does them. I will be following her next week though. And foleys, suctioning, etc-I did them on manicans as part of our skills in school, so if I ask a nurse to come with me the first and second time I do it on a real person, I think that's fair. I'm not asking her to show me-I asked for her to come with me. Don't tell me that at your job nobody asks anyone-how do you do that again? Or, can you come with me or show me something? Someone just came off of orientation and they are still asking how to document certain things. There's another girl that left there to work at another hospital and still comes per diem and supposedly can never get a foley in-not her strong suit I guess. She tries-but it's hard for her. So I'm surprised that wherever you work no one asks questions.
So you've never done an admission. You still could have helped get the patient settled, gotten admission vitals, familiarized yourself with the admission forms, started looking over admit orders, etc. You need to take the bull by the horns here.
I don't think anyone suggested you may never ask a question. What people are trying to get you to see is that you're going to need to be a little more proactive with your orientation. The next time an IV comes up, for example, instead of expecting to observe it, ask your preceptor to watch you do the IV. Find out who the "vein whisperer" is on your floor and ask her to let you know when she has an IV to start; ask her to guide you through it.
Sounds to me you need to make a skills check list and tell your preceptor that " these are the skills I need help,with" what has she been told about your background? If she was told you are an experienced LPN and this is your second RN job, then yes will expect you to have some skills. It sounds like your are still in student mode. You are waiting for someone to show you each step, rather than initiating things on your own.
Frankly, by the time I graduated school I could do a foley, auctioning and basic wound care on my own so am a little surprised that you still need your hand held with these procedures.
A skills check list does NOT need to be initiated by the orientee! How would a new employee know .. what they did not know?
Frankly.. my dear...you may have had those skills, but to assume the OP does is rude and does not apply to her current situation.
Another thought- sometimes it is just best to wing it- I say this for things that are not life threatening- such as, perhaps, an admit on a relatively stable patient. You know how to do vitals, a head to toe, and focused assessments, I'm sure. Have a look at a form, and ask the questions it has on it. Show the initiative, and the nurses will guide you if have left anything out. At least then you have something done, have saved your preceptor some time, and learned independently. It will boost your confidence, and probably help show the preceptors that you are willing to try :)
Can you request a longer orientation period? Sorry if that's already been asked, I tried to read all the replies/comments. I noticed you said she is the only preceptor on the floor... Are you sure? Could you ask your supervisor/manager to change preceptors? I ask because it could really benefit you to learn from two different nurses instead of just her.
You should always be able to ask questions and get correct answers. Weather or not you get attitude with those answers doesn't matter as much as long as you do get an answer and it's accurate. The attitude you are receiving from your preceptor is unnecessary, certainly not appropriate, but it sounds like this is the only preceptor available and her response isn't likely to change. Please always ask, even if you don't want the backlash from your question. What is important isn't your feelings (although your preceptor really should have a better attitude), but that you get the answer that you need in order to care for the patient safely.
I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for someone to come with you when you do a skill that you don't feel competent with. That sounds like the safest thing to do for the patient (having someone competent watch/observe/guide). I will still get someone when I do an NGT because I don't do them often. If your preceptor refuses this, remind her that this is what is most safe for the patient. If she still refuses ask someone else for assistance (charge nurse) or ask this nurse to do this skill herself and let you observe. Do not do anything by yourself that you are uncomfortable with!
I am sorry you are having a hard time. I would advise you to be proactive in learning/doing skills as much as you can, even if that means asking other nurses if you can do things for them (IV's, foleys, ect). Maximize your experience with your preceptor as much as you can. Ignore her attitude and if necessary remind her that patient safety is your first priority and should be hers as well.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
Please do not take this the wrong way...but you are responsible for your orientation and skill development, NOT your preceptor. You are now a nurse and you are no longer a student waiting to be spoon fed your didactic and clinical assignments.
You must develope some self confidence and seek out opportunities for learning before you are dismissed as a not very suitable nurse for the work. Your preceptor may not be overly nice to you but you are also being overly sensitive because you are apparently so unsure of yourself. Time to put on a professional face and get down to business.
It might not be an ideal situation, but if you want this hospital job, you'd better figure out a way to hang on and MAKE it work for you. Practice skills on your off time and take good notes. Don't tell on her for being a poor instructor, figure out how to deal with what you got.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
You're on your second job as an RN AND you've been an LPN before, but you don't know to take vital signs immediately on any new admission, especially before you give meds? AND you don't have any skills? As an LPN, you should have some nursing skills, even if you are a new ADN graduate. It's not "Duh, I'm a new grad." As an LPN, you should have both nursing skills and the critical thinking to know to take vital signs on a new admission. And yet you criticize your preceptor because "she's not teaching me or doing things the right way."
Maybe your preceptor should not be precepting, I don't know. But if she has a lot of experience and a lot of knowlege, there's a lot you can learn from her. Perhaps she hasn't had any training in precepting but was just thrown into it because the old preceptor left. Either she'll get preceptor training or the unit will choose a new preceptor, and you were just lucky enough to arrive during the transition period.
I don't see anything that looks as though your preceptor is bullying you. I am concerned about you, though. It looks as if you may be attempting to bully that preceptor, what with all the concern about reporting her and all.
And as far as looking for yet another job? Don't. Stay in this one and become competent before you move on. That will take about two years.
Nonyvole, BSN, RN
420 Posts
People do ask questions, but I think that what might be confusing people is the idea that you sound like you are uncomfortable with skills that are taught in nursing school. And that is carrying over to work, so I'm going to hypothesize that she's surprised that you really don't know and/or don't have the experience.
Did your school have any clinical rotations in facilities, or was it all simulations with manikins?
Not to mention - LPN skills include things like basic wound care, suctioning, IV management...did you not learn that during LPN school?