ER Nurse----> New preceptor for new grads

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

Hi all,

I have been an ER nurse x1 year, which is the same amount of time I have been a nurse. Anywho Apparently I must be doing well because management has asked me to be a preceptor for one of two new grads comming into the department...

I am just looking for tips from those who have precepted a new grad in the past or from new grads who are currently being precepted or have been recently precepted. I just want to do a good job while being attentive and not stepping on any toes.

thanks for any advise :)

Sweetooth

[TRAMA1RN]

IMHO no new nurse (less than at least 2-3 years) should ever be precepting another new nurse, especially in any specialty field. Good luck to you.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

i doubt this is what you want to hear, but in my opinion, you're too new yourself to be an effective preceptor. i think two years is the absolute minimum, and even that's questionable. (two years seems to be the point at which new nurses think they know everything without having a clue how little they really know!) it's very flattering to be asked to precept but unless you have a more experienced preceptor backing you up, you'll be doing the new grad a grave disservice.

[futurecnm]

When I was an intern last summer my preceptors both were fairly new, one with 1 year of experience and one with 2. I was a little disappointed. They were both VERY nice and I still learned a lot but I would have much preferred a preceptor with more experience. I'm starting as a new RN in an ED this month and will request someone with at least 5 yr. Someone with only 1 year should not be teaching a new RN yet, in my opinion. I would turn it down and say I'll be interested in a few years!

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I guess I should mention my 10 years of EMS experience, 2 of which were spent working in a hospital based service which ment working in an ER in between calls. I was also an ER tech prior to the EMS thing. They reason they asked me is because they said I am more like a 3 year nurse than a one year nurse. The educators and managers in this ER are pretty picky about who they ask to be a preceptor.

Although I appreciate you all telling me I shouldnt be a preceptor, I was not really looking for that. I was moer looking for tips on how to be a great preceptor.

sweetooth

[mianders, RN]

Be professional and fair. Whenever I precepted someone I always tried to remember what I felt like as a new grad and treat that person how I wanted to be treated. This said, you still have to be a teacher and sometimes that requires firmness and constructive criticism. Try to keep a balance between the two.

[traumaokc]

The only thing that I can tell you is start with talking to them, going thru the paperwork and where everything is so they will be a little more comfortable. Then start going thru the processes with them and really pay attention to what and how they do things. If you are lucky you will have a new grad that doesnt feel they already know everything and that is open to suggestions when you give them. The only thing you can do is let them know that you want to do a good job and that you are open to questions since there are no stupid questions when you are starting out. Hope that helps.. Good luck:confused:

[william4930]

As a nursing student that is being precepted now, one thing that I find important is to allow the student to do most of the work instead of always showing the student how it's done. Also, allow the student to make the mistakes (as long as it doesn't compromise patient care) because those are the things they will never forget.

[LilgirlRN, ADN, RN]

I was new graduate, took a job in CCU. I had been a tech in the same hospital. My charge nurse developed renal failure and had to quit. Within 6 months I was the charge nurse myself. It's a task I should have never taken on because I didn't know my ass from a whole the ground.

Please, I'm not saying this is what's going on in your case, just pointing out that the higher ups often do things because they have to. With all of your experience I am sure you will be able to teach the newbies a whole lot. EMT's get to do a lot of things nurses don't... tubing a patient, managing the critically ill or seriously wounded without a doctor being present, sometimes far away from any additional help. That says a lot in itself. Always remeber its about teamwork and if there's soemthing you yourself don't know about, even in a preceptor setting, show the new nurses the right thing to do.... ask someone with more experience. I'm sure you'll be great!