FABULOUS preceptor!!!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Telemetry.

I've seen a lot of discussion that students more often post their bad experiences, not their GOOD ones. After I thought about it, I realized that you're absolutely right--so I thought I'd get things started!

My very first rotation was med-surg I. I had a preceptor who I don't think ever had a bad patient in her LIFE (I think she was probably 2 years out of school, but I still find it amazing). As she would tell me about her patients, it was ALWAYS followed by "he's so cute," or "she's so cute." It was obvious that she found something that she adored in each and every one of them. She let me be involved to my level of comfort--for example, the first time she asked me if I wanted to start an IV, I said I'd rather watch her do one and that I'd do the next one. Not only was she comfortable with that, she made sure she came to get me the next time she had one to do and had me do it!

Even though she told me that she was always "stressing out," it never showed. She appeared very relaxed and took one thing at a time (even when it came to having a VERY green nursing student!).

I am so thankful that I was blessed enough to have her for my mentor! In fact, before the rotation was over, I bought her a Starbuck's gift card (she always had a cup of coffee in hand).

From listening to some of your mentoring stories, I know that many of you are very like my preceptor. Please know that your students will NEVER forget you and always keep you in their hearts! :D

Cheers!

Chickdude1

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Specializes in Telemetry.

Oh, wait--here's a couple more:

I got to spend a day in the newborn nursery during my OB rotation. My preceptor handed me a baby and said, "Okay, this one needs to be fed." Now, I'd never even HELD a newborn before, and now I have to FEED one? She sat down and told (and showed) me how to do it. By the end of the day, she had me feeding and giving meds. She was FANTASTIC!

And I think this has to be the BEST:

During the same OB rotation, another nurse not only took on a student (one of my classmates) ON HER LAST DAY OF ORIENTATION, but she took me on as her student ON HER FIRST DAY OFF OF ORIENTATION! I am greatly humbled by not only her fortitude by also her eagerness to help all of us students learn. It was a GREAT experience--when I asked her a question she didn't know, she'd smile and say "Well, I guess we get to learn it together!" (and we did!) To me that's the true definition of collaboration (wouldn't you agree?).

Cheers!

Chickdude1

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Great to hear you had a great experience. I will be a RN nursing student soon.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

What a great thread. I am glad to see some of our new nurses are getting off to a good start in their careers. This is really good news.

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Well, mine happened years ago (like 23y, to be exact), but I still remember it.

I was attending a hospital based RN diploma program. On one of my med-surg rotations, I was precepted by one of the staff LPNs. She was so kind, so patient, if she had something interesting come up she'd let me know, and always had an encouraging word. Her manner with her patients was of a consummate professional, and it was obvious her peers as well as the doctors highly respected her.

I ran into her about 12y after I'd graduated (to this day, I still remember her full name). I went up to her and said, "Janet, I'm sure you don't remember me, but you were one of my preceptors in my junior year. I always remembered you for how kind and encouraging you were with me, and I wanted to thank you again for helping me become a nurse." Of all things, she started to cry...she said no one had ever said anything like that to her before.

So here's to Janet, LPN!

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Thank you for your kind words. A lot of nurses try very hard to be good teachers yet we mostly see rants. An attitude like yours really encourages us to go out of our way.

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"Well, I guess we get to learn it together!" (and we did!) To me that's the true definition of collaboration (wouldn't you agree?).

That is the true definition. I'm so glad that you had so many great experiences. Now, when you're a nurse with students you know how to treat your students.

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My baby niece finished her BSN about 3 years ago. On graduation day I was SOOO proud of her. She went to a small school and at graduation each student had the opportunity to stand up in front of everyone and say whatever they wanted.

My niece stood up in front of everyone and said that the reason she wanted to be a nurse was due to her Auntie Mish-len (that would be ME~, her nick for me since she was a kid). She explained that for as long as she could remember I would tell her stories of my patients. The good, the bad, and the ugly. She loved the gross as well as the beautiful. For as long as she could remember she wanted to be a nurse just like her Auntie Mish-len. Not sure how thrilled I was with her telling everyone I told her gross stories, but that's another topic.

Now she tells me her version of the good, the bad, and the ugly as well as the gross.

I couldn't be more proud!

My point is, I think the way to teach is to share experiences. Bring it home, don't make it a textbook lecture, offer examples and students really seem to love real time stories. Something they can relate to. I used to teach and let me tell you, it is NO easy task to teach anatomy. (gahhhh) I would offer a trade, if my students would stay awake and pay attention (heh), I would trade real time stories. It worked like a charm.

I've been waiting for three years to tell this and I'm taking full advantage of this thread.

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I am so happy to hear these encouraging stories from students. Please share more to remind us all of the joys of learning from one another!

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Specializes in Telemetry.
My point is, I think the way to teach is to share experiences. Bring it home, don't make it a textbook lecture, offer examples and students really seem to love real time stories. Something they can relate to. I used to teach and let me tell you, it is NO easy task to teach anatomy. (gahhhh) I would offer a trade, if my students would stay awake and pay attention (heh), I would trade real time stories. It worked like a charm.

I've been waiting for three years to tell this and I'm taking full advantage of this thread.

THREE YEARS? Wow--you're WAY overdue!!! Thanks for sharing with us!

My cohort gets along exceptionally well--the major downside of that is sometimes it's hard to get everyone's attention in order for class to start (and sometimes it's problematic througout class). In any event, our pathophys professor made things interesting for us by giving us her real-life stories related to topics we were covering. Not only were they entertaining and informative, but I know that we ALL heard them because you could have heard a pin drop in that room every time she went to tell a story!

So, teachers, keep sharing your stories--we really ARE listening (and we really appreciate them, too!).

Cheers!

Chickdude1

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