Approach a new grad in a tactful manner?

[Gititgirl7]

Someone asked me this question recently about someone they work with.

The new grad is a graduate of a BSN program and is on her 3rd or 4th attempt to pass the exit exam from the university. Everytime this person works at the job she's been at for the last 6 months, she asks the same questions. SAME QUESTIONS. My friend said she snapped on her the last time they worked together and then thought that maybe she was too harsh.

When someone just doesn't seem to be getting it. What is the best way to approach?

[texas2007, BSN, RN]

Is this person still on orientation or no? At my hospital, you have to "pass" orientation...if you're not doing so hot they will put you with a different preceptor, give you a few more weeks, have progress updates... and if you still stink it up, then you get canned.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Like texas, I'm a little unclear here: is this an actual BSN graduate (has received degree) and is making multiple attempts to pass NCLEX? If so, she shouldn't be working as a GN anyway. And if she's in fact NOT graduated from her program (still needs to pass a final/exit exam to receive degree) then STILL what is she doing working as a graduate nurse?

Assuming all is kosher there and I'm just missing a piece of information, if she's still on orientation and isn't doing well, she needs to switch preceptors and kick it up a notch. If she's OFF orientation (as I suspect is the case after six months!) then her supervisor needs to be made aware that she's not holding up her end of the floor. She can't be if she's still asking the same questions over and over.

I suppose it's possible she's just not self-confident enough to know that she DOES know this information, and feels compelled to "run it by" other, more experienced nurses all the time for reassurance. And if THAT'S the case, she still needs to have someone talk with her about that. It doesn't bode well for the patients if she's not sure enough of herself at this point to handle the day-to-day stuff without constant questions.

[Gititgirl7]

let me clarify. This is a non clinical position. I think she has graduated. but yes she is still trying to pass that HESI. She's not asking the same types of questions, she's literally asking the same 3-4 questions.

my friend used to think that maybe she didn't retain the info given to her because she always seemed distracted. She was always studying. maybe her brain was on overload.

but even now when she asks a question, she writes nothing down and so its frustrating when she asks the same question again.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Well, that's just plain odd, I think. I'm glad she's in a non-clinical position after all! Asking the very same questions day after day makes me wonder how on earth she got through school??

I wish I had a great answer for you, but this one stumps me. If she were a first semester student and this was happening, I'd question whether she had a learning disability of some type, and go at it from that angle. But as she's managed to complete a 4-year degree in nursing (minus that exit exam), I don't know HOW she has so little ability to retain what she's been told day after day on the job. Maybe someone else here has a clue!

[Ima Nurse]

Since she's asking the same 3 or 4 questions repeatedly, and she refuses to write the info down then someone needs to write it down for her. Of course, the written info needs to be given to her politely and compassionately letting her know that it is being given to help her.

I always look at things this way: I'll do something uncomfortable like that as nicely as possible because that person is going to get on the wrong person's nerves and that person won't handle it so nicely. I hope I explained that well.

[suni, BSN, RN]

Perhaps she has a learning disability or OCD. I know people in my family with both, the OCD does keep repeating, cannot help herself, it is like she just needs to keep making sure she understands what we are saying so she does not make a mistake. She also is a type A personality!

THe learning disability nephew has trouble sequencing so when he is asked to do something he needs to repeat it back 2 or 3 times and then it sticks in his memory.

Both of these are adults and it is extremely annoying at times but I remember how the other kids made fun of them and my sisters told them that when they were adults people would be more accepting, however neither of them usually share with co-workers that they are OCD or LD.

[Gititgirl7]

Thanks for the input. I never even considered a learning disability. I told my friend about writing the info down for her. she is going to make a grid/flow chart for next actions and present it to the whole department. She also apologized to the girl for losing her temper.