First time preceptoring

[TeeDotNurse]

Hey all,

I am preceptoring a consolidation student this semester for the first time and was looking for some tips or even just anecdotes of others' past experience. What worked, what didnt, how much to expect how quickly?

My student just finished her 2nd week and does not seem very strong academically but has a good professional attitude and is good with patient care- she worked as a PSW (I think similar to what you call CNA's or techs? They do bed baths feeding transfering etc) during school so she has that advantage as our unit the nurses do total care. It is a very busy acute medicine floor with telemety and we get a lot of heavy, confused, total care patients as well as psychiatric comorbidities. Which means I barely have time to get my work done let alone stop and explain everything because she still doesnt know it. Everyday I ask her to go home and read and review certain things but progress is slow-going. I wish I had more time to be patient with her while she problem solves for herself and looks things up but since she started I have been leaving late and missing breaks while she goes just to catch up!

Any similar experiences? How did you handle it??

Thanks!!!

[dishes, BSN, RN]

Have you looked on the student's school website for a preceptor handbook? It sounds to me like she is meeting the expectations the school has for preceptorship placements. The times I have been a preceptor I have had to slow down and explain things, miss breaks and leave late because it takes time to teach. I do not tell students to go home and review something everyday, because I recognize that it is not everyone's learning style, have you asked her what her preferred learning style is, visual, tactile, auditory, reflective?

[TeeDotNurse]

Hey thanks for the reply,

I did read the entire preceptor handbook from the school, which she just gave to me yesterday, but some of the documents that she should have supplied me she has yet to so I will ask her for those next day.

I went to her same school and also was a graduate tutor at the school so I know what they are expected to know by the time they are consolidating. She should know normal blood sugar ranges and basic medications etc at the very least. However, I did not consider different learning styles or ask her about this. I sort of am just following what my preceptor did with me when I consolidated but its true that while this method was effective for me it may not be for everyone. I will discuss this with her next day and see what has been effective for her in her previous placements.

I do realize that perhaps she is anxious and that is a barrier to learning but when I take the time to go over something in great detail (read the entire hypoglycemia protocol directive and policy, discussed and looked up the different insulins and oral antihyperglycemic meds and reviewed normal ranges of blood sugars) and then the exact same situation arrises the next day with the same pt and same time of day it is frustrating when she doesnt recall what we discussed and what we did about the situation (a diabetic pt with sudden drop in cbg).

Anyway, thanks for the feedback! I will try to ease up on her and see if that works and discuss her learning style and see if that helps any. My co-workers are telling me I should tell her school that she is not ready but I can tell she is trying so I really dont want to have to do that!

[dishes, BSN, RN]

Definitely give her more time, as health care professionals we often know 'what' to teach but we do not 'how' to teach. If you learn and implement some basic adult learning theory principless it will not only help you to become a better preceptor, it will help you to become a better patient and family educator.

I think you will find your preceptee will absorb information better if you teach to her learning style. Also keep in mind that repeat exposure (at least seven times) of the most important clinical experiences may be necessary before things start to 'click'.