Preparing for preceptorship

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi everyone, what specific skills do you expect students to have mastered or at least be experienced with before starting a preceptorship (for example, inserting a foley catheter, priming IV tubing, giving IM and subQ injections, bed baths)?

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

All the above to a degree. Sterile technique, isolation protocol, and when to keep their mouth shut in front of a family, as in never let them see you sweat.

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You should definitely know how do to a bed bath by now...

Everything you listed is good to know, it might benefit you to familiarize yourself with some of the facility/unit protocols if you can get access to them.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
hi everyone, what specific skills do you expect students to have mastered or at least be experienced with before starting a preceptorship (for example, inserting a foley catheter, priming iv tubing, giving im and subq injections, bed baths)?

i don't count on anyone having specific skills -- what i'd like to see is a student with a good attitude who wants to learn and will ask before doing anything new, different or exciting. if a student is interested in learning, i'll bend over backward to ensure that they get good experiences, but too many dismiss an offered experience by saying "i've done that already." if that's the response i get, i'm unlikely to ask again.

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I agree with Ruby Vee. I would never expect a new RN to be competent in all of those tasks. Just that they are familiar with them and how to perform them. For instance, I know many new RNs who have never inserted a Foley - the opportunity just never presented itself while in school. Now one can ask "why" but thats not really the issue. You work with the present, not the past. As long as the person has a motivation to experience and learn, that's great. The other skills that you mentioned seem more basic, so I'd expect more experience (not necessarily proficiency) at those than say inserting the Foley, IV, or drawing blood for example. Those skills take more time develop.

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i don't count on anyone having specific skills -- what i'd like to see is a student with a good attitude who wants to learn and will ask before doing anything new, different or exciting. if a student is interested in learning, i'll bend over backward to ensure that they get good experiences, but too many dismiss an offered experience by saying "i've done that already." if that's the response i get, i'm unlikely to ask again.

i think this is very insightful. there were some skills that i was insecure about at the beginning of my preceptorship, but i made it clear to my preceptor that what i lacked in experience, i'd make up for with my willingness to try. there are skills that you should have down pat and some that you need to work on, and your preceptorship should be about sharpening your skills while gaining experience dealing with coworkers, patients, and families.

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:rolleyes: hello everyone ~

i am a nursing student transitioning into my preceptor semester shortly!! (god please let me pass finals) my final clinical instructor was new. just finished her advanced practice studies for np and full of great ideas! she had a dreamy eyed look about her that i related to her being new too!! personally i find that a great comfort and she was very approachable. she told us when fininshing her adn she did a "student requested preceptorship" locating her own because she felt the desire and passion because this is where her interest was for career path and advised us to do the same if felt lead to do so. she also knocked her self out getting us one day rotations thorough-out the hospital. i went to the er for a one day rotation and worked with a nurse that was student friendly, :) very professional, and above all felt very comfortable with and not made to feel stupid (thanks so much) and pondered for the nextweek about what my clinical instructor said. the following week i gathered the courage to ask him not even thinking that this approach was "putting him on the spot' is this true? are student requested preceptorships viewed like this? would appreciate input on that and any other important aspects of ed preceptorship and protocols anyone may suggest if any thanks

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
:rolleyes: hello everyone ~

i am a nursing student transitioning into my preceptor semester shortly!! (god please let me pass finals) my final clinical instructor was new. just finished her advanced practice studies for np and full of great ideas! she had a dreamy eyed look about her that i related to her being new too!! personally i find that a great comfort and she was very approachable. she told us when fininshing her adn she did a "student requested preceptorship" locating her own because she felt the desire and passion because this is where her interest was for career path and advised us to do the same if felt lead to do so. she also knocked her self out getting us one day rotations thorough-out the hospital. i went to the er for a one day rotation and worked with a nurse that was student friendly, :) very professional, and above all felt very comfortable with and not made to feel stupid (thanks so much) and pondered for the nextweek about what my clinical instructor said. the following week i gathered the courage to ask him not even thinking that this approach was "putting him on the spot' is this true? are student requested preceptorships viewed like this? would appreciate input on that and any other important aspects of ed preceptorship and protocols anyone may suggest if any thanks

stop shouting already!

i'm not sure what your actual question is . . . could you rephrase it? without shouting? please?

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Honestly, that wan't an intentional "shout"; cap lock was on when I started message and was off when I returned. Sorry if offended. basically 2 part question, sorry for confusion :)

1. Would it be inappropriate for a nursing student to approach someone she mentored during a clinical rotation and ask them to precept for them? Or would it be putting a nurse in an akward situation, putting them in a position to say "yes" even if they did not want to.

2. Any advice for preceptorship in emergency room?

Thanks

:)

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
honestly, that wan't an intentional "shout"; cap lock was on when i started message and was off when i returned. sorry if offended. basically 2 part question, sorry for confusion :)

1. would it be inappropriate for a nursing student to approach someone she mentored during a clinical rotation and ask them to precept for them? or would it be putting a nurse in an akward situation, putting them in a position to say "yes" even if they did not want to.

2. any advice for preceptorship in emergency room?

thanks

:)

a nursing student mentored someone during a clinical rotation? and now wants the mentoree to precept them? i'm not following.

if you mean that someone worked with you when you were in clinicals and you now wish to ask them if they'd precept you if you get a job there, that would probably be flattering to the nurse involved. but if you meant that you mentored someone else while you were a nursing student in clinicals, how would you be in any position to mentor that student now?

my advice for preceptorship anywhere: shut your mouth, pay attention, ask questions when needful and study on your own time.

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