Of course I understand that not everyone wants to be a teacher or professor but a few of my coworkers lately have down right refused to precept or even be a resource to newer or less experienced nurses.
The education department had placed a sign up sheet for preceptor training courses and one of my colleagues very adamantly professed her disdain for teaching or precepting and that it "just wasn't in her to teach".
ok fine, but IMO it sounded a bit condescending and selfish of one to refuse to share nursing knowledge. She does everything to get out of precepting or cross training nurses. Seems unprofessional to me.
I was giving bedside report to a MICU RN who recently transferred to the SICU and the patient was a postop neurosurgery case with an EVD and ICP monitoring. I gave her an overview of what the drain was, how to manage it and transduce for IC pressures. I then told her to refer to Ms. Senior RN who is real good with neuro for any questions after I left. I then spoke to Ms. Senior RN and told her that I endorsed an EVD/ICP monitoring to Ms. New SICU RN and perhaps she could guide her throughout the shift on the neuro patient, she then promptly rolled her eyes and asked why I had to refer the new SICU RN to her?? (Mind you she is one of the most knowledgeable nurses in our ICU but I've never seen her precepting and she doesn't offer up knowledge freely either)
Like really? After almost 12 years of nursing this issue still grinds my gears. We should all be willing to help/guide one another. Sure sometimes I'm not in the mood to teach, or my orientee is not a fast learner or another RN asks for my help when I'm super busy, but either way I roll up my sleeves and get it done because if the shoe was on the other foot (like it has been many times) I would want someones help to guide-teach-assist me.
I don't mean to make this medicine vs nursing but physicians are expected to teach and mentor from the time they graduate medical school they are thrust into mentoring those behind them.
IMO nursing lags behind with this. Is it because we lack pride in our profession?, or feel like victims that we cannot and often do not embody a leadership mentality?
Perhaps its it's just part of the nurses eating their young/lateral violence that is far too prevalent in our profession.
On my unit its the same RNs who precept everyone while others flat out refuse and go years without precepting. I love to teach and came to this job with experience and for that reason I've literally been precepting since I came off orientation/probation myself (yes crazy I know) because many nurses just refuse to teach on my unit.
Heck when I was new to this facility myself a few years back my assigned preceptor (who didn't realize I was sitting nearby) flat out refused to orient anyone (she later apologized saying it was nothing personal when she realized I was in an earshot of her comment)
All nurses should have pride in their work/profession enough to want to share their wealth of knowledge at some level. You may not pursue a masters in nursing education or a PhD but you can still be a resource for you unit and colleagues, that's at least the minimum that should be required of you.
