Help!! I have a really mean manager

[catgal]

I am an ADN nursing student beginning my clinicals this fall. A few months ago I had the idea of getting a job in the health care field to get experience and make connections while I am in school. I decided to go for phlebotomy because it sounded interesting and the course fit in with my school sch. So here I am working at a hospital now and I am in my orientation process so doing things with supervision. I absolutely LOVED my first month. I was drawing blood and working in out patient setting labs. This past week they had me train in the actual laboratory "processing". It has been the worst days of my life!! There is ALOT going on and everything is completely new to me. The work itself is not bad but my "manager" who is suppose to be training me pretty much went through everything once on the first day and then just started working on her own and left me to remember like 1000 processes, rules, and steps to all these things. When I ask her a question she makes me feel stupid for asking and she straight up didn't tell me something important that basically ruined this patients blood sample and the tech called me into a another room and let me have it. I dont know what to do! One the one hand I want to try my best but I feel like I need to communicate without offending her that she isnt teaching me correctly...HELPP Is this what happens when you train as a ne nurse as well??

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Some people aren't meant to be preceptors, but management requires everyone to precept. I'm a bit confused by you referring to this person as your manager- are they truly in a management position or supposed to be orienting you? If this person isn't truly your manager/supervisor, you always have the option of requesting a new preceptor. You may or may not run into this as a new nurse because, again, not everyone can be an effective preceptor, wants to be a preceptor, or isn't burned out from being a preceptor. But then again, you may find yourself having a wonderful orientation experience as a new grad. It's just part of working with people: none of us are perfect, we all have our quirks, and we all have our own personalities.

[Nolli]

If they are not your manager/in charge of you, but are just supposed to be precepting you then you may be able to request a different preceptor as Rose said. I know you already asked them for help, but if it comes down to it again and they are unwilling to assist you call your boss and let them know that you are unsure of what to do for x lab, you asked for help but are not receiving it and are concerned because last time the sample had to be discarded. Let them know you are having trouble and that while preceptor x seems very good at their job they are not such a great teacher(not everyone is).

For extra assistance see if there is a manual. Most hospitals and labs have a policy/procedure manual; this resource will be your friend. Alternatively ask them to show you again and write it down in a notebook, keep the notebook on you until you have it down.

[LessValuableNinja]

Sounds like a preceptor, not a manager. Talk to your actual manager.