How do I tell my educator that I don't want to orient a new hire?

[ferrarij]

Can someone please tell me how I can nicely tell my educator that I don't want to orient a new hire for 12 weeks. I told her before that I was open to the idea but I don't want to do it anymore LOL. 12 weeks is a long time 

[Davey Do]

"I don't want to be a preceptor", worked for me.

Of course, I had a reputation for being a pain in administration's...

...neck. 

[NurseBlaq]

You: I changed my mind, I don't want to orient..... not for 12 weeks anyway.

Educator: Well for how long?

You: *whatever your limit is

Educator: I really need you for 12 weeks

You: Well can I not orient at all? I don't really think I want to do it anymore.

And go from there.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

1 hour ago, ferrarij said:

Can someone please tell me how I can nicely tell my educator that I don't want to orient a new hire for 12 weeks. I told her before that I was open to the idea but I don't want to do it anymore LOL. 12 weeks is a long time 

Why don't you want to do it?  Afraid you  won't do it well?  Introverted and shy about meeting new people?  The extra $.50/hour will put you into a higher tax bracket?  Impatient and/or inarticulate when it comes to explaining the why's of what you're doing?  Or one of ten thousand other reasons?   

I've found orienting new nurses to be truly rewarding, a great way to start off a new colleague in your  unit and a learning experience.  (If you're not learning something new from every orientee, you're not doing it right.)  

 

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

Is there a particular reason you changed your mind? Was your initial acceptance a knee jerk "yes, sure" reaction and you hadn't the time to consider it thoroughly? Has something changed in your unit that makes precepting more of a burden? Perhaps short staffing puts more pressure on nurses to provide care without the additional challenge of teaching simultaneously? Are you concerned about how orientations have been carried out in the past? If you can present your educator with some concrete thoughts/concerns perhaps the conversation will be more likely to go smoothly. Good luck. 

[Davey Do]

13 hours ago, ferrarij said:

how I can nicely tell my educator that I don't want to orient a new hire for 12 weeks

Reinforcing my original post, "nicely" doesn't get a point across as well as being respectfully direct.

In many circumstances in my career, I have been polite to Patients and Staff only resulting in me expending more time and energy on them.

                                      TWO CASES IN POINT

I came into work one night on the adult psych unit and walked by a new admit sitting in the hall outside of the nurses station. I introduced myself and said I'd be with him in a few minutes, after shift report. He just looked at me and scoffed.

When I began the interview, the Patient made a condescending remark about me. I said, "You know, your comment would really bother me", and after a long pause, "if I had any respect for you".

The Patent apologized and we enjoyed a good relationship thereafter.

Another time, one night at home, I picked up a telephone call from the psych department director, asking if I work an extra shift that night. I said, "No".

The director said, in a sing songy voice, "But you'll be working with (your work wife) Eleeeeeeanor...."

I replied, "What part of 'no' do you not understand?"

The director hung up on me.

In both of these examples, the person took my initially polite actions as signs of weaknesses. If we nicely refuse an offer, the other sees it as an opportunity to manipulate us in order to get their way. They will interpret nicety as a weakness and will attempt to talk us into what they want from us.

Reiterating my premise: Nicely doesn't get a point across as well as being respectfully direct.

 

[SmilingBluEyes]

"I would prefer not to be a preceptor at this time because I have been doing it a lot lately and I don't think I would be of benefit to the new hire/orientee at this time. I open to doing so in the future, however, but could use a break, please".

That's how I have said it and it worked. Taking a break always helps. I come back refreshed and ready to take on an new orientee after doing so.

[Emergent, RN]

"I'm not up to precepting right now, thank you so much for offering this to me!"

Keep it short and sweet...

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

2 hours ago, SmilingBluEyes said:

"I would prefer not to be a preceptor at this time because I have been doing it a lot lately and I don't think I would be of benefit to the new hire/orientee at this time. I open to doing so in the future, however, but could use a break, please".

That's how I have said it and it worked. Taking a break always helps. I come back refreshed and ready to take on an new orientee after doing so.

Golden reply!!   Should work.

 

[Crystal-Wings, LVN]

Grow a spine and just tell her. I swear a lot of the problems people have with coworkers on this forum could be solved if they just spoke up.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

I actually am having these issues. I'm noticing a lot of deficits in the new nurses (who graduated during COVID and have very limited if any clinical experience) that make me very uncomfortable, and I don't have the patience to precept. Plus, we are not paid extra to teach and teaching slows me down and oftentimes, I have to forgo a break due to the slower pace of my preceptees. 

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

20 minutes ago, ThePrincessBride said:

 I have to forgo a break due to the slower pace of my preceptees. 

You. Get. BREAKS???? ?