what have I done?

[eho6]

ok, so I precepted labor and delivery in nursing school and loved it, and then, I was blessed enough to get a labor and delivery job(or so I thought). This job is not at the same hospital that I precepted. I'm about 2 months into orientation. My preceptor treats me like a huge burden, I was made to feel like complete and udder doo doo about 10 minutes after witnessing my first fetal demise (my preceptor thought it was the right time to pull me into a room and told me some of the staff does not think money should be wasted orienting someone w/no prior labor and delivery experience, and also that I am lazy). I bust my butt to do everything available for me to learn. I am so frustrated. It does not stop there, but is too much to go into. I've cried for the last 2 days trying to think what to do. I really want to transfer units, but i dont know how to go about it. I can not work somewhere where people dont like me when I'm trying so hard and getting absoulutely no support. i need advice, I need help. Who and how do I approach about transferring ASAP????

[chris_at_lucas_RN, RN]

Do you want to do L&D? Then ignore the garbage this person is dishing out and continue "busting your butt." Fetal demise is a sad thing and the first couple of times it is shocking. There is nothing wrong with experiencing a reaction. There would be a lot wrong if you didn't like it.

You were accepted to this program for a reason. If they are wasting their money, they were (sorry) too stupid to see it on the front end, and now they have an obligation to you, just as you have one to them.

I would not believe what this ***** is telling you. Who is your boss? Are you not under the unit educator or the nurse manager?

If you are having these kinds of problems, you'd know it. Don't let her scare you off.

I allowed a horrible preceptor (three of them in a row, actually) to scare me off a tele unit, and I have regretted it.

Don't make the same mistake. Get with your educator/manager or whoever hired you, tell them that you feel like maybe the fit with this preceptor isn't a very good one, she seems not to like you, and repeat what you have been told. If you are going to get run out of there, make sure they understand why, and don't let ANYONE make you out to be a quitter or gutless or whatever.

You hang in there, hon, keep coming back here. You'll find support and caring encouragement (OK, there will be a couple of exceptions, but mostly, vastly mostly, it will be good people caring about you), and you stick with what you are doing.

I cannot believe you do not want to do L&D. You would not have applied for the position if you didn't want it. And they would not have hired you if you were not qualified, within the limits of your development at the time. I am going to bet you are one of us who is "called" to nursing (I'm one too). We wear our hearts on our sleeves at first. No one told me this, but I've since figured it out. So I am telling you.

Don't give up!!!!!

[Nurse_Advocate]

The person they have precepting you sounds psycho. They are probably "burnt to a crisp" and resenting the added responsibility of having to train you...what a shame.

I wholeheartedly agree that you should get your Nurse Educator involved...tell her the story that you told us.

Get your charge nurse involved. Tell her the story that you told us.

This is the kind of thing that happens when nurses don't take care of themselves and let themselves get burned out beyond recognition!

Inquire with HR or the nurse staffing representative what other floors and shifts are hiring...I know you may not want to change from L&D but learning your options can be helpful!

Talk to your Department Director and let them know the situation described above...something's NOT right with your preceptor...

I suppose if you want to follow chain of command talk with your CN first, then the Nurse Educator and then the DD...but do it!

If it's any consolation I had a preceptor from hell when I first started on my med-surg floor (5 years ago).

Long story...but what I did was make an appointment to meet her at her home to get my "skills" checked off because we never had time at work...

Long story...but what I learned about her was that she was divorced, she had a very over-bearing perfectionistic father, she resented her ex-husband and NEVER got along with her step kids, she was having a falling out with a co-worker and she lived alone with her dog...and she was very lonely!

I'll never forget how her attitude changed with me after that...talk about helpful and supportive...like a different person.

You hang in there and Get Vocal!

Take care of yourselves nurses!

--Theresa