Incentives to orient new hires?

[Lola Lou]

Does your facility offer incentives for staff nurses to train new hires (new and experienced nurses)? My facility has never offered incentives and does not take in to consideration that training a new employee (experienced or not) basically doubles the amount of time to complete an action. Most of the staff nurses have now refused to train because it is so time consuming. I have expressed interest in orienting new hires but I have explained to my manager that I feel it is appropriate to provide incentives to encourage staff to be more willing to train others. What does your facility do to encourage participation in orienting new hires?

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

My last clinical job paid an extra $2/ hour. I did it because I enjoyed it- but I did have a rule. I only precepted newbies who were at least 5'4" - because I'm really short and need them to reach things for me. :)

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

My last clinical job paid an extra $2/ hour. I did it because I enjoyed it- but I did have a rule. I only precepted newbies who were at least 5'4" - because I'm really short and need them to reach things for me. :)

I would be your nightmare orientee at 5'1"!! Lol. I hate that I can't reach the pole to hang fluids. I feel like I need a dang step stool. And yes, I've tried adjusting the pole but apparently am not strong enough to do it!! I suck.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

I would be your nightmare orientee at 5'1"!! Lol. I hate that I can't reach the pole to hang fluids. I feel like I need a dang step stool. And yes, I've tried adjusting the pole but apparently am not strong enough to do it!! I suck.

The hospital I worked at was named for a very famous professional athlete- who happens to be 6'5" tall. We used to joke that as part of the naming rights, he got to hang all the cabinets- because the BOTTOM shelf was over my head.

And there WAS a step stool in every single room.

[Mhsrnbsn]

My facility gives 1.00 per hour more not a huge incentive, but honestly I enjoy precepting...

i think every nurse should precept; too many of us forgot what is like to be new. It's actually very refreshing to help a new nurse, I actually precept the nurse babies a lot (new grad). It takes more time but it gives you an appreciation for your own personal set of experiences. It also helps a new nurse have at least "one friend" they can identify on the unit to help.

Too many of us in nursing expect these new nurses have 30 years experience and while some of their questions or actions might appear (stupid) to you. I feel we need to in general become more understanding and welcoming, after all these new nurses have a potential to become our nurses someday. they are the future of our profession not the enemy.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

How about the internal incentive (or human decency) that acknowledges that you were a new RN at one time and needed preceptors?

I once had a coworker (20+ year RN) who really needed a day off (some family event) and wanted to switch with me. I said, "Sure, but I am precepting that day you want to trade so if you could work with my student it's fine with me."

She said, "Oh, I DON'T precept!"

She would rather miss her function than precept for a single shift. What a horrible person.

So everyone should precept - whether they're good at it or not, whether they want to or not?

My preceptor at my first RN job hated precepting, and it was a horrible experience. I have never been an anxious person but the way she treated me wanted to make me walk out the door and quit nursing altogether.

For the record, I had people tell me later they didn't bother getting to know me because most of her orientees left before orientation was over, so they didn't see the point in wasting time and effort on getting to know someone she was orienting. Some people shouldn't precept - and acknowledging that about themselves is way better than precepting anyway and treating their orientee like a dog turd stuck to the bottom of their shoes.

[Lennonninja, MSN, APRN, NP]

I really enjoy precepting, both capstone students and new employees as well. My new grad experience (at a different facility) wasn't a great one so I strive to make my orientees have a better experience than I had.

We don't get extra money, but we get extra paid vacation time. Every 100 hours of precepting = 4 hours of PTO. And if you precept a lot like I do, that time really adds up! I'm up to 4+ work days saved up and I plan on cashing them in soon!

[sarlou]

I believe our facility offers 50 cents an hr to train new hires

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Does your facility offer incentives for staff nurses to train new hires (new and experienced nurses)?

I stopped working as a floor nurse approximately eight months ago. However, the last facility where I worked offered a $2/hr 'preceptor pay' incentive to nurses who would orient new hires.

The $2/hr preceptor pay would be paid each time the new hire was placed with the nurse.

[SmilingBluEyes]

A person is NOT "horrible" if they don't precept. In fact, they may be doing the preceptee a huge favor. I was precepted by someone who hated it and it showed. It was a frustrating, harsh and baptism-by-fire experience. I would rather be precepted by people who want to, than not.

A person is not "horrible" for refusing anyhow. That is an unfair statement.

[ScientistSalarian]

We don't get any sort of financial/scheduling/etc. benefits from precepting new employees. (I didn't even know that was a thing!) My unit director does, however, ask first and makes every effort not to give preceptees to those not into orienting others.

[AJJKRN]

We get a $1 more an hour and points to go towards re leveling or maintaining our level on the nursing clinical ladder. My biggest issue is that they don't try as hard as they should to place newbies with strong/sound nurses and the orientee often gets placed with a warm body. You get what you put into people - geez!