Lets do this differently for a change.

RNcDreams · Sep 15, 2007

Interesting choice of words,"are all the new nurses WORTH all the time and energy we give them..."
Were any of us??
I think this question is an insult to nursing on all sides....
It implies that there is an elitist top echelon that knows everything, and an underling group that knows nothing!
It is devisive and really shows no merit.
No matter where you go, nursing, banking, sales, firefighting, policework, you will find some element of "the new kid on the block"....
Our profession is no different, and we are not unique to the subtle "hazing" type treatment that new nurses go through....
If you reduce people to their "worth" as to whether or not they will be helped, or succeed in a given profession, then you must examine why you would feel that someone has to be WORTHY of your all-mighty knowledge....

I agree.... I am currently a novice nurse precepting with another nurse who is seasoned (>25 years).

Having to ask whether or not I have worth opens a whole new can of worms...

People respond to what you exude as a mentor. If the novice feels threatened, berated, or "worthless," they will associate their mentor with negative feelings... and, just like bad parenting, may pass on that practice of "deciding whether or not this new nurse is worth my time"...

The person you are training, whether you like them or not, is with you because you have knoweldge and experience. It is your choice whether you will use your position to instill good practice, habits, and attitudes... or to make that novice wonder if they are "worth it."

RN1989 · Sep 15, 2007

How can you know if they are worth it? You may never know if they are up to your standards. But because they are humans with less experience than you they deserve to be treated respectfully and taught how to be a nurse. How many of us got out of school and wondered what we learned there? I learned more from a few good nurses at my first job than I feel like I did in school. Thank goodness they took me in and taught me and didn't wonder if I was really worth it. Are we really so tired and crotchety that we have to be mean to the newbies? I've told staff time and again - if you don't like them that's ok, but if you ever want to get out of nursing and have someone take care of you when you need it, you better play nice and teach the newbies everything you know. At a nursing association meeting about 8 yrs ago I heard that they had done a statistical study on nurses ages. The study concluded that nurses in TX were going to have to work until the age of 72 in order to assure that there would be nurses to take care of people in hospitals. I don't want to be a nurse when I am 72. I'm gonna go out of my way to make sure that they learn something and then pass it on to the next newbie. Working as a nurse for nearly 60 years was not what I envisioned for my life and I want someone available to take over.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2007

Remember also the pressure that is on Preceptors.

they have to ensure you will be able to survive on your own.

They have weekly reports to do on your progress

Often they have weekly meetings to discuss your progress and determine your future needs

They have monthly meetings to learn new and appropiate ways orientate or clinical coach, or clinical guide. Who dreams up all these silly titles anyway

And Im sure there other things they have to do. also.

And finally, if it doesnt work out and you are not adequately oriented and a mistake is made. Do ever hear of the Flak that is lit under a preceptors rear end.

You orientees never know of all this. How you do is the responsiblity of your preceptor.

And because you think the preceptor is hard on you. Think again.

SW_07 · Sep 16, 2007

I think its important to remember that someone thought YOU were worth it. If you give your new nurse the time and energy and do it in an appropriate way they won't view it as being mean. I also feel that nurses have a duty to decide whether or not they should be a preceptor. Just as most nurses have their specialty and not every field of nursing is for everyone I don't feel every nurse is cut out to be a preceptor. I can honestly say I am the nurse I am today because of my preceptor taking me under his wing. I learned so much from him and I will never forget him and I often find myself asking what he would do in situations.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2007

How can you know if they are worth it? You may never know if they are up to your standards. But because they are humans with less experience than you they deserve to be treated respectfully and taught how to be a nurse. How many of us got out of school and wondered what we learned there? I learned more from a few good nurses at my first job than I feel like I did in school. Thank goodness they took me in and taught me and didn't wonder if I was really worth it. Are we really so tired and crotchety that we have to be mean to the newbies? I've told staff time and again - if you don't like them that's ok, but if you ever want to get out of nursing and have someone take care of you when you need it, you better play nice and teach the newbies everything you know. At a nursing association meeting about 8 yrs ago I heard that they had done a statistical study on nurses ages. The study concluded that nurses in TX were going to have to work until the age of 72 in order to assure that there would be nurses to take care of people in hospitals. I don't want to be a nurse when I am 72. I'm gonna go out of my way to make sure that they learn something and then pass it on to the next newbie. Working as a nurse for nearly 60 years was not what I envisioned for my life and I want someone available to take over.

I never plan on quitting.

They will one day find out in a back hall some shift, deader and colder than a mackerel

kcalohagirl · Sep 18, 2007

Remember also the pressure that is on Preceptors.
they have to ensure you will be able to survive on your own.
They have weekly reports to do on your progress
Often they have weekly meetings to discuss your progress and determine your future needs
They have monthly meetings to learn new and appropiate ways orientate or clinical coach, or clinical guide. Who dreams up all these silly titles anyway
And Im sure there other things they have to do. also.
And finally, if it doesnt work out and you are not adequately oriented and a mistake is made. Do ever hear of the Flak that is lit under a preceptors rear end.
You orientees never know of all this. How you do is the responsiblity of your preceptor.
And because you think the preceptor is hard on you. Think again.

And that is exactly why I say I could have handled the situation with that secondary preceptor "more gracefully".

I'm not a preceptor yet. On my floor, you hopefully have at least 2 years experience before you are set loose on your very own orientee. As I said, we have a very young floor.

But as I spend more time on the floor and have more experience, and as I get to know the more senior nurses as friends and colleagues as opposed to "my preceptor", I gain a better understanding of all the "hoops" that you jump through as a preceptor.

And I become a little more grateful that people want to take the time and trouble. Precepting is a lot of work.

Even though I haven't oriented/precepted anyone as a nurse, I have done so as management at my previous job.

Hope for the best, cover your butt for the worst, give them the chance to succeed, but watch their back so that they don't have the chance to miss something crucial. If they do, find a way to convey the seriousness of the action/lack of action without completely destroying the orientee's sense of competence and self-worth.

I give a lot of credit to all you preceptors. It's a tough job. I hope I can do as good a job and teach my orientees as much as my preceptors taught me. (Even the lessons I may not have realized I was learning at the time.)

Thanks to those of you who thought I was "worth it". I hope I can eventually do the same for my orientees in the future.

icunurse42066 · Sep 18, 2007

I have not been a "new nurse" for quite a while now, but when I went from med-surg to ICU 3 years ago, it was a whole different ballgame. I had been floated to the ICU on several occasions as a med-surg nurse, but now that the ICU was going to be my "home", I got the new nurse treatment, and for that I am very grateful. I had to precept on both days and nights. I greatly preferred days, even though that was where all of the "mean" nurses were. It was the "mean nurses" that taught me more than the "nice nurses" on nights did, and I really appreciate all of the "old mean nurses" far and wide. Thank you for taking the time and patience to train the "newbies"!! :up:

tencat · Sep 18, 2007

In the old days we would classify newbies as will be's, wanna be's, will never be's and should never have been's

Which one were/are you?............

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2007

Which one were/are you?............

I came in as an Already is.

But before RN

Was Hospital Corpsman 1968 to 1972, Orderly afterwards, then EMT and ran an EMS service through school. I already knew it all.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Sep 18, 2007

I came in as an Already is.
But before RN
Was Hospital Corpsman 1968 to 1972, Orderly afterwards, then EMT and ran an EMS service through school. I already knew it all.

I was treated very well during orientation. One thing that definitely helped was my prior experience in an unlicensed position. I already knew that I didn't already know it all.

Not long ago, one morning after a long night, a couple of my mentors were remarking how they sometimes come to me for advice. I must admit, it was a pretty nice ego boost, although on the whole, I'd say it's still more usually me asking them for advice.

Nursing is a tough job. You could spend a week listing all of the negatives and still omit plenty of them. But, damn, it's rewarding when you're in the midst of like-minded folks ready to work together and do whatever it takes to "keep 'em alive until 7:45."

fronkey bean · Sep 24, 2007

Remember also the pressure that is on Preceptors.
they have to ensure you will be able to survive on your own.
They have weekly reports to do on your progress
Often they have weekly meetings to discuss your progress and determine your future needs
They have monthly meetings to learn new and appropiate ways orientate or clinical coach, or clinical guide. Who dreams up all these silly titles anyway
And Im sure there other things they have to do. also.
And finally, if it doesnt work out and you are not adequately oriented and a mistake is made. Do ever hear of the Flak that is lit under a preceptors rear end.
You orientees never know of all this. How you do is the responsiblity of your preceptor.
And because you think the preceptor is hard on you. Think again.

I have precepted on many occasions. I was held responsible for teaching a set of skills and a body of knowledge relating to my unit and for reporting back to my education coordinator and my manager on how the orientee/preceptee were doing but I was not held responsible if they did not learn what I was teaching them.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Sep 24, 2007

If you didnt teach them properly I would have held you to task