I had my first shift last night on a Med-Surg Oncology floor. I was shocked to find out that I was being oriented to the unit by a LVN. Now I realize that we do a lot of the same tasks as RNs but there are other things that I would be doing that they don't...
Has any RN out there been trained by a LVN? I am a new graduate, and I know I have A LOT TO LEARN but this particular LVN was engaging in unsafe behavior consistently--she seriously only used gloves twice the entire shift.
I was thinking about meeting with the nurse manager because I told the charge nurse and she didn't seem too concerned. Everyone seems very lax on this floor and I did have a great time but I know that is not what is important. Do you think it would be too ballsy for a new grad RN employee to meet with the nurse manager this soon?? The LVN was extremely nice and was trying to be helpful but she gave me incorrect information multiple occasions as well.
Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
I hate to sound like someone's Mom (and I don't even have kids) but really, "when in Rome"? So if everyone else jumps off a cliff, the OP should jump as well? "She was nice to you, thank your lucky stars"?
This isn't about being nice. This is about a new nurse getting the right training from the get go. She's a new nurse, but she seems to know well enough to know her preceptor has bad habits. Darned skippy she needs a new preceptor.
People seem to think this is about being "nice".
I guess when they lose their licenses to being "nice", they won't be so bothered...as long as they were NICE.
Thanks for the pragmatism. Glad someone has the logic to see through the dimensions of legalities.
Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
Not the popular opinon, but I'd ask for orientation with an RN. It's got nothing to do with education vs experience or an LPN (or anyone else) being "beneath" an RN. The RN and LPN scope of practice is different in my state and as a new grad RN, I need to be with an RN who can teach me what I need to know within my scope. An LPN can't teach me what they can't do. Also, at my facility not all of the documentation for the RN and LPN are the same so even though an LPN may have lots of experience and a ton of knowledge, they are missing out on the ability to help with one of the most basic (and significant) of my orientation needs. If I'm having to run to another RN for half my questions, it just makes sense to ask that I be put with an RN to begin with.
I'm all for learning what you can where you can but my orientation was for my benefit and no way was I going to short change myself by being put in situations where I couldn't learn everything I needed to do my job safely.
Exactly--as far as learning later on down the road...in my 18 years, I have learned from people with and without titles...but I know how important files/paperwork is to the POWERS THAT BE.
Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
DON'T SAY ANYTHING. When in Rome....do as the Romans. The most important thing you have to learn is politics. You will get blacklisted and lose your job. Who are the LPN's friends? Do you know that? She was nice to you - thank your lucky stars! The MANAGER knows she assigned an LPN to train you. Are you questioning her logic????? This is the reality of it - which is wrong, but reality.
Good luck.
This is the worse advice I've ever seen in this forum.
And what if the OP makes a huge error while being trained by an RN? Would the court still hold them legally accountable?
The answer is yes, on both counts.
I guess the point I'm trying to make here is that if a mistake was to occur with the LPN training the RN, the grad nurse would be first in the firing line because they are an RN. If it's an RN training the new grad then the RN training them would be first in the firing line as they would be the senior nurse supervising. At least that's how it would work in my department.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
. . . . .What this pretty much boils down to is the mode of training in RN classes. These instructors consciously or unconsciously give out these vibes that LPN are below nurse( which in degree they are, true), but the vibe is more of LPNs being lowly and an RN should rise above them.!
I haven't heard that one before. That sounds as if they have disturbed energy field related to altered perception of nursing as a caste system, rather than about deleagating and being a good manager. I'm glad the instructors who post here have decided to swim against the tide.
Granted I'm just a lowly student, but my hospital (where I'm currently employeed) had some excellent LVN's, and we were all sad when they let them go. They were definitely tip top nurses, and I would have loved to learn from them! That being said- when you work with nothing but women, you better develop a thick skin. I've seen the nurses on my floor chew up and spit out everyone from CNA's to Doctors! You don't want to start off your career as being viewed as confrontational, or difficult to work with. Hopefully you can ask for a different preceptor? Good luck to you in your nursing career!!! :)
This is the worse advice I've ever seen in this forum.
EVER.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion...., but, I have to disagree with you. Being brand new and working on a nursing unit is so extremely political, I was trying to help this new grad keep her job. She was assigned this preceptor for a reason.
As far as her preceptor being nice to her - she should be grateful - not all are. Come on now, you know that... There are actually some RN preceptors who will leave little things out, just to watch you make a mistake later. Oh, you don't believe me? Sure you do.
I have read afew of the posts hope I'm not restating. The best advice I can give u is this. Think about WHO you are reporting ( cause that is what you are doing) not the title the person. Is this the most loved nurse in the building? Does all her peers think she's great? If this is the case you might want to think twice. Your life could become a living hell. You work nights and we are a different shift all together. We had a CNA who was best friends with the supervisor at the hospital. She did NOTHING except take smoke breaks for like 10 yrs. If you even thought to say anything you had the supervisor all over you. As it has been stated you know your standard of care. Now the other wrong information. Was this information the type of thing that could have killed someone? If an RN had given you this information would you still want to say something? The REAL reason I say this is what do you think the nurse manager's response will be. In both cases RN/LPN she probably going to tell you that you have a license and YOU are responsible for YOUR actions. In time you will probably do charge and you may be in a postion to educate her in respectable way. I'm in no way tell you to let it go. Wrong information is wrong. You could say something in a nice way like "I thought or I do it this way" or even "such said you do it this way, I really want to learn how to do it the right way, so which way is correct?" All you night nurses know how this could play out badly if handled incorrectly. There is a reason why they say "Nurses eat their young" . Lastly I have trained both the RNs that work with me. Why cause the other LPN and I were the best choices. All the day training in the world does not prepare you for 11-7. I hope it all works out for you.
Hope I'm not mistaken, but didn't the the OP already state she reported the LVN?
Katie5
1,459 Posts
Calm down.