Mentoring new GNs

[needsmore$]

like other eds, due to nursing shortages etc, our ed is also hiring gns. i have been a preceptor/mentor for many years but would like to develop a formal mentor/preceptor program for gns. i would appreciate any ideas, links, etc that any could offer. i'm sure other facilities have some designed that i could review/adapt to our facility. we see 37,000/yr. we are not a trauma facility-we are community hospital with a cardiac unit-cath lab, open heart or, etc. we see alot of peds but transfer most out to a higher level of care. i was hoping not to "reinvent" the wheel. thanks for any suggestions

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

We started with the unit specific competencies, augmenting them to include pharmacy and other disciplines as needed. For instance, cardiac would include how to do EKG, where is crash cart, what meds are common, etc. Next day could be respiratory problems, etc. Try to include other disciplines to help them see importance of teamwork. The first day could be to shadow the unit clerk and learn the "feel" of the place, plus some protocols. Next day, shadow triage. Next, shadow an RN. PM me if you need more specifics. I think mentor/precepting is VERY important. I am developing pathway for preceptors to use with novice nurses. Maybe you can give me some ideas.

[needsmore$]

thanks for some ideas-i finally got my nurse manager to make sure i didn't have an assignment for the first few weeks i'm with new gns so we can concentrate on assessments, etc and i wouldn't have to keep up with my assigned patients as well. that was one of the best things. this also helps with novice nurses as well--until they get the flow of the routine/charting/skill practice-it's nice to just focus on 1 patient at a time with them.

[ang75]

We have a preceptor program here. All newbies have to go through a 2 wk department specific orientation prior to being assigned to a preceptor. All preceptors make a whopping $1 more an hour. It seems to be working pretty well.