New Grad

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

So, I'm a new grad in the NICU... I was a tech on the same unit for my last semester of nursing school. I thought I really liked NI, I thought it would definitely get more interesting and exciting once I was a full fledged nurse there. But, I'm feeling a bit underwhelmed. I am in the middle of my preceptorship, exactly 6 weeks in. My first 4 weeks, I loved my preceptor - she was very knowledgeable, seasoned, and really taught me about patho, labs, equipment unique to the neo population - along with the policies and procedures of the unit. The day shift nurses were more mature and very helpful in helping me learn.

Then, I switched shifts. My new preceptor - I have no doubt she is smart and very good at her job, but I don't get the same attention from her. She seems to be more annoyed that I don't already know everything, leaves me to myself more often than I am comfortable with (I haven't had NRP yet and we had a mirco that was kinda unstable so I was freaking out). Plus, I feel very awkward with the night shift RNs - they are mostly young, whereas I am older and on my second career.

So far, the only feedback I have gotten has been regarding my charting - minor details specificto the system that they use, it's repetitive and ancient. But yet I feel like - especially my current preceptor feels like I am a subpar nurse. I've notice things like she rolls her eyes when I do things in a different order than she does, or she jumps in and finishes an assessment because I am going to slow, or makes faces that lead me to belive I am doing something wrong when moving a baby. Like, I was moving a vented mirco with a large tumor, while my preceptor was changing linens and her face was making the "omg NO don't do that" face but she never corrected me or made a suggestion to me. Then come to find out she went and told another RN that I didn't know what I was doing. Which, I will admit - I did the best I could, but was terrified the whole time.

Anyway, I really want to enjoy my time in the NI and make the most of my preceptorship. Any advice? I already have Merenstein's - which I read as often as I can but it's not very helpful with nursing interventions.

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Specializes in NICU.

Ive been in the Nicu for just over a year, I started as a new grad and my best advice is speak up for yourself. I had multiple preceptors and I talked to my educations about a very similar issue with one of them and they told me to address it with her first if i felt comfortable. Im not the type to be quiet in any way....but its hard when you feel completely stupid. After I spoke up and asked for more feed back and asked if i was doing something wrong or if there was something the nurse would do differently things changed for the better. She is now one of my favorite people to reach out to. Best of luck, keep at it, it gets better.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I also started my career in NI. You can try bringing up your concerns directly with your preceptor and, if that doesn't work, go to your clinical educators and request a new preceptor. It may just be a personality clash or, perhaps, that nurse doesn't need to be precepting anymore. On your unit are nurses assigned as preceptors whether they want to or not or do they volunteer? On my unit they volunteer so all of them are awesome because they WANTED to teach the newbies. Good luck and hang in there!

You may also be experiencing the natural stress that comes along with being a new grad on an intensive care unit. It's hard and overwhelming! Moving vented micro preemies IS terrifying. You will get more comfortable with it the more you do it but just know that even after 3 years it is still a bit scary for me to move a vented baby. What you're feeling is normal.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I also started my career in NI. You can try bringing up your concerns directly with your preceptor and, if that doesn't work, go to your clinical educators and request a new preceptor. It may just be a personality clash or, perhaps, that nurse doesn't need to be precepting anymore. On your unit are nurses assigned as preceptors whether they want to or not or do they volunteer? On my unit they volunteer so all of them are awesome because they WANTED to teach the newbies. Good luck and hang in there!

You may also be experiencing the natural stress that comes along with being a new grad on an intensive care unit. It's hard and overwhelming! Moving vented micro preemies IS terrifying. You will get more comfortable with it the more you do it but just know that even after 3 years it is still a bit scary for me to move a vented baby. What you're feeling is normal.

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

Thank you for the advice! Glad to know my feelings are somewhat normal. It helps alleviate some of the self-doubt.

Kschenz - on the unit preceptors are assigned, which is likely part of the issue. Also, turnover is high at the hospital so there aren't many senior nurses. The nurses are overworked - always working overtime,the unit (and hospital as a whole is severely understaffed) and they don't get a good differential to precept (I think it's only $1/h extra). So, I definitely understand the frustration from the preceptor's point of view.

I am happy to report my last 3 shifts have been better. The assignments (and staffing) were better - giving my preceptor more time to teach rather than just have me task in order to get everything done that needed to be done for the shift.

It's a learning curve for sure.

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