New RN - asked by former faculty to consider tutoring

[TU RN, DNP, CRNA]

Good evening AN!

Brief background: I'm a new RN who was lucky enough to get hired directly after boards (externship/PCA position at my facility helped me with that). Just less than 4 months as a working RN. My former professors requested that a few of us come back to tutor some of the current senior nursing students.

Situation: Personally, I was honored to get the email and agreed. I found nursing school to be challenging, but I knew my stuff and participated in class/clinical, so my teachers all knew me. I also feel like, even though I'm not the greatest test-taker in the world, I have a decent ability to practically and logically comprehend material. I remember times in school where I was asked a question by a fellow student about some concept, and was able to present it to them in a fashion that facilitated their learning maybe a bit better than the text or teacher - not to discredit our school's resources at all but sometimes you just have to approach things from another angle, right?

Dilemma: Although I've already agreed and am intent on successfully doing this, currently I'm questioning the appropriateness of myself as a tutor to my former student colleagues. Is it ethical for somebody so new to the job to influence the education, and with that the academic success, of a body of people to which he belonged not so long ago? On one hand, who better to help these students through the trials presented to them than somebody who was just in their position? On the other, who am I to them (or anyone) but a rookie nurse only a step ahead of them in my career? Opinions on this? Advice for tutoring? Any and all contributions are much appreciated!

TU RN

[jennafezz]

You're just tutoring, all that is normally required of a college tutor is very successful completion of the classes you are tutoring for. You aren't telling them how to be experienced nurses, you're just helping them with their current coursework. New grads who hadn't yet found jobs were tutoring for people in my nursing class.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

How exactly would it be unethical to assist someone who wants assistance with something you have been successful at?

[TU RN, DNP, CRNA]

I've never used or been a tutor, so I don't know how it works. My reservation is that my inexperience in both nursing and teaching predisposes me (and potentially those I'll be tutoring) to have less confidence in my ability. But as jennafezz put it, if successfully completing the class is usually the basic requirement then I should be good to go. I hope that I have a good influence on the students.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

Actually, because you are so close to school, you might be a lot more appropriate to tutor than a nurse 15 years out of school. Speciality practice (which most of us are in) deprives you of a lot of general knowledge and updated practices. I wouldn't worry, as others have stated, you were successful, now share the secret to your success.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

the best thing you can repeat is, let's figure that out together. That is what tutoring is about I think. They need to get familiar with the nurse thinking process

[SE_BSN_RN, BSN]

In my last year of LPN school, I tutored the first year students. It helped me, and helped them! Give it a try!