New RN's: Is it normal to help your preceptor with all their patients tasks

[NewRN'16]

Even though you only have one or two patients assigned to you? I don't mind doing it, I just don't know if that's normal?

Any input is welcomed! Thank you in advance :)

[LovingLife123]

Are you in an ICU? Does your preceptor have a different patient load than you? I only ever have one or two patients. Never more than two. My preceptor had my patient load and she guided me on how to handle my patients. But they were also hers.

I guess I'm a little confused by your post as to what you and your preceptor are doing and how it is all assigned. Your preceptor should just be with you. At all times. This is so you don't make a mistake.

You should also be getting assignments so you get exposure to all things your unit sees. Charge should be aware of your progress and be giving assignments accordingly.

[quazar]

Yes. In order to transition from student nurse to professional nurse, you need to take on the duties and responsibilities of a professional nurse, which means a full patient load (e.g., unless you're in an ICU setting, more than likely at least 4 patients). If you never learn how to take care of those patients by doing the actual work yourself during orientation, you will fall flat on your face when you are on your own. Libby1987 stated it perfectly. You are being given an appropriate orientation. Doing the work is how you learn.

[NotYourMamasRN]

As I learned the new skills, I was expected to use them. If you ever question anything, before sure to ask your preceptor for direction before doing a new skill or something you are unsure of.

[sevensonnets]

Taking on additional tasks other than the ones you are directly assigned to provides you with opportunities to learn new skills. It also helps you learn how to be part of a team, which makes a great impression on your preceptor. Your life on the unit will be a whole lot easier if you start out with the mentality that we're not on opposing teams!

[chacha82, ADN, BSN]

As a new grad you do everything your preceptor does unless they tell you otherwise. A pet peeve is when the preceptor has all the patients and the new nurse is assigned to 1 or 2. Right after they give report on their 1 they want to skip out. You are learning the process; you stay for report on the full patient load.

[emmy27]

While you'll have to ask your preceptor for clarification, my guess would be that what's happening is that you're near the beginning of orientation (or by preceptorship do you mean you're still a student?) and your preceptor has given you a partial assignment of patients to be "fully" (with her oversight) responsible for, but is easing you in the the process of taking care of more patients, with the ultimate goal of being responsible for a full assignment by the end of orientation.

It is absolutely normal to assist your preceptor with patients other than those assigned to you- and it's normal to assist coworkers when you're on your own, too. In this instance it's likely more a matter of her choosing to offer you more exposure and experience than her truly needing "help," though.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

Our precepting has changed. Now, orientee gets 4 pts and is expected to care for all 4. With preceptor facilitating with time management and whatever comes up. the goal is that over time, orientee gradually is able to care for all. As unit, we all help each other so it is not like waitressing where "it's not my patient" is acceptable. Where I work, we medicate each for each other, we need dual sign offs on insulin, regional nerve blocks, PCAs, etc, so we work as a team and try to instill that in the new nurses. We have a "no pass" rule whereby no one is to walk by a room with a call light on or an alarm sounding. We stop and do what we can to help. Sometimes it is something as simple as a pt needing their phone or a light turned on or off.

[shedevilprincss]

Here was my approach when I was precepting:

week 1: 1 patient (I take the other 3)

week 2: 2 patients (I take the other 2)

etc etc until my preceptee got up to all 4 (or 5 depending on our assignment) patients. I didn't mind slowing the timeline down a little bit if we still needed to work on some things.

However, if there was something with one of my patients I knew we hadn't done or seen or something the preceptee still needed to work on, I certainly expected them in the room with "my patient". It's the best way to be exposed to new things and gain experience.

[Psych77]

I always do it, so as to invest in the relationship. I'm not sure if its totally expected.

[Qing]

It is normal and we all have to go through that while we transition from a new nurse just graduated from school. Also whenever we change jobs and start a new one we have orientation and most likely a preceptor to help you get used to the department. You just have to encourage whomever you have and help them to get their independence. For me, when I had a preceptor I got comfortable and took on more of the workload until I was comfortable to take the full load. At first, I only took 2 patients and then after I took a full load after. However, it depends on the person you have as their comfort levels are very different. Some people go through it fast and catch up, but they will still need help around the unit. Another part is that I learned from the preceptor about trust and the politics. There are some that you just can't trust and some that would try to get you in trouble if they can. Some are the type who don't come off all the nice and just want to be left alone. I learned who I could approach and ask for help when I needed it. Some are very helpful and some are very nosey and try to get into your personal business.

[djh123]

I did anything I could when I was under a preceptor. She still occasionally had a crappy attitude, but that was her, not me. Still the right thing to do.

[Sour Lemon]

As soon as your head is above water with your assigned patients, jump in and take on more. Orientation is the time to learn, not sit back and take it easy. I even got assigned to do things for other nurses' patients when they had less usual tasks, like wound vacs, for example.