how to nicely communicate with preceptor who micromanage & rushing new grad?

[miniangel729]

I'm a new grad recently started working in a busy respiratory/tele step down unit.

My preceptor is very type A and is following me 24/7 - even when I chart! He stand right behind me and watches me. He takes over things - eg. dressing change, ileostomy dressing change before asking if I would like to do it. rushes me when giving medications.. etc. It seems He just can't stand being behind sometime. Our last shift, he would pull out medication and get it ready for me to just have me hand to the patient. Or go ahead give the medication I prepared when I had to go grab something from med room real quick - I mean can't you wait just 2 minutes?!?! I feel like I am not doing/finishing anything by myself. He often going into patient's room without letting me know, start doing things without informing me first. and often time I would walked by and caught him in there already speaking to family member, etc.. I feel like I'm intruding his patient care, sometimes I feel like a 1st semester nursing student all over again.

I feel very incompetent and low confidence because of it. I know I can do it, I just need to be given the opportunity. I know I am not the fastest - but I am learning and trying to be safe. This is my 3rd day working.

I guess he's just not use to having a newbie slow his daily routine down. This is his first time precepting new nurses.

When I work with him I feel so bad as if I am slowing his day down. I feel I don't have room to breath when he's constantly behind my back. I am more laid back and prefer the preceptor to give me time to figure things on my own and be there for me if I have question. If he's there ALL THE TIME, I feel like I am constantly being feed information - I don't even have the chance to know when there's something I don't know, before I even have time to think over something he's already there to tell me what to do next step - it really doesn't fit my learning style.

So I asked a few of my friend, they all say I need to talk to my preceptor first before I bring it up to the nurse educator/manager. This I agree, but I am not sure how exactly to say it nicely. I mean it's nothing personal, I just don't feel we are a good fit. But I don't want him to take it personally and feel like I am criticizing/confronting him... How can I communicate these concerns I have in a skillful way?

I thought of one way - making a list with specific example that worked really well for me when I use to work with my other preceptor during last semester of nursing school.

The list would appear as if it's a thank you list for my old preceptor. I am thinking to tell my current preceptor that - this is a list my old preceptor told me to made for her, so she knows what works well for me. So though it sounds like this list is for my old preceptor, but it's really like a subtle hint for my current preceptor..

for example: my current preceptor rush me when giving medication such as doing 3 check, and take over things for me instead of explaining to me first and let me try it. so on the list I said...

Thank you for...

-Not rushing me when we are preparing and giving medication. Making sure I do all my checks in giving medication, read up how to give a medication or how long to run it over if it's a medication I am not familiar with.

- Giving me as many opportunity as possible to do hands on practice, always checking with me "have you done this before?" and "would you like to try it or would you like to show you first?" If you feel it's something I might not have done before. (Eg. drawing blood from the PICC line)

what do you think about this method? or should I be more straight forward? - if so, how should I say it?