I am writing this because I am concerned about my performance during my preceptorship in an emergency department.
I am a nursing student finishing up my last semester at a nursing school. I have done about 12, 12 hour shifts and I am at the end of a preceptorship program. I am concerned because I haven't been assigned to have a single patient on my own.
I understand that at the hospital where I precept, we, as nursing students don't have any access to patient chart, so we have no way of knowing patient information, documentation, and lab results unless we ask our preceptor to access patient info, so we can view it.
My preceptor not assigning me any patient load, even at the end of preceptorship reflect my ability and skills as a nurse? Or is it because ED is such a different place from other unit, where it is hectic and always so busy, it is harder to assign nursing students their own patients?
I initially responded to your post and indicated I agreed you should have the opportunity to have your own patient load, but should clarify I meant under the guidance of an RN. When I had my own patients as a student, it was always with review from the RN who was responsible for their care. I ran through my assessments, care plans, etc with them before actually doing what needed to be done that was allowed by me as a student. It sounds as if you do have your own load in a sense, just not independently, as Sun0408 pointed out, you can't have your "own" as a student. Aside from not having access to charts it sounds like you are getting great experience and insight into how and ER works. Keep up the good work and good luck in pursing, and landing, your desired job!
We never had our own patients in nursing school. You get all the experience you need when you start. As long as you have good coworkers, you'll be fine. I've been a nurse for 1 1/2 years and still ask about basic things sometimes because I just haven't had to do them yet.
I too did my preceptorship in the ER and didn't have my own load, but took care of my preceptors load as if it were my own and she shadowed me. She was my aid instead of me being hers, perhaps you need to ask for this?
gigglestarsRN
63 Posts
I initially responded to your post and indicated I agreed you should have the opportunity to have your own patient load, but should clarify I meant under the guidance of an RN. When I had my own patients as a student, it was always with review from the RN who was responsible for their care. I ran through my assessments, care plans, etc with them before actually doing what needed to be done that was allowed by me as a student. It sounds as if you do have your own load in a sense, just not independently, as Sun0408 pointed out, you can't have your "own" as a student. Aside from not having access to charts it sounds like you are getting great experience and insight into how and ER works. Keep up the good work and good luck in pursing, and landing, your desired job!