Orientee problem with a trainer. Have you guys get this feeling?

[T.Dix.Nurse]

or It's just me????

Okay. So I got new job as a night nurse. I got 3 months orientation. 1.5 month I will be trained on night shift. 1.5 I'll be trained on day shift.

I found out that I got assigned by the best nurse in the unit (she's really awarded as one of the top nurse in our facility) as my preceptor for the first 1.5 months. So when I started, I was thrilled that this person will be my trainer because I am expecting to learn a lot from her.

During the first week, I met most of the team and everyone regarded him indeed as really great when it comes to care. I did notice it during the first few days. He's very attentive to patient, helpful to co-worker. She will answer my questions with thorough explanation. Customer service is her best suite.

After a 4 days, she let me try to do everything on my own while on a standby assist supervising me. She knows I'm fairly new as a nurse. So she was guiding me as much as possible. Cueing me all the time. Which is cool. I got a year of experience already so I'm familiar with all nursing routine and time management stuff. I told her straight forward that I'll be needing more guidance when it comes to skill.

The 5th day is when the things she do starts to tick-me off.

She should know that it takes time and constant routine to get fast paced on this kind of job, and that's what I am trying to figure out on this 5th day, independently. But everytime I am concentrating into figuring something out, SHE interrupts to remind me a patient is waiting for me & I DON'T MIND AT ALL!

But she has to ******* make me feel like I make my patients wait and not prioritizing them, like whenever she caught me paying attention to small stuff (like figuring out where the items and equipments are, reading their infos, figuring the software) which I deemed integral if I want to be faster and more independent.

And when I focused on patient care, SHE will then butt in or tell me afterwards to document STAT and research into something for the change of report. IT JUST UTTERLY make me feel I'm bad with not getting stuff ASAP.

I know she just wants me to get things done within a timely manner. The intention is good but stating-the-obvious really what gets into my nerves!

Here's an example:

I'm focusing on my documentation and reviewing my infos because the software complex. Then she taps me and tell me my patient's light is on which I didn't notice because I'm so focused. And I'm like, "cool, I'll check on her (the family was there and I know they requested to have the patient transfer back to bed from w/c) ". I'm almost done with documentation(like 15 seconds away) and she just wants me to literally DROP EVERYTHING and attend the patient like I AM SERIOUSLY neglecting someone. She's like "Cmon! Time management! Patient's first. documentation can wait, patient's don't. Please just stop. You gotta pay attention to this stuff, don't ignore those lights!".

I'm like, who said I'm ignoring it???????!

I DON'T know why but her BEING THE BEST NURSE in the UNIT is not really that helping me. She's trying to make me practice perfection in a short amount of time.

It's annoying, and discouraging if you keep stating the obvious like us ORIENTEES purposely neglect our patients. She sounds so demeaning and discouraging whenever she proves her point. The "no-sh**-sherlock" point which is, patient's first, time management.. etc. I believe all nurses's mantra prior working as a nurse independently.

I mean, I used to precept to and I don't know how to let her know that YOU CAN tell us what we're not doing right while you are on 3rd Person point-of-view, but you that doesn't mean you understand WHY we're doing it that way.

Another example is I collected the UA specimen before getting an order written. AND she got pissed like I will go to jail for not getting an order first. I told him got verbal ok from the main MD who does rounds everyday! but still unacceptable to her. My point is, I want to save time and get ASAP result, and it's UA. what's the biggie?

Idk if it's because she's a young nurse, with barely 4 years of experience, she's acting so perfect.. or because she's trying to prove she's a good preceptor. But clearly, she's giving me a low morale for a starter. She only been training 6 people so far in her career in the unit. she told me she likes me the most because 'I'm fun'. Her past trainees have 10+ yrs of experience and she just watch them take over her shift but me, she said I'm different. I'm young, 2 years younger than her, I'm a curious creature and only had 1 year exp. so she's telling me step by step, prompting me what to do.

Yet, she keep warning me i will not get prompts no more if I'm out of orientation. IN FRONT of our other COLLEAGUES like I'm being spoon fed since day 1. Idk how to react so I just flat out ignore it.

I already have information overload, and have to learned so skills in my first days and SHE EXPECT ME TO GET THINGS DONE her way. Well, I'm trying to get my own way of preparing things but she keeps butting in (to state the obvious) and it just disrupting my equilibrium. Today, I almost tell her to leave me alone till I ask for help like.. literally.

Idk what I should do. whether to ask my boss to change preceptor or just endure it.

[dah doh, BSN, RN]

Have you communicated your feelings to your preceptor about her intentions versus how you are interpreting her actions? It sure doesn't sound like you have!

You sound frustrated and offended. That needs to be addressed with your preceptor. Maybe you or she needs to do something different in teaching, communicating, or less patients to start, etc. But you do need to talk to her or she won't know what's going on inside your head. "She can't fix what she doesn't know it's broke." A good preceptor will adapt their teaching style to the orientees learning style. You should try talking to her first before talking to your manager as she will ask you if you talked to your preceptor about the problem.

As for your 2 examples: patients do come first...over charting and most other things. Your response to her should have been, "thank you for pointing out the call light. I was so focused on charting that I didn't hear it. Just let me save my charting so I don't lose it and then I'll answer the light." As to the UA, if the doctor gave you an order, write it as an order, then you are covered. However, verbal orders are only acceptable in emergencies at my facility and a UA really isn't an emergency. Check your policy at your facility though.

[strive2Bbetter]

today was my very first day with my preceptor. and I was just lost off the bat. I told her I wanted to see how she does things first and that I would like to slowly ease my way in. it's my first job. it's very overwhelming with the stuff I'm trying to grasp. and then I ask questions which she seems to kind of ignore. like I understand that everyone is different and that people teach differently and people learn differently. so I'm trying to get a feel of what my preceptor does and how I can adapt or change to make it fit me more comfortably. for instance, I asked how they know which key points to pick and choose when getting report. because all of this is still a learning process, I tend to write down what I hear, and in the process of that I end up trying to write down everything and end up getting lost. I asked my preceptor like what is it that they look for because I hardly saw them jotting anything down. my preceptor said everything was pretty much in the computer. I mean I'm excited to finally be orienting on the floor... but I'm frustrated and overwhelmed by today's experience. hopefully my next day would be better. any suggestions about anything? especially with getting report?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

"What we got here is a failure to communicate" (one of my favorite Cool Hand Luke quotes)

Rather than taking umbrage, a crucial conversation is in order. Best to have a sit down to discuss differences and iron them out in a way that is agreeable to both parties. Recognize that you may have basic differences in your approach & how you process information. For instance, you may need to reflect or prepare before you're comfortable taking action. Be sure to own your stuff... example: "it makes me uncomfortable when you _____" instead of "You are always ________"

Also - do you have a copy of your orientation goals & timelines? If not, get this information ASAP. In most cases, this critical paperwork is 'checked off' by the preceptor. It's not satisfactory unless she says it is. If she says 'no', you have very little recourse. Ask for specific information on your areas that need improvement. Sounds as though she's really focused on prioritization of patient care.... ask what criteria will be used to rate your performance.

Hang in there and play nice. You'll be happily ensconced on nights very soon and this will only be an unpleasant memory.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

First off, do not take offense. It is better for her to point things out now as they happen then to have you learn practice that is not correct, or play the "remember that time when __________happened" at your review every couple weeks.

Critical thinking and prioritizing are learned skills. The actual reason behind the call bells may be that a nurse (you) would get "dinged" for not answering call bells in a set amount of time. (and they do monitor that). Or, it could be a matter of that no matter what you believe the patient may want, (as you stated transfer from w/c to bed) sometimes the patient will attempt to do it themselves, or the family will attempt to do it as to not wait. Then you could have a patient fall on your hands.

And about the UA. Verbal orders are going the way of the dinosaur. Except in emergencies. Not that some facilities don't utilize them, but any number do not. So that the MD said "ya, get that UA" is not something you can prove. Otherwise, you are doing something without an order. So unless there's standing orders, it is not something you can do without an order. Now to collect it and let it sit until you get the order is also something that usually can not be done, per a lot of facility policy, due to the integrity of the sample over time.

It is overwhelming to have 100 different things coming at you all at once. It is not easy. And it can get one defensive. So you need to remember this is not personal. It is work. With the goal of perfecting your own practice over time. And what habit practices that you learn today will only benefit you in the long run. "Thank you for pointing that out to me, I will change my practice in the future" and do so. Or "thank you, I appreciate your input" and do what you would like to.

Documentation is important, but that requires some practice over time as well. Patients (especially in this time of "customer service") don't like to be kept "waiting" and neither do families----which one could say "toooo badddd" but then you end up with a heap on the floor, and in a heap of trouble. So just learn how to lock your computer and be able to unlock and be in the exact same place you were when you left it. If you feel as if you need some more computer training, see if one day you could not take patients for the morning and do some computer training. I would speak to your nurse educator or your informatics nurse about that. Sometimes, the informatics nurse will come right to you and help with questions. Use your other resources as well.

Listen and take under advisement her suggestions, even if you do think they are obvious. (and you may find each facility, even each unit can be widely different as far as procedures/policies). Thank her, and move on. This has an end date, so don't let your defenses get the best of you.

Best wishes.