I am an older nurse and a designated preceptor. I had a new BSN RN grad yesterday and for the first time ever, I had problems. Mostly I'm looking for feedback so that I can correct anything I did that made the situation worse and maybe some feedback from new grads so that I will do better at handling the situation in the future.
This RN is starting her 3rd week of orientation. She only wanted to take one patient and she wanted to handle that patient by herself------which after much "discussion" came down to the fact that since I'm an RN, but don't have a BSN, she did not need any assistance from me. She simply needed me to direct her to our procedure manual on the floor and leave her alone. I was nice, but had to be firm about the fact that she would be taking 2 patients, I would be there to help and check her off as required by the hospital on certain skills she performed and that no one gets to "be alone" during orientation. The entire day was a struggle. She only did something for the second patient when I absolutely made her do it. She went into the break room and told the nurses in there that she just might not even come back the next day and that she did not like me at all and I need not think for one minute that she was going to do my job for me while I told her what to do. She went on to say that she did not need all this orientation, and I was just trying to punish her. She wants to go to nights, but all the night positions have been filled at this time and she made the comment at the front desk in front of everyone that she thinks the hospital is doing it on purpose just to keep from paying her what she is worth.
So, I never want to lose a nurse and I think she has really good skills. I think she is a good nurse. I just have to get her to understand that this is now the real world that no book in the world could teach her. This is about time management, surviving in a hospital culture, and all the little hospital policies that can be learned faster and easier than reading a policy and procedure manual.
