I'm new to the boards and I'm in need of some help.
I've been an RN for almost 4 years now. I went straight into critical care from school. I work in a 25 bed CT ICU. Over the past year I've been orienting critical care travelers and a few people not new to nursing, but new to ICU.
I will be precepting and mentoring my first new grad at the beginning of September. I want to make this a great experience for both of us. I remember -- it wans't too long ago-- what it was like coming on to an intense floor without any prior nursing experience. It was scary, but I had an insatiable drive to do it and my preceptors were nurturing and great teachers.
I did it, I know my new grad nurse can do it too.
What I'm looking for are any websites that give precepting tips and/or adivce. I do have some info that I got from my employer, but I haven't had a formal class and any additional information I can get would be of great assistance! I briefly searched the web, but really didn't find anything of any use.
p.s. happystudent - Thanks for your perspective, I will keep that with me!
Im glad!! Theres some good advice here especially from PAMRNC.....I was a tech in a level one T/C and I have seen alot! It definately helped me in stressful situations. Your newbie is sooo lucky to have you and vice versa......
You guys are going to make one heck of a tag team!!! :chuckle
First of all, I'd like to say I believe there's a special place in heaven for preceptors. I believe it was Maya Angelou who said "you never know how far a teacher's influence will reach." Or something like that. :)
As someone who is precepting at the moment, I am constantly blown away by how well my preceptors are handling their role. What makes them so great? I've been brainstorming:
* Patience! I consider myself a very patient person but I'd swear my preceptors are on 80 mg of Prozac. I screw up. A lot. And never once has either of them lost their cool. They treat mistakes as learning experiences, not failures. When I say mistakes, I'm not talking about med errors. I'm talking about the stupid little things you learn over time. A new grad doesn't walk into a hospital setting with 20 years of accumulated knowledge. Some people forget this.
* Don't bad mouth other nurses. Several times different nurses have taught me different ways of doing the same things. And yet, unlike in nursing school, none of these nurses have claimed that their way was the only way. My preceptors continually tell me "everyone has their own way.. take what you like, leave the rest, and come up with your own style."
* Teach according to hospital policy. I know some policies are ridiculous and rarely enforced. That said, I appreciate learning the "right" way to do things, even if I later chose to do my own thing.
* Tell them that there are no stupid questions. This isn't true, 'cause I've asked quite a few of them. But let's face it.. nursing school exposes you to a little of everything but there are few things one completely understands as a new grad. Having the ability to ask questions, even seemingly simple ones, has been amazingly helpful.
Good luck with your new role. This is a very powerful position you've been given. Please don't forget it!
another book option: Preceptor Handbook by J. G. Alspach, RN, MSN, EdD, FAAN. This is the "textbook", in paperback form, that goes with the instructors book called "From Staff Nurse to Preceptor: A Preceptor Development Program". They can be ordered from the AACN website (cheaper if you can find a member to do it). About $8-10 I think.
New grad nurses are so willing to learn ... I love oriented new grads they are my favorite. I get a lot of positive feed back from the new grads I orient. It made me feel so good when a new nurse I oriented a year and a half ago told me she loved it when I was on the floor because I was so comforting. MissMercy is right......patients patients patients :)
Let them no that there is no such thing as a stupid question and make them relize you mean it. I like to take fairly difficult patients with them and go over everything we are doing and why........Always ask questions on why they think something is done a certain way but make sure they know its ok if they don't know what the answer is. My goal is to get the wheels a turning and start using what they learned in nursing school.
I can go on and on about this. I think its really great you are taking on this assignment with such jest. Thats tells me you are a good nurse to care so much.
I read each and every post in this thread with big time attention and then I come back and read it again, and again!! LOL!
I'm taking it all to heart. Believe me.
You all are sort of precepting me in a way! Nursing is an awesome profession. I want that to be clear. And there are some awesome nurses on this message board!
happystudent, RN
552 Posts
Im glad!! Theres some good advice here especially from PAMRNC.....I was a tech in a level one T/C and I have seen alot! It definately helped me in stressful situations. Your newbie is sooo lucky to have you and vice versa......
You guys are going to make one heck of a tag team!!! :chuckle