Precepting Questions

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We are to start our precepting the second half of this semester (the last semester-yay!). I was curious to know how your preceptor was set up. Were you able to choose them yourself? Could you choose the location and the unit? Were there units that were off limits? Did they assign a preceptor for you? Were you able to precept on a unit you worked on etc..?

Questions, questions.

Just curious so I have an idea of how ours will go.

Thanks in advance!

I may want to add that this is during school and not after graduation, incase I wasn't clear. (120 hours)

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I know that when I was in school , you got to pick medical or surgical but not the floor or preceptor. I would ask a few of the previous grads from your school if you can.

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Specializes in SICU, EMS, Home Health, School Nursing.

When I was in school we had a list of different areas/shifts and our professor had us each draw a number out of a hat. The person that drew #1 had 1st choice and then on down the line. If I remember correctly all of ours were med/surg and there was an even number of night shift and day shifts.

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i'm in school now and we're also getting ready to do our preceptorships. we were given a list of all the units that were available at different area hospitals and then asked to rank our top three and write down what was most important to us. from there i don't know exactly how it works but somehow our prof divides it all up, then we get put with a nurse on the floor and work her schedule.

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Thanks everyone for your replies. From what I've heard...at my school we get to choose our preceptor if we want, but I'm not sure about the floors we're allowed to work on. If you can't find someone, they will find one for you. I really hope I can find someone on my own. I don't want someone who hates to teach.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

If precepting is done appropriately the preceptor must have specific qualifications, other than being a licensed nurse. There are generally far fewer preceptors than students. There are many considerations: days the preceptor works vs. days the student wants to be there; what other duties the preceptor may have; what the specific needs are of the student------- all sorts of things. If you are in a position to choose and know a preceptor there is nothing wrong with asking for that assignment. Please understand that it may not always be as you choose.

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Specializes in SICU, EMS, Home Health, School Nursing.

They are allowing students in my unit this year, but in order to be a preceptor, you have to have worked for at least 2 years and have shown expertise in your area. Then you have to tell your nurse manager that you would like to precept and he/she has to approve before you can even turn your name in. I can't be a preceptor yet because I have only been a RN for a year now, but maybe next year :)

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

When I did preceptorship (this past spring) we filled out a form with our top 3 facilities/depts then the school worked it out from there. I'm pretty sure most of us got first choice, but if the facility didn't have the staffing or didn't accept students in that dpt then it went to the next one in line.

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