Precepting

I don't mind precepting--In fact--I ws supposed to precept one of the new grads that was hired on my unit but she quit before I got the opportunity. Got a job in OB/LD at another facility. My hospital pays a 50cent per hour differential if you are precepting someone but you have to take the preceptor class FIRST!!! So, I would have been precepting this person and NOT receiving the differential because I haven't been scheduled for the class.

At my LAST hospital, I was informed by the DON that it was EVERY nurses responsibility to precept new staff members (RN's). No differential was given. Yet another reason why I left that facility.

I loved precepting. I guess it is because I love teaching. It is a great opportunity to get to know those you are going to work side by side with. Plus with a new grad it is a great opportunity to start them off on the right foot and let them know there is always someone around to answer questions.

For those who do not like to precept my question is "why?"

I also, love precepting. It is so hard to learn a new job and I like helping people feel comfortable. The beef that I always had with

precepting, was the fact that I was given a full assignment of patients, along with this new nurse. I think you should have a lighter assignment, atleast in the beginning. It takes a lot of time and energy to precept and being expected to carry a full load of patients is very stressful. The rationale being that you have this extra body to help you. That's just not fair to the new nurse or you.

I love precepting, but I understand there are some people who don't. My supervisor has started a new way to precept. She asked everybody whether they like it or not. Those who do not, do not precept. She also picked several people, those she thought would be good preceptors, and designated them as the preceptors. That way, the new hires would be placed with one person, and not thrown around the unit going from person to person. So far it has worked out well, and there is consistancy. Unfortunatley, there is no difference in pay, yet!!

Have you talked to your supervisor about it? Having preceptors who don't want the new RN is just awful for both people. There is nothing worse than going in to a new area scared to death and know that everything you do annoys the person training you. How can you ever relax enough to think straight?

originally posted by jen s

is there anyone else out there who really hates to precept, but still has to do it anyway? i really don't care for it at all. i think it is much easier to be in charge. i know have someone who is suppose to have alot of experiece, but acts like they don't. it is very frustrating. i don't mind precepting, but what bothers me is that i don't get compensated for it, and that when the nurse finally is on her own, and does something wrong, the first questions they ask is, "who precepted you.?" and also, i was never sent to a preceprtors class.

I love to teach - in fact I teach several classes for my hospital. I really enjoying fostering learning in new grads or nurses unfamiliar with my area. I have to agree with you though, I am not enjoying precepting. I am precepting my first new grad and it is so hard for me. I don't do well "letting go" It's easier for me to show her how, rather than let her do it herself.

Like another post said, it's unfair to have the same assignment with a new nurse. the first week, we had to do everything twice. Once outside the room, and once inside the room. That takes up a lot of time and of course we had a full assignment load. The next week was even worse - we got more patients than anyone else. After all I had a helping hand! It's really unfair to treat our new nurses this way. They don't get the training and development that they need, and as soon as they make a mistake, they get eaten alive for it. Lucky for my new RN, she's amazing. I can't believe she's doing as well as she is. To be honest, I'm still surprised when she shows up in the morning!

I think that being honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses is important in nursing. So precepting isn't your strength!?! Big deal. Maybe you should talk to your manager about how you can shine in other areas.

I also love to precept. One year I precepted 21 nurses to our CT ICU! It can be a drain, but I still love it.