Preceptor alienating PCT staff...how to handle??!

Nurses New Nurse

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I am into my 9th week of orientation on a critical care unit, and my preceptor has decided to hang back and let me manage the patients while she reads a book. I guess this is okay with me, as long as I have her there as a reference in case I get into something that is beyond my skill to manage, assuming I recognize when I'm in over my head.

I have noticed that the PCTs on my floor are very reluctant to help me turn my patients or do vital signs, but they are helpful to most of the other new grads. Last night, when I finally coaxed one of the PCTs in to a room to help me turn a vented patient, I asked about the reluctance to help. She told me that a few months ago, she'd overheard my preceptor telling another RN that she "didn't pay all that money to go to school to do tech work." This offended the pct, and I can understand that, having been a pct myself for 10 years prior to getting my RN degree. The pct went on to say that she (pct) is very busy with many patients, my preceptor is surfing the internet and reading a book, why can't the preceptor be my tech for the evening and help when I need it?

I understand my preceptors philosophy that she has to hang back and let me do the work, see if I can manage the load...and I understand the frustration of the pcts who feel already overwhelmed and perceive that she isn't helping because she is "too good" for tech work. I encouraged the pct to talk to my preceptor about her feelings, hold her accountable, but feel very much caught in the middle, and my patients are the ones who suffer.

Any advice on how to best handle this situation would be helpful. I have already approached my preceptor and she was not open to the suggestion that she "be my tech for the evening", as she thinks I need to learn how to delegate.

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Specializes in ER.

Go to your preceptor to ask for turning help, and tell her why you are doing it. The techs have lots to do and you just need an extra set of hands.

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

I don't agree with your preceptor. Yes, you need to learn to delegate. But if she's your tech then she can offer to help you with the things that you should be delegating, which is a gentle way to remind you one, to delegate, and two, what things you need to delegate. Also if she is frequently in and out of your patient rooms, even doing tech work, she will be in a great position to keep tabs on the job you are doing. I don't believe a preceptor should use the time as an excuse to sit around when the orientee is busting his/her butt working.

Your tech's feelings in this situation are completely understandable. I think once you get off orientation you won't have much of a problem with them, they will see that you aren't afraid of work and help you out. I dunno how helpful they'll want to be for your preceptor once she has her own patient load again though.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Tele, ER.

Wow, if I overheard her say that, I'd be offended too!

Little did your preceptor know, she did go to school to do "tech work", and then some, eh? ;)

If I were you, I'd be asking the preceptor for assistance if the techs are busy (which they always are!). On our floor, whomever is available to help with a boost is the person who does it, RN or no.

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"On our floor, whomever is available to help with a boost is the person who does it, RN or no." :up:

Soo true!

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Specializes in Emergency.

As a nurse, you are never "too good " to wipe a butt, turn a patient, give a bath, or change the sheets. I am a new grad, and I have worked as a nursing assistant. Now that I am a nurse, I do have to delegate to the NA's, BUT if I see they are crazy busy, and I am not, I will always help a pt to the bathroom, etc. I also make sure that I ask my NA to do something (never tell them), and that I thank them for their help when I leave. I also try to involve them in the patients plan, and explain to them why something needs to be done. I have found that the NAs are much more willing to help you if you treat them with courtesy, and respect them. They have often pointed out issues with patients that I might have otherwise missed were it not for them, since they spend the most time with them. Your preceptor needs to realize that just because she has a degree, she is not "above" helping out when needed.

Amy

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, Home Health, Oncology.
As a nurse, you are never "too good " to wipe a butt, turn a patient, give a bath, or change the sheets. I am a new grad, and I have worked as a nursing assistant. Now that I am a nurse, I do have to delegate to the NA's, BUT if I see they are crazy busy, and I am not, I will always help a pt to the bathroom, etc. I also make sure that I ask my NA to do something (never tell them), and that I thank them for their help when I leave. I also try to involve them in the patients plan, and explain to them why something needs to be done. I have found that the NAs are much more willing to help you if you treat them with courtesy, and respect them. They have often pointed out issues with patients that I might have otherwise missed were it not for them, since they spend the most time with them. Your preceptor needs to realize that just because she has a degree, she is not "above" helping out when needed.

Amy

After being a Nurse for over 40 years, I agree with you 100% and more.

We are never too good to do whatever is needed to be done for the patient. If the pt. needs to be turned or cleaned or fed or whatever, That's my job, not just the PCT's.

I remember when I was a pt. how frustrating it was for me when RN's wouldn't give a bed pan or something

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Specializes in peds and med/surg.

I was a tech before finishing school too and I couldn't stand the RN's with that attitude while working. They wouldn't even answer the call lights b/c "that was a tech job" There could be 4 of them sitting at the desk and not one would push the button to see what was needed. We had to answer them all in addition to doing v/s, beds and baths, I&O's, bathroom, etc., even though most of them were for pain meds or beeping IV's. One or our older aides (65) went in to answer a light and the nurse was in the room......the aide said "oh, the light is on"...and the nurse said "yeah, she needs a bedpan." The aide responded by saying "well, put her on it" and walked out. I had one nurse tell me one time that she was behind b/c I was by myself that day with 25 patients and she had to do the "tech work" of putting her pts on bedpans and bsc's.....tuff titty!!!

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Wait a minute - isn't that preceptor being paid extra $ to precept? They are at our hospital! I would make a quick path to the manager and report the sitting around. That's just bull you-know-what.

This is your experience. You deserve to have the best training you can. It just grinds me when I see people sitting around when I'm running my tailfeathers off. EVERYONE should pitch in.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
Wait a minute - isn't that preceptor being paid extra $ to precept?

In my hospital (and the whole province actually) preceptors are NOT paid extra, unless they're supervising a nursing student. Our orientation period can be as long as four months, and the preceptor gets no recognition at all. We tried in our most recent round of negotiations to have all preceptorship activities recognized and a nominal payment made, and it got shot down. They probably looked at the turnover and decided it would cost WAY too much $$... (and of course, in my unit the same people are always selected to precept so it would be the same people all the time getting the extra dough!)

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Specializes in 2 years as CNA.
I was a tech before finishing school too and I couldn't stand the RN's with that attitude while working. They wouldn't even answer the call lights b/c "that was a tech job" There could be 4 of them sitting at the desk and not one would push the button to see what was needed. We had to answer them all in addition to doing v/s, beds and baths, I&O's, bathroom, etc., even though most of them were for pain meds or beeping IV's. One or our older aides (65) went in to answer a light and the nurse was in the room......the aide said "oh, the light is on"...and the nurse said "yeah, she needs a bedpan." The aide responded by saying "well, put her on it" and walked out. I had one nurse tell me one time that she was behind b/c I was by myself that day with 25 patients and she had to do the "tech work" of putting her pts on bedpans and bsc's.....tuff titty!!!

Please don't get me wrong, I would be furious if I was this tech but at the same time I would not ever dream of saying something like that to my superior and then walking out of the room. I definitely think that the nurse should have put the patient on the bedpan but when the tech responded like this I do not think it was appropriate in front of the patient. Just my thoughts.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, MICU/SICU.
Any advice on how to best handle this situation would be helpful. I have already approached my preceptor and she was not open to the suggestion that she "be my tech for the evening", as she thinks I need to learn how to delegate.

So she sabotages you by wasting oxygen in the corner while the techs run around. She sounds like she has great excuses for sitting on her a$$. Practice delegating by asking her to help when you need to turn a pt. "Can you help me turn so and so?" If she refuses, delegate to the tech and explain why you are delegating to them. "Nurse lazy a$$ is too busy reading her book and surfing the net to help me. She wants me to practice delegating, can you let her know how I did?" This should get the techs in her face where she needs them.

More seriously, I would speak with your manager regarding her behavior. A preceptor's place is not reading a book or surfing the net. If she has that much free time she should be helping her co-workers. If she didn't want to do "tech work," she should have spent even MORE money on her degree and got a MEDICAL degree. What a b****!

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