Preceptor Problem

[OkShell]

Hello everyone. This is my first time posting on this forum. I am a newly graduated PN student and I have a problem that I would like to get some feedback on. I just completed my preceptor program last week and I graduate this friday. My problem is the fact that my preceptor did not go over my evaluation sheet with me. I thought I did fine. We worked in the rehab unit of a local hospital for 3 weeks and in that time she never corrected me, reprimanded me or anything of that nature. She did make some suggestions that I document the patient';s ability to ambulate and take care of toileting needs, which I did after she told me. I was always prompt in arriving 30 minutes before our shift, clean, hair back, no makeup, completed my med passes accurately and on time, no problems as far as she ever let me know. When I picked up my evaluation sheet from her to take to my school she had it in a sealed envelope. I got a call the next day to go in and meet with the director of nursing and she had given me all 3 or 2's on a scale of 1 to 5 and said that I needed to work on my communication, self reliance, documentation and even rated me a 3 with is average on promptness and behavior. I was shocked! Virtually all of my feloow students had 4or 5 on their evaluation points. Besides that she had forged my signature on two places on the form I was supposed to sign, never showed me or told mewhy she was rating me this low. My instructor asked why I signed it and I told her I hadn't because I had never even seen it! She agreed with me that it was indeed not my signature.

I am really feeling like I am a failure, but I had felt that I had been doing a good job and received no input otherwise from this woman in the three weeks I worked with her. I even listened to her story about her hysterectomy everyday, like I had never heard her tell it before. I am wondering if she did this because she disliked me personality wise. I am fairly quiet, but she asked how old I thought she was and I said I thought she was in her 50's and she seemed taken back and said "well, I am only a few years older than you." Another thing that was said was the day that I was leaving an RN told me "You know J... never gives good reviews to students." I laughed it off at the time , thinking she was just joking, but now I have to wonder. She has mentored several students in the past, but I do not know any of them to ask them if they had similar experiances.

I am graduating on Friday, but I have really lost confidence in myself and I feel like my instructors are now looking at me like I am a bad nurse. I really want to confront this woman in a nice way and ask her why she rated me the way she did, and exactly what she feels like I did wrong, since she didn't even have the decentcy to talk to me before she turned in my evaluation and signed my name on the papers herself. On the other hand, I don't want to rock the boat, since she works at a local hospital that I will likely work at in the future.

I would just like some input on what other students, nurses and even other preceptors feel about this. If she only would have let me know I wasn't working up to her standards, I would have strived to improve my performance, but she never said a word in correction about anything, even said "good job" to me on several occasions.

[underpaidrn]

Honey, don't walk, run, to the charge nurse on the floor that your preceptor works on. What she did is illegal and could land her some serious charges. This hospital needs to know what was done. What else has she forged? This is a person with some serious issues that need to be addressed immediately. She is a danger to the patients as well as other staff. Don't belittle yourself because of her behavior. I would not even begin to compare myself with what she wrote. Please keep your chin up and do the right thing. I wish you the very best and I know that you will do well. Your heart is in the right place. Good luck. :icon_hug:

[arual56]

This is not something that is your problem and you should not be letting it weigh on your heart or your mind. This individual couldn't go over the evaluation with you since you would have known right then that she had forged your signature. Contact the facility she works for immediately and let them know what the person did. In addition, if you do not already have a copy of this evaluation and her forged signatures, get copies. Then contact the state board of nursing. The other poster was absolutely right. If she would do this, what else might she be forging and then blaming on someone else. Your first responsibility as a nurse is to report when there is someone or something that is jeopardizing the health and welfare of your patients. Just like you are responsible for reporting a co-worker that is stealing or using drugs, you are responsible for reporting this person as well. If you are concerned about how your teachers perceive you based on this woman's word, contact them in writing and ask for their ideas and guidance with this matter. If your instructors are responsible they will not only guide you, but help you. If they are not willing to provide you guidance on how to deal with this, then they are not providing you with valuable information that is part of your education.

I had problems such as these with a clinical instructor. I reported her, not only to the school, but to the facility we both work in. I thought it would be a huge problem. Imagine my surprise when she was fired from her teaching position and placed on administrative probation for her behavior toward me. She had been an employee for 15 years and her rank didn't save her from facing the results of her actions. Be brave, and remember: You can't put as many women as we have in the nursing profession together and not have some problems. There will be those that don't like each other, those that tolerate each other and those who are the best of friends. Not everyone will like you, but at the end of the day, will you like yourself? Will you be able to go home and go to sleep knowing in your heart that you did your best for each of your patients? If you left the facility knowing that the person you worked with was drunk and a danger to patients, would you report them? I'm guessing you would. If I'm right, this should be no different. This woman is a danger to the community and to every patient she cares for. She forged your signature. What if she is documenting false things on patient's charts, like whether or not she gave a med?

[Soup Turtle]

I would be shocked and upset, too. I don't know what you should do, but you have my sympathy.

[nyapa, RN]

What she did is illegal and could land her some serious charges. This hospital needs to know what was done. What else has she forged? This is a person with some serious issues that need to be addressed immediately. She is a danger to the patients as well as other staff.

Your instructor and the DON are aware what she has done. They should be following up on this behaviour. I'm totally in agreeance with underpaidrn. You did not pay alot of money, study damn hard, and work for free to be treated like this. It was a legal document that she forged.

The school should be giving you some support in this matter. They are aware she did this. And there should have been some mediation conducted between you, the lecturer, the senior of the ward, and the nurse.

I am so sorry this has happened to you at the end of your study and the beginning of your career. But look forward, don't let her drag you down, she is not worth it.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Honey, don't walk, run, to the charge nurse on the floor that your preceptor works on. What she did is illegal and could land her some serious charges. This hospital needs to know what was done. What else has she forged? This is a person with some serious issues that need to be addressed immediately. She is a danger to the patients as well as other staff. Don't belittle yourself because of her behavior. I would not even begin to compare myself with what she wrote. Please keep your chin up and do the right thing. I wish you the very best and I know that you will do well. Your heart is in the right place. Good luck. :icon_hug:

:yeahthat: