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Discussion

Preceptor Problems

Hello everyone!

I am a new nurse and am new to this site! I graduated Feb and have worked in Skilled nursing for 4 months and have now been (extremely lucky to land in the ED for the last month). Everything has been great and (stressful), however, I am paired with a preceptor that seems to really dislike teaching. For most of my orientation (save for a few half shifts with other nurses and some classes). I have been miserable. Things started out seemingly ok but have really spiraled out of control for the majority of training. My preceptor is VERY short to anger (even to the pt's). She rolls her eyes at me when I ask questions. Even when she does go in with me to do a new procedure I have never done she condescends to me and makes me feel and look stupid in front of my pt's. She has yelled at me in a pt's room in front of them and family members when I hung a piggy back wrong, making it run a little slower (telling me I messed up and I made a mistake). She has yelled at me in the middle of the ER as well. Today when I was on lunch and she was "covering me" she sat on her phone and didn't even go in any of my pt's room despite knowing and telling me (upon returning from lunch) that 2 pts had med orders. I medicated the pt that was in the room (not in xray like the other). She came off of lunch guns blazing and yelled at me in front of other staff and visitors. Mad I didn't give meds to the pt that was out. She has made me want to quit, multiple times. Any time that I am lucky enough to be paired with another nurse it is wonderful. They answer my questions without rolling their eyes and they actually teach. I don't know what to do at this point because I do love this place and the pt's but I don't love how badly I am being treated. I guess, I may want pity, but mostly I would like advice. I am doing the best I can to learn and to perform like a great ED nurse. It's just very discouraging being treated in such a manner.

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    • Experts

    One thing about orientation is that it's temporary. If you have regular meetings with your charge nurse or anyone else, you can request a change of preceptor "to get a broader view of different people's styles" or something like that. It doesn't sound like she singles you out for her bad behaviour or takes pains to hide it from others so it is rather mystifying that this behaviour is tolerated.

    Hang in there and scout around for some real mentors who can give you some impromptu guidance. Try to fly under Nurse Ratched's radar and count the days.

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    You have a burn out as a preceptor. Go back as far as you can remember.. document.. document .. document.

    Take this to your NM stat. Orientation works both ways. You can also evaluate your preceptor.

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    Agree with the others. Approach the manager and ask if you can be paired with a different preceptor. I'm so sorry this is happening to you! It doesn't have to be this way. Hang in there.

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    • Experts

    Take some pressure off yourself with trying to perform like a "great' ED nurse. You're new, and it takes time to become proficient.

    I would ask your manager if you could be paired with a different preceptor. Don't badmouth her; just say that you noticed you learned better working with "Susan RN" than with your preceptor.

    It's worth a try. Chances are, if she's as bad as you say she is, the manager knows it too.

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    You have a burn out as a preceptor. Go back as far as you can remember.. document.. document .. document.

    Take this to your NM stat. Orientation works both ways. You can also evaluate your preceptor.

    I think if the NM is a strong and accountable this is wonderful advice...if the NM is not then it could backfire and the preceptor and any of their friends could make the orienteers life a living hell until she/he can hold their own successfully on most shifts. Which we all know can take months if not a year to become efficient. (This is just the first year of experience I had anyways).

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    • Author

    I would like to thank everyone that has posted to me their advice. I have decided to leave the position and have left a very detailed message as to why. Unfortunately the director of my department decided to go on vacation at this time... but I have made my concerns known to my education director. They are also trying to push me off training. They PROMISED me 3 full months of training as I am a newer nurse. 7 weeks in they are crash running me, and telling me I need to be off by a certain point. Now I understand why this hospital in a smaller (crime ridden town) is ALWAYS hiring. They treat their employees like S**T! It pains me because I do believe I belong in the ED but not so much that I face verbal abuse for it and risk my license for it. I worked in skilled nursing for 5 months before I started this ED job and I wanted to be here so much that I took a $4 per hour pay cut! Yes, you heard that right... $4 per hour. Again, thank you all for your advice!

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