Preceptor Training

NFB2008 · May 21, 2008

It sounds like you would really love to be a preceptor. That is part of what makes a nurse good at that. I can only hope that when I start my first nursing job in June that my preceptor wants to be training/teaching me as much as you want to pass on wisdom. Everything is scary the first time--like every new thing we did in nursing school... It sounds to me like you'll be great.

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · May 21, 2008

I would love to be a SN teacher! But not going to get my masters so kinda blocked there...LOL!

I didn't have very many if at all...good teachers, so I learned on my own. So I teach how I learned. I took a situation that was not proactive and told myself...well, I need to make it proactive myself...so I did, and did suceed with many hardships and frustrations along the way...I don't ever want anyone to have to do that if they can learn it through me first (some things you have to learn on your own, but most of the things I dealt with....well, I should have had guidance, and I didn't!).

Thank you so much! I do want to teach, but I want to teach fairly and right...it is that important to me to make sure someone learning from me not only looks at is as enjoyable, but practical and benificial too!

jjjoy, LPN · May 21, 2008

Maybe some people need a black and white, a-b-c approach, but I, too, see the world in shades of gray. To be told THIS IS THE WAY and then see that that's not what everyone is actually doing is confusing to me and so I appreciate someone like you who isn't afraid to admit that things often aren't done in an a-b-c manner. I also appreciate someone who can rephrase things and use stories to give context as opposed to short, curt explanations that don't take into account contextual factors. Many nurses I've met may be great at what they do, but aren't so great at describing to someone how they organized their time or decided on their priorities. Nursing is second nature to them and but teaching nursing isn't. So I'd love to have a preceptor like you! You may not be perfect for everyone, but no one is! I think you should give it a try!! What a wonderful gift you could give to new nurses!

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · May 21, 2008

Thank you so much...got a tear there honestly! I teach that you may organize different because your brain is unique! I teach my skills because I write everything down, and finally learned to do it after about 5 years in something that someone could actually read and understand (thanks to this site!!!!!!!). Oh before...my notes..oh Lordie..LOL!

I do try to teach a basic plan for organization but am open to learn myself to newer approaches, but so far...LOL, even the nurses on my floor have adapted mine (which kinda sucks because I use to be able to find my clipboard by my markings...LOL, now I have to look harder when I loose it...LOL!).

Thank you again so much...I appreciate this advice very very much! I want to be the preceptor I never got!!!!!

Like I said to the student yesterday...if I didn't learn 1-3 things new in a day...I am sorely missing something important and need to recheck everything I did! LOL

MikeyJ, RN · May 21, 2008

I love when the nurse I am working with accepts the fact that I am a student, I am going to make mistakes, and I am there to learn. Nurses who run around and do not include me angers me.

I worked with a wonderful nurse last week in the ICU setting. She included me in EVERYTHING she did, explained everything she did, asked me questions to try and get me to think, and was overall very pleasant (not intimidating, etc.).

Beary-nice · May 21, 2008

I think you would be an awesome preceptor!

I would appreciate a preceptor that would teach me the real world, gray area of nursing rather than someone who was real anal, black and white, and you do it this way because I do it this way type attitude. Speaking of attitude, you are going into this with some real excitement going on, and that is so important to have a preceptor who is excited about what they do and to help someone else to learn the ropes or at least give them a good foundation.

NFB2008 · May 21, 2008

I think you would be an awesome preceptor!
I would appreciate a preceptor that would teach me the real world, gray area of nursing rather than someone who was real anal, black and white, and you do it this way because I do it this way type attitude. Speaking of attitude, you are going into this with some real excitement going on, and that is so important to have a preceptor who is excited about what they do and to help someone else to learn the ropes or at least give them a good foundation.

I have to agree. We learn the black and white, textbook areas of nursing in school. We need someone to teach us about real world nursing.

shoegalRN, RN · May 22, 2008

Triage, I would LOVE to have your as a preceptor! Just from the advice you have given me in my thread is enough to go on! You seem like you are very patient and have a passion to teach and that's a good thing, especially to a student who is making the transition from nursing school to real life nursing.

Me, myself, I am a shades of gray person in my professional life, but not in my personal life. I'm more of a black and white person there. But back to my professional life, I deal in shades of gray. What I've learned so far in nursing (as well as working in corporate america) is that there is a BIG difference between what is taught in the classroom versus the real world. Everything they teach you in nursing school can't be applied verbatiem to every situation and I think that's a good way to approach it with your personal stories and such that can relate to a certain situation.

I like to try to piece together things to see the big picture. I usually start looking at diganosis, patho (manisfestations), then interventions (including meds). I ask myself, what should I expect to see with a pt who has such and such? Then I go looking for it. However, I know that it's not that cut and dry. This is where the shades of gray comes in (pt could be asymptomatic), then you dig deeper.

Then I look at how we treat such and such. What meds are given? And why? And what do I need to look for and assess when these meds are given? For example, if a pt has CHF, I know Lasix is gonna be given. If so, I look at urine output, and also K+ levels. I look at what the pt is eating (are they eating foods high in K+?) And I also look at daily wts. If the pt is loosing wt, the Lasix is working. I need to also check for signs of hypokalemia and if I suspect anything, will call the dr and see if we can get labs drawn. If K+ is low, how are we gonna treat it? K+ protocol?

This is just one scenario of how I think when I try to piece things together. I do this all day at work (not really checking labs and all that, but questioning the nurses to see if I'm close to being right) and most of them are open to teaching.

I say go for it! You would make an awesome preceptor!