for preceptors.

[mel1977]

I really need a little insight. I guess I will say a little about myself. I started working in a nationally known rehab facility in 1998. My mom was a primary nurse with brain injuries and my step-dad was the primary for SCI. I had great teachers, plus they had worked there for so long that i knew most of the staff. I "blossomed" over the next five years and found nursing to be my niche. I was born to be a nurse, no doubt about that. Everyone around me also said this. My mom taught me how to look at things from a nurses stand point rather than from a patient care tech. And that is how I became the caregiver I am today. I am not conceded, but know that I am good at what I do bc of what my supervisors say, my coworkers, doctors patients and their families. Okay, so my mil is also an RN who said I am one of the smartest non nurses she's met, talking to me it felt like I was an RN right along with her and there were things I knew that she didn't. Talk about a boost.

I am 28 and am now in LPN school and will graduate in July. Yes, I am sailing through. I am very sure of myself and am very confident. I don't pretend to know things I don't know, but I will tell someone when I am educated in something. So in clinicals I thought my nurses would appreciate having a student who was not knew to nursing and who actually knew what she was doing. I found that was not taken well. They thought I was being abrupt with them. I was so nice! My instructor told me about this one day in clinicals (second day) and I was torn apart. I want nothing more than to please people and impress. My patients loved me and the nurses didn't. The only thing we couldthink of was that I was simply too comfortable and meshed too well with the actual employees. You really wouldn't have known I wasn't employed there. I didn't need their help really and I think that was bad. I should have acted more helpless. Like I was a stupid student who didn't know anything. BUt I want to know why a nurse would prefer that to someone who has experience. I KNOW I am not licensed right now and that is a big difference, but I still have eight years of experience. I have been a CNA, a PCT, a unit secretary, I worked in a facility with mentally disabled adults, I taught all new techs that came through our doors and I am not a child either. I am 28 for pete's sake. So, can someone please tell me why they don't appreciate that? Since then, I keep my mouth shut and act more stupid. "Hi I am a stupid little nursing student who doesn't know anything-teehee". I know that WAS childish, but that is how I was treated. I just need some input. thanks.

Oh, but this week, my nurse was an instructor at another college and told mine that I was going to be a great nurse :)

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

So, help me to understand this (and it may sound a little weird), but, as an LPN, what more are you expected to know??? I don't mean this to sound negative in anyway, but maybe I'm missing something here. Maybe I'm missing the diff. between an LPN and RN program. There has to be more to this than passing meds and total patient care. I said this in another thread, AND to my students (who are RN/ADN), nursing is more than doing. It is about knowing. To me, that is the essence of post conference. Taking what you learned in lecture and applying it clinically. So you're all done with that?? 'Cause I'm not, and I'm the teacher.

Good post. As has been said before on this forum, any monkey can pass meds and do tasks. It's almost seems that in the OP's program the LPN is nothing more than a glorified tech. I guess tech pass meds there?

Professional nursing is a bit more than total patient care and passing meds. Clinicals should be a bit more than that as well.

But some clinicals can be down right boring. Especially as a tech if you've got the patient care routine down to a science. So I can understand that. There might not be anything new that you're going to learn as far as tasks go. But to approach clinicals with the attitude that the nurses have nothing to teach you, might not be the best approach in your new setting.

In your new setting concentrate on the pathophysiology of the patient, how the diagnosis is manifested and the treatment plan outcomes are manifested, how can as a nurse you have a positive outcome, besides giving a bath and passing a pill (what does the pill do? Is it working? Does the patient understand what and why they are taking it? Is he/she having side effects?). So much to learn and think about while doing total care and passing meds.

[mel1977]

I guess I must apologize bc this thread went a direction it was never intended to go. I feel now that things have been turned around and I can't redeem myself and nothing I say will matter. Did I not say that I learned from that? It has been over a month and I act differently now. I kinda feel attacked. I don't feel the nursing connection and support here I am sorry to say. I have been around nurses my entire life-I DONT KNOW EVERYTHING OKAY? I already said I even tell others that. I don't come across as the know it all-I come across confident. Isn't there a difference? I want to put NGs down, I want to do dressing changes, I want to learn what "we" do outside of bathing patients. Which please don't turn that comment around. I LOVE patient care, I want to do Neuro ICU as an RN for the one on one care. Classmates come to me for help bc I am willing to teach them, but at the same time, I go to my teachers too! I so respect them-maybe I didn't feel respected by those two RNs where we were-those were the only two who said that and again, now have positive things to say about me. Maybe I dont quite grasp being a student bc of all the years I have been in the field and not in school-I wanted to be treated as an equal as I am at work-the RNS there treat me like one of them, just w/o the license. I don't know what else I can say to pull myself out of this stupid ditch I dug for myself on this site. I wish I could just start over and not get into such detail. My writing and what I am really thinking always never are the same written. No matter what, things I say get turned around. It is no ones fault but my own. I am who I am. A confident 28 year old woman who knows what she wants to do in life. I am respected and liked in MY medical community, I guess that is all that really matters. I will graduate, I am currently 3 in class grade wise and what happened was in the past and I have only grown as a person from that experience. There is nothing else I can do. Even now I know something I just wrote will spark some other problem with me. I wish I could just sit down face to face and really TALK to you.

[mel1977]

When you precept, does the student follow you or just take one of your patients and do total care??? I want to follow the nurse and do what they do, I don't feel I am doing that where I am. I am doing tech work except for my am assessment (I praise techs, I am still one so that isn't supposed to be a negative thing and I won't be "one of those" nurses who feels patient care is underneath them). See what I mean? I could be with her doing care and stuff for eight patients, and get to be involved in more than only what goes on in my patients day. I came here bc I know a few of the nurses there are preceptors, but just not technically for us.

I know the difference between RN, LPN and PCT. I know that as an LPN there is a lot I cannot do and that is why I will be going directly for my RN right after. I don't know what most schools do for their students in the Med/Surg rotation. Maybe we aren't getting as much hands on as we should be. The way it is now is how it will be until we graduate in July.

[ERNurse752, RN]

I don't think anyone is intending to attack you, just to provide their opinions on your situations, as well as other situations we have encountered.

As you know, it is sometimes difficult to get a point/intention across on a message board.

I think in clinicals, whether in RN or LPN school, no one is treated as an equal. The reason being, you're a student and you're just passing through. No one knows you or what you are capable of. All that - trust, respect -comes in time, like what you experience at your job.

So please don't feel frustrated and alientated. Sounds like you're doing a great job, and you will accomplish your goals.

[ERNurse752, RN]

When I precept, the student is with me, glued at the hip. I can't teach if they aren't with me! Seems obvious, but then, I like to teach. Not everyone is a teacher.

I feel like when I was in school, I didn't learn anywhere near as much as when I was at work at my SNE job. I pretty much hated clinicals, actually. I think the nurses where you work are more invested in your education b/c they know you, and they know you might be working alongside them as a nurse someday, so they want to make sure you get the best education possible.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Mel, I'm sorry you felt attacked. You asked why the nurses treat you the way they do and why they didn't appreciate your experience and we did kind of go off on a tangent.

I still say that when criticized by others, rather than say "what's wrong with them", it's appropriate to take a look at oneself.

Confidence and a strong woman aren't always viewed positively in our society, so maybe that's just it.

Usually the students on clinicals are assigned patients and do the total care along with their instructor, with collaboration with us as we are ultimately responsible for our patient. The BSN students have a different approach, they are assigned a nurse to shadow and work with during their clinicals, it's a unique program and their instructor isn't around (but in the building) and there are usually only two students on the floor at a time. During preceptorship at the end of the program both the ADNs and BSNs are assigned an individual nurse to work with. The LPN students usually always stick with their instructor and don't have a preceptorship like the RNs do.

I do try to keep in mind when students are on the floor to get them if there's something interesting going on. Some days there are no challenges.

[mocaj]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I didn't mean to come across as a sadist "I love scared students".

Let me put it this way. There are many students who are scared stiff when they arrive, I was one of those. Or scared when they are doing something they've never done before like starting IVs.

I probably should have said, I have no problem working with and teaching, totally inexperienced and scared students. Last semester my student was shaking so bad starting an IV, she needed a little extra TLC and boost of confidence and she nailed that IV (with shakey hands, but I bet the next time she won't be so shakey).

I work with students who are also techs at our hospital and they are generally well received, and fortunately aren't treated like this original poster is.

I like being a preceptor. I was assigned a student this semester but unfortunately I'm on vacation and have to pass. I primarily precept new grads and new employees.

I'm sorry your experience with preceptors is bad, those type of people have no business precepting. I don't understand how they get put in that role. It's a committment to the student, to the future of nursing, and it's a payback to those who have helped me when I was new and scared. It's my duty. I hope that doesn't sound to arrogant. I'm working on getting my BSN and am seriously considering being an instructor one day. (if I can get over my fear of public speaking, but I love one on one time with students.)

Where do you work? I wish I could have you as a preceptor when I graduate!!!:yelclap: :loveya:

[mocaj]

"Hmmm... where to begin....

You seem rather sure of yourself, no doubt, and that's great. To me, it makes my job easier, when a student has some sort of confidence, but it needs to be balanced with some humility. There seems to be a fine line between confidence and cocky. My advice...keep the confidence to yourself, it will shine without you trying to display it. Let the instructors notice your confidence (they will), and impress them- not the floor nurses. They are not giving you your grade.

You also seem to think that there is nothing between being confident and stupid (you used that term twice). I find that very insulting to your fellow students. Are you insinuating that someone without any medical background is automatically stupid? On the flipside, I've seen many a tech, EMT, unit clerk, etc. who are NOT SMART, yet assume that they can become a nurse. I am not calling you stupid, and yes, your experience is advantageous, but the bottom line is you are not a nurse yet. You need to learn to become a nurse. While I don't know you, I cannot possibly imagine that you know everything already. That is not an insult to you, but what you percieve as the nurses' role may be rather different from whay the nurses' role actually is. Technically, you may have a lot of experience. You know how to do vitals, fingersticks, record I&O, and other skills. Now you need to apply, analyze, interpret. Maybe you already know how to do this. If you do, great.

As far as your age, I'd be careful with this one. If you look at the ages on this bb, many are old enough to be your mother or father (at the least). Age and # of years as a tech do not necessarily = competence. I am truly not attempting to minimize your experience. You are a baby in the world of nursing (and I am a toddler at 32, with 12 yrs nursing exoerience!!).

My advice (if you want it), just lay low, do what you have to do for your instructors, and just be a student. Not a stupid one, not a cocky one. Just a student. Let your actions speak for themself."

:yelclap: Very well said!!! I agree 110%

[BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN]

When you precept, does the student follow you or just take one of your patients and do total care??? I want to follow the nurse and do what they do, I don't feel I am doing that where I am. I am doing tech work except for my am assessment (I praise techs, I am still one so that isn't supposed to be a negative thing and I won't be "one of those" nurses who feels patient care is underneath them). See what I mean? I could be with her doing care and stuff for eight patients, and get to be involved in more than only what goes on in my patients day. I came here bc I know a few of the nurses there are preceptors, but just not technically for us.

This post actually cleared things up for me (I think). So you are paired up w/ one nurse, following their assignment? Is your instructor on the unit? The nurse is evaluating you? And you are feeling like they are treating you as a student, and not a tech with 8 yrs experience? If this is the case, you need to look at it from their perspective: they may be a little territorial when it comes to their unit, their patients, etc. And because they do not know you, they need to feel you out. I am going through the very same thing as an instructor right now. I need to prove myself to be credible as an instructor, as our school is new to this hospsital and unit. It is very difficult. They don't care how long I've been a nurse, or an educator. It's like starting all over again.

Sorry you feel like you're being attacked. This is sort of what happens here when you ask for advice...you get it (whether it's what you were hoping to hear or not). We nurses are rather opinionated, and when there is anonymity, it's much easier to really say how you feel about an issue.

One kore question- why didn't you go for RN right away??

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Where do you work? I wish I could have you as a preceptor when I graduate!!!:yelclap: :loveya:

[mel1977]

actually, we aren't paired up with a nurse and really, we should be. So, the nurses don't really have any interaction with me. I only spoke to them when I got report, let them know when I did a procedure for them and when I gave report at the end of the shift. I think things would have been different if we actually got to follow the nurse and their entire assignment rather than us being attached to one patient. The times I went to Step down bc my patient had dc'd, I did work along side a nurse and her load and that went very very well, infact, one of the nurses who said I was abrupt was the one I followed that day and she said I was great. So, maybe just a little too confident the first time around, not so much arrogance though. We go to a VA next and believe me, I know now how to act and just to let things play out. MOre and more they are asking me if I do have experience bc they say they can tell I do. So, more and more compliments and less issues. Just that one week did I have that happen, and not since.

I did talk to a fellow student today and we all feel like we aren't learning nursing roles. I think we should be following the nurse, not just the patient, but I am not really sure how that goes.

I didn't go for RN first bc I still need 3 pre-reqs and I really was tired of making just over 10/hr. I Knew i could be licensed sooner and make more money sooner if I got my LPN. Plus, some schools give preferance to LPN students when it comes to getting into an RN program, and some schools around here have a two year waiting list. I don't know where we'll be living next year, we hope to move to AZ. I am going to turn around and go into RN as soon as I can. I wanted to have more experience too. To be honest, having ALL the responsibility you RNS have scares me to death! I want to ease my way into it and I think I will be a better nurse in the end. And really, just being a good nurse to my standards is all that matters, and of course, that my patients and co-workers like and trust me. That is so very important too!

I again, used the wrong words. JEeze, I have GOT to stop doing that! I really didn't feel attacked, more like mis-understood and that what I meant to say didn't get said. That is all me. Thanks for still letting me know how you feel and I will always appreciate that.