Preceptors what do you want out of your students?

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Hi!

I am in my last semester of nursing school and starting a 300 hour preceptorship in my specialty of interest. I am super excited and want to learn as much as I can on the unit. Just wondering if there is any advice from preceptors or post-preceptees out there on ways that I can be useful and make a good impression to the staff on the unit?

Any advice would be appreciated!

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Specializes in Gerontology.

Never turn down an opportunity to do a skill. If my pt needs a cath, and I offer you a chance to do it and you say No because you've done one, I won't think of you next time there is something to be done.

Ask questions.

Every nurse does things differently, so it pays to ask to watch other nurses do things. Pick the one that works best for you. Think of it this way: there are several ways to make hard boiled eggs. The procedure is different depending on who you ask, but the end result is always the same, a hard boiled egg.

Keep an open mind.

You will meet people who don't like you for no good reason. Deal with it. That is part of life. You have to figure out how to work with them. You don't have to be BFF with everyone you work with, but you do have to work with them in some way.

You will do things wrong, and these errors will be pointed out to you. This is not "eating the young". If mistakes are not pointed out, you cannot learn from them.

Save the crying for the trip home.

Join the other nurses on breaks. Yes, there may be gossip about other people. More likely, there will be talking about their kids, Survivor, The Amazing Race, or even how to do that difficult dressing on Mr Jones. Because the nurse that has to do it that day has never done it, so,she asks at break, "hey, has anyone done that drsg on Mr Jones?" And the other nurses will tell her about it, or even offer to help.

After someone has taken time to help you with something, return the favour.

Wow. Sorry for the bit of verbal diarrhea there.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
Wow. Sorry for the bit of verbal diarrhea there.

Are you kidding? I would just about kill someone for the privilege of having you as a preceptor!!!

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I agree with much of what Pepper said. Asking questions and showing initiative goes a long way. Most preceptors will not expect you to know everything right away, but PLEASE do not stand there just to be there or run off to do something that was asked of you without understanding what it is. Also, do not act like you know everything. This is annoying. You cannot possibly know everything right out of school. Good luck!

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Being early, being willing to be on your feet and keep up the pace, asking for breaks when needed, asking questions but not too horribly many especially when its busy, being well dressed and well groomed (remember, you're adding to the biomass in those patient rooms!), not showing any senioritis or disinterest in the unit (on med surg but want ICU for example, I'd send ya back!) are the ones that come to mind. None of those requirements involve more skills than the basic assessment (vitals, auscultation, safety), just willingness to work hard.

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Be engaged and present. Do not act like a know it all and show initiative. Don't wait around for me to tell you to fill the water or empty the commode or take the pt to the bathroom if you know that the water jug is half empty and they hadn't peed for 4 hours or so. Make acquaintince with the other nurses and aids on day one and tell them that if they have something interesting that you would like to have the opportunity to assist. But my main rule of thumb is stay off your cell phone! I precepted a new grad and if upset me that she would do an assessment, leave the patients room and immediately hop on her cellphone to look at facebook or text friends. Her assessment had not been charted yet, but she was acting like she had all the care in the world. I was only a relief preceptor for her, not her main preceptor. But i find late charting due to personal phone use to be so disrespectful and annoying.

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Specializes in ICU.

I agree with what all the posters have said. Never turn down the chance to do a skill. Nothing is worse than asking a student if they want to help you do something and they reply "no I've done that before".

Act eager to help even when you don't want to! Be just as willing to help clean up a BM as to start an IV. If nurses know you're happy to help, they'll seek you out for exciting things too.

Be proactive and take initiative. If you know there's a blood sugar check due or something else that's within your scope, let your preceptor know that you're going to do it and then do it without being reminded.

Truly, being willing to do whatever is necessary and allowed is the main thing that I look for in a student. Nobody likes a lazy whiny nurse or student!

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Specializes in ICU/CCU (PCCN); Heme/Onc/BMT.

Definitely. . . lots of what's been shared here are what I would hope to see in a new-grad/orientee nurse. Being eager to get all of the "task-stuff" out of the way (learned, practiced and competent) is a first step.

For me, though. . . being willing to "dig deeper" into the roles of the Professional Nurse is a pleasure to see, too. "Teacher". "Advocate". "Preceptor". "Care-Giver". "Forever Learner". "Problem-Solver". "Critical Thinker". "Team-Player". "Team-Leader". "Role Model". "Researcher". etc., etc.

Well. . . maybe not all. . . and certainly not all at once, but, at least to my eyes, these are the "roles" of the Professional Nurse that go along way to making the career satisfying, challenging, effective and life-long.

Learn what you need to learn to draw that blood lab. Now, that you can do that, what are you going to do when the potassium level is 2.5 or 7.9? If the situation presents itself appropriately, what and how are you going to teach your patient to keep the potassium level within normal limits??

Be patient with yourself. Mistakes will come. As others have said, learn from them. Then, move forward and appreciate the growth as you continue to learn, practice, master. . . and teach. :)

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Any advice will be greatly appreciated! I am in the process of changing preceptors - the first was lack of communication and personalities' clash. I understand that what happened was 50 % my fault but really do not wish to repeat the experience my second chance around.

I never refused to a skill until towards the end of my 5 day fiasco when knowing that I have never started an IV, I was told to do one - I was so petrified by this woman at that point that I politely declined stating I would much rather like to watch her first (she did not even bother show me the catheter first and yes, it was different from what I have seen in lab). Well, she could not do it either and I later discovered she always has someone else start her IVs...

I am not lazy just very slow at drawing medications or hanging IVs (have done this only once!!!) - get especially slower and clumsier if being interrupted all the time by impatient remarks, "oh, we are falling so behind," "did you do this?," "did you do that?" Please, give me the time to almost miss what you are asking me to chart, not 3 steps earlier than that...Unless, I know how to do something from beginning till end, I will never learn how to do it on my own.

Yes, I ask a lot of questions and this was one of my mistakes - I will try very hard to keep my mouth shut until given the floor. If not, I will ask permission to speak towards end of shift. So very sorry about that, this is how I learn - very interactive and by doing and I realize how disruptive constant interruptions could be.

No, I not wish to work on my newly assigned unit but will very hard try to hide this. I just do not have a choice in the matter at this point. And, I will keep an open mind as I really much rather have a job in 4 months.

Yes, I will not demonstrate my knowledge; I did it only once to provoke a plan of care/therapeutic effects of emergency meds given conversation with my 1st preceptor but it never occurred. I was not arrogant in any way as at this point of my going-back-to-school endeavor, I value technical skill, time management and prioritization much more than book knowledge.

Please, help with any other pointers or suggestions that I am missing. I was told my second chance has to come out "perfect". Talk about heightened anxiety and severe stage fright. My confidence is at a below freezing point and I have constantly been thinking about that and praying for a miracle preceptor for the last 2 weeks. No, I never received any positive feedback or positive reinforcement for the 5 days I spent with her whereas I gave her plenty.

Your words of wisdom will be highly appreciated! Thank you.

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Thank you everyone for the great advice! Just wanted to give an update and say that my preceptorship is going awesomely so far.

You are right, I have made a few mistakes but I have looked at them for opportunities for growth and reflection; and I know that they make me a better, more responsible nurse. My preceptor has been awesome at guiding me through the nursing process for each patient and helping me to process all the crazy things I have seen (my floor is high acuity). I am learning so much and getting to practice all kinds of new skills. Even though I am scared, I never turn down an opportunity to try something new.

So far I feel like nursing is slightly terrifying, exhilerating, nerve-wracking, and awesome. Watching a patient get better and go home, or cope with their pain, makes it all worth it!

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Wow. Sorry for the bit of verbal diarrhea there.
Really? I thought it was great information!!!! Thank you for that!
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