Preceptorship-How did you choose?

JentheRN05, RN · Dec 19, 2005

I did my preceptorship in Cardiac personally, but my true love was L&D. So before I graduated I secured a job in L&D (PP/Nursery & L&D). I was sooooooo excited.

Then, once I got into the job, I ended up having very VERY little orientation, thrown on the floor (floating to med/surg too) By my end of 3 months I developed an ulcer and quit. Not a good start at all.

But - I STILL plan to go back into L&D later in my career (going back for my BSN/MSN-FNP)

Currently I work on a ortho/neuro floor. I actually love my job. I learn alot, there's quite a few chances for IV sticks, using IV pumps, passing meds of course, positioning is essential. You'll do I/O caths, Foley caths. Hang blood (probably more often than on any other floor - due to ortho surgery is pretty bloody). Geez, I really can't say enough good things about this floor. It's not too fast paced, but it gives you ALOT of opportunities you may not get on other floors.

L&D is simply too much to attempt to learn in 40 hours, that's a absolute fact. I had 3 months orientation (if you could really call what I had orientation) and I was no where NEAR comfortable in L&D.

I have no experience in the others so I can't help you there. But if I had to pick between these two, with the current experience I have had, I would say ortho/neuro in a heartbeat - seriously you'll have a ton of different experiences on this floor!

grimmy, RN · Dec 20, 2005

i did my preceptorship in cicu. there were only two alternatives: the floors (med/surg, tele, onc) or an icu. i chose cicu so that i'd learn more about meds and immediate post-op cardiac care. considering i'm now on the thoracic team in the or, this seems precognicient! it was a good experience although it certainly did not change my knowledge that i did not want to be a "floor" nurse. it did make me more aware of how i want a patient to arrive in an icu, how to give report to the icu, etc. all experience in nursing adds to another.