Preceptorship Problem...

[outlawofsherwood]

Last night was my first night (12 hour shift) on my preceptorship. My preceptor went home with a headache and I got reassigned to the charge nurse for the majority of the shift. The charge nurse has been a nurse at this children's hospital for over thirty years and made it plain she does not like students. At one point she said to me, mockingly, "Obviously, you're not a mom."

Overnights there are fewer cares, medications, or teaching opportunities. I signed up for this shift because I was desperate to get into pediatrics and it is popular - odd hours had a better chance.

I am fairly certain I made a mistake. They never have students overnight and seem unprepared and unwilling to work with us. Should I talk to my preceptor instructor, and even if I did can she do anything? Should I just wait this out and know it is simply to fulfill the 100 hour preceptorship requirement and try to avoid rubbing people the wrong way while I am there?

I am trying not to be too thin skinned but my sister (whose 2 and 4 year old daughters I adore, and babysit about 20 hours a week) was quite furious on my behalf when I told her about it. She told me she and my brother in law both think I would be a great pediatrics nurse. Don't think in its current incarnation I can learn very much during this preceptorship.

[OSUshane]

Just because you have children in your care doesn't mean you're a parent, in the charge nurse's defense. However, that doesn't matter since you're there to learn how to provide nursing care to peds... not how to become their mother.

Opportunities are what you make them in many instances. You claim that "overnights have fewer teaching opportunities." There are enough opportunities during evening hours.

In my opinion, if you are miserable there, try to find a replacement preceptor elsewhere and/or during a different time. If, however, you were, in fact, learning and you liked your original preceptor, perhaps you should just endure it. Maybe you won't give her a headache the next time (jk).

[lsk40]

It was just one night it might get better how times have you done something one time and you were like im not going back but you do and you find out you really like it

[Jessicias85]

I would stick with it. Not only will you get the learning opportunities you didn't think you would you will learn how to handle less than friendly co workers.

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

Also, you won't always have the crochety charge nurse as your preceptor....

[outlawofsherwood]

Jessica, I hadn't thought of that at all - learning to get along with unfriendly coworkers. I was nervous and tired and I'm sure that played into my negative perception. One thing I am struggling with is time management and a benefit to overnights I had not thought of is that cares *are* less, and it may help me bridge the gap more easily between clinicals and working as an RN. Thanks!