Senior Nursing Preceptorship

[Haldolallergy]

Hi, I hope you don't mind the barge, but I need some advice. I am going to be precepting a senior nursing student next week for 3 months in her final semester of school. I have the basic outline of the skills and facts, and plans for things we are going to accomplish, but I want some advice....

What was your best experience as a student...what was your worst? How did your preceptor (professor, clinical instructor) help you through tough times? How did they make things worse?

I know that nursing has the reputation of being tough on its new nurses/students, and I want to break that cycle in a small way.

Any thoughts appreciated as this is my first time precepting a student and I want it to be a good experience.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

guidelines for preceptors

• explain expectations, duties and objectives
  
• accept responsibility to teach and evaluate
  
• manage the workload and the workflow
  
• lead by example
  
• explain your thought processes
  
• assess and address needs of learners
  
• demonstrate procedures during the "coaching" method
  
• evaluate often and provide instructive feedback
  
• recognize and acknowledge your own limitations
  
• teaching strategies
  • build confidence - express confidence in the orientee's ability to handle a situation if you are sure that they have the necessary skills
    
  • use confrontation to identify a discrepancy between verbalization, behaviors or feelings expressed by the orientee, e.g. "you say that you are comfortable with starting an iv , but you have avoided doing one each time an opportunity has come up this week. help me understand what is going on."
    
  • give mini-lectures of factual information that are brief, short and do not stray from the topic
    
  • share your own experiences to use as an illustration that have direct application to a particular moment
    
  • ask questions of the orientee that:
    • promote their thinking
      
    • help them to organize their thoughts
      
    • correct inaccurate reasoning
      
    • help them refocus on important points
      
    • help them to evaluate their thinking

evaluating performance

• guidelines for evaluation of orientees
  • from the very beginning, each orientee should know the criteria (goals and expectations) upon which they are being evaluated
    
  • establish open communication during orientation
    
  • schedule regular evaluation sessions
    
  • base evaluation on specific, observable situations
    
  • all evaluations should be shared with the orientee
    
  • the orientee should participate in the final written evaluation

[Haldolallergy]

Thank you so much Daytonite! That is exactly what I was looking for, and I am going to incorporate these things into my new role as preceptor.

Thanks again, wish me luck