Should I be worried?

PennyWise · Jun 4, 2012

The preceptor should have been there to tell you how to handle it while the situation was going on.

Don't let yourself become so worked up about it that you are too anxious to be 100% during future shifts. Easier said than done but very necessary.

We all float down here.

ShayRN · Jun 4, 2012

Wow, your third night working and she wrote you up for not knowing what to do? I would ask for a new preceptor. She sounds like she is the one with issues, not you. EEEkkkk.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Jun 4, 2012

I am a new grad and still have a preceptor. On my third night of working, my preceptor fillout out a safety violation report on me and I do not know what to expect. I did not know that I needed to notify the pharmacist if a medication was out of stock. Instead I documented that it was not on the floor and was not given to the patient because it was out of stock.
She said I provided unsafe care and filled out the report. There is only one hospital in my area of Kentucky, and I am scared to death that I will get fired over it. Am I making too much of it?

No, but your preceptor sure as heck did. Your preceptor is an idiot. You are a new grad. It is EXPECTED that you do not know all the policies and procedures at your hospital. It is EXPECTED that you need guidance in order to give 100% safe care. It is EXPECTED that you will make mistakes-that's why you need a preceptor! Yes, you made a mistake-I'm not sure why you didn't follow up on not having an ordered med-but now you know better.

I have read several threads lately regarding new grads being fired for making the kinds of mistakes new grads often make, and I am completely appalled. This is short sighted, makes little sense financially, and shows an alarming lack of empathy for nurses BY nurses.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Jun 4, 2012

I agree with asking for a new preceptor. This one doesn't seem to want to teach. I wouldn't be surprised if the preceptor gets spoken to about not instructing you on the importance of calling pharmacy when a med is out of stock.

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Jun 4, 2012

I may sound like the bad guy here, but did you ask your preceptor what to do when you discovered the med missing? It's been a long time since I was a new grad, but I would think even on your first day of work, you should know that some sort of effort to find the missing med must be made. Meds and treatments are ordered for a reason. If something is not available to carry out that order, it is the nurses responsibility to make every effort to find it. You can't just say, oh well, it's not there, lets move to the next task. I don't know what med was in question here, but you probably did put the patient safety at risk.

It does seem a bit early to have you out on your own. I would think you would still be essentially shadowing your preceptor, and in that case, this would have never happened. How much time had passed between the error and the write up? If it was brief, and you told her quickly, then she should have just let you know what to do next time and not written it up. But if it was just discovered at the end of the shift and the patient went without critical medications, they she was correct in the write up. There are too many unknowns in this to pass judgement on either party.

I'm sure you learned something, and that is what counts.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jun 4, 2012

I agree your preceptor is not interested in teaching you. I woud go you your boss and ask for someone else.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Jun 4, 2012

ditto. You need a better preceptor. That was mean. BTW, just noting a problem will not get it fixed and now you are the fiexer, so she got that right. But the process was mean spirited

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Jun 4, 2012

Your preceptor is supposed to check behind you in ALL of your tasks. It is just as much HER mistake as yours, and the fact that she wrote you up for it may just backfire on her. How are you supposed to know what course of action to take? That's why we put preceptors with new staff, for all that is good in the world!

I wouldn't sweat it too much. However, I can see how you will be more fearful of making a mistake, and less focused on what you are supposed to be learning as a result of this experience. If this is, in fact, a valid assumption on my part, it would be a good idea to nip this situation in the bud and talk to your NM face to face about what occurred. Own up to the mistake, but also express that you need clear cut expectations, and that you need your preceptor to provide you with that information. Had you known what steps to take to get the medication, this whole situation could have been avoided.

Just some advice: to start this process, email your NM and ask for a few minutes of his/her time to talk. When you are done with the discussion, email him/her with a 'follow up' email describing what you talked about. Give a short synopsis of what was discussed and end the email with "I want to ensure that I understand correctly your advice/direction/expectations. Is there anything else that you would like to add to what we discussed? Your goal is: 1. Clarification 2. Documentation of what was discussed. 3. Validation from your NM of the conversation, and since you ended the email with a question, a record of his/her reply will be in writing.

Documentation is your friend.

I would not broach the subject of getting a new preceptor. Let your NM make that call. Just present your side of the situation and let your NM decide what to do. Chances are the NM will either assign you another preceptor, or have a chat with your current preceptor. Do NOT own this, and don't think that you are 'ratting out' your preceptor. This is unusually harsh behavior, and it sounds like your preceptor needs a reality check. Don't get involved in that battle; it is the NM's responsibility to ensure that you have a complete and comprehensive orientation.

I am so sorry that you are experiencing this. It sucks. Hang in there, but be proactive. Keep us posted!

Hugs to you!

#1ME · Jun 4, 2012

What a douche. I work nights, and some medications have to be physically placed in the med cart, so the only option is to document not given due to unavailable, etc. I don't think it's a reason for her to have written you up. I agree with the others, request a different preceptor. To answer your question, this is not a reason to get fired. Good luck, you can do it!

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jun 5, 2012

You don't have a preceptor. It is the trainers responsibility to TEACH you. Not write you up.

In effect she is writing her self up.

DOCUMENT..DOCUMENT,, DOCUMENT... you are not being trained. This so called preceptor is not capable to train anyone.

rn/writer, RN · Jun 5, 2012

Own your part in the situation--you didn't follow up with the preceptor or the charge nurse or pharmacy to obtain the med--but, don't feel you have to fall on your sword. Turning on yourself doesn't help anyone, and it can create such a distraction in your mind that you make more mistakes.

My guess is that the preceptor wrote you up to point the spotlight away from herself. Not a very gallant gesture. She took what could have been a good teaching opportunity and turned it into something ugly. So not necessary.

Others have given you good advice. I would only add that you should consider getting professional Liability Insurance so that you have someone in your corner if something goes south. It's usually less than a day's pay for a year of coverage and a whole lot of peace of mind.

This, too, shall pass. You will grow more knowledgeable and confident with each shift you work. And someday when you're the preceptor, you'll remember what it was like to be quaking in your boots, and you'll be kind to the newbie you've taken under your wing.