Teaching as a new grad?

Nurses New Nurse

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A girl I graduated with (in December '11) is teaching a clinical on the tele unit I work on. She has less than 6 months of RN experience and she's already teaching a med-surg clinical. That doesn't seem right to me. I'm sure she's a good nurse and all, but she doesn't have the experience to pull from. I know I wouldn't feel comfortable teaching a group of nursing students this early in the game. I still have SO much to learn! So, what are your thoughts? Is it okay for a new grad to teach?

Specializes in Geriatrics, Telemetry, Med-Surg.
I went to a Catholic university for my MSN (entry program) in California and we had some instructors who did not have much practical experience either. When you're paying top dollar ($1,000/unit) you should get top notch instructors.

My thoughts exactly! Tuition is $690 per credit hour, plus technical fees and what not. I have nothing against new grads (since I'm still a baby nurse myself), but I certainly wouldn't want one teaching me!

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Specializes in kids.

FWIW, is it possible she has clinical experience as an LPN or paramedic or EMT? Some folks come into nursing with other degrees and years of experience under their belt. I certainly hope there is info that you are not privy to, as it is a pretty scary thought!!

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I went to school in Indiana but I know that NONE of my clinical instructors had any less than 15 years of experience most had more. They were wonderful because they HAD seen it all. I would not be happy to find out my instructor had only been a nurse for 6 months.

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Specializes in NICU, telemetry.

I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable!

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Wow...

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Specializes in OB/GYN/Neonatal/Office/Geriatric.

That sure seems scary and unsafe. You cannot substitute education for experience IMHO. Is she being presented as an instructor for the college or more like a mentor for students that come to the hospital?

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Specializes in Orthopedics.

I have only been nursing for 4 years and eventually I would like to teach. I really enjoy preceptoring students and working with the nursing students when they're on my unit. But I wouldn't even consider pursuing a teaching career with less than 5 years experience. Theoretical knowledge is one thing but the practical knowledge and know how is where you pull it all together. I would feel highly uncomfortable working with her and her clinical group. Perhaps you can ask her how and why she got into teaching so soon after graduating. Perhaps she'll be able to share some insights or additional knowledge you weren't privy to before.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

In my clinicals, we had our clinical instructor, but we also had an adjunct clinical instructor. The adjunct joined us for a few hours each clinical to be of assistance if needed. Some of them were fairly new nurses. Is it possible she is functioning in this role?

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The "girl" may have fewer than 6 months of RN experience in this country, but years of nursing experience elsewhere. Perhaps she was a nurse in another country.

Perhaps she has other, longstanding nursing experience in the US, just not as an RN. Maybe she was an LPN for years prior to becoming an RN.

Your teacher may have more experience than you know despite her being a new grad.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Telemetry, Med-Surg.
The "girl" may have fewer than 6 months of RN experience in this country, but years of nursing experience elsewhere. Perhaps she was a nurse in another country.

Perhaps she has other, longstanding nursing experience in the US, just not as an RN. Maybe she was an LPN for years prior to becoming an RN.

Your teacher may have more experience than you know despite her being a new grad.

She's not my teacher. She teaches a clinical on my unit.

I don't know about her history, but I know she's not a LPN. The school we went to has a LPN-ASN program, but not a LPN-BSN program. She graduated from the traditional BSN program.

Also, she's not from another country.

I think she's probably enrolled in the NP program. I know that students in the NP program can teach, and in return, receive a discount on tuition. I figured there would be a certain amount of experience required beforehand, but I guess not.

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Specializes in cardiac-telemetry, hospice, ICU.

I've had some wonderful clinical teachers. Just to make a point, I would mention that I have had some horrible ones who had 20+ years experience also. One in particular had been retired so long that she did not know anything about the electronic charting, nor how to run the IV pumps or other modern equipment. She did have much to share, but my point is that experience is not an indicator of capability.

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I've had some wonderful clinical teachers. Just to make a point, I would mention that I have had some horrible ones who had 20+ years experience also. One in particular had been retired so long that she did not know anything about the electronic charting, nor how to run the IV pumps or other modern equipment. She did have much to share, but my point is that experience is not an indicator of capability.

See the problem, IMO, with this is that anyone can learn how to use a pump, or e-chart. However, only time and exposure will teach someone how to be a nurse. This person is a new grad teaching new grads, versus an older nurse who is behind on modern technology but can teach these new grads what they need to know.

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