Time to decide on preceptorship!

Published

Specializes in geri.

Okay. I graduate in December. We're down to the wire. I have to decide on a unit to do my preceptorship on and I am perfectly clueless.

I have yet to have that epiphany where I think "THIS is where I want to work and what I want to do." None of the units i have been on at the different hospitals I have done clinicals at have really turned me on (or off, for that matter.) This, in itself, scares me!

I have turned down tuition assistance all throughout nursing school because I am afraid of committing to something I won't like. But I have to commit to a preceptorship, and it HAS to be chosen carefully.

Grades don't help. I made B's in med/surge and psych. A's in fundamentals, geri, peds, and ob. Just started critical care and don't see that it will be any easier or more difficult than the others.

So what do i do now? :uhoh3: Any advice is appreciated!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics Only.

First question - how long is the preceptorship? Normally, they arent that long so even if you dont like it, you could stick it out til the end.

Heres my thoughts -

Dont worry that you dont know what you want to do. Its completely normal!! I've been a nurse 2 years and I dont know what I want to do with my career. In 2 weeks, I will be starting a new job b/c I knew my old one wasnt what I wanted to do with my life. So dont worry - if you dont like one field, you can always try another.

Your best bet may be to take a ICU type unit, or the ER. Why? You will see a variety of things, from cardiac, to kidneys, to respiratory, to codes, to gunshot victims, etc. Maybe that will help you decide what you like to do. For instance, if you really like the cardiac pts, you could do tele, or cath lab, or CVICU.

Also, with all the hospitals you have done clinical at - try and remember which floor had the most helpful nurses, and the best attitude - that may be the best hospital to do your preceptorship at.

Personally, I did my preceptorship in a NICU. I loved it. I worked all though school as a nurses aide on a pedi med surg floor, and knew that I wanted to work with kids. So, when it came time for preceptorship, I knew what direction I wanted to go in. Others didnt. And again, its completely normal.

Try and get something that you will learn a lot from, and make sure you ask questions. Even if you dont like it, you will learn from it.

Good luck with your choice and with the remainder of nursing school!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I too have no idea where I want "to go" in nursing. This is terrifying and comforting at the same time to me. I am changing careers and one thing that drew me to nursing is all the options for change in fields/jobs that are possible. Low likelyhood of getting bored. I have instructors pushing me toward ED or ICU because I do well in those areas, but I haven't done poorly or disliked any area either. Right now I am leaning toward med-surg since I could go there for a year and get exposed to many nursing duties and have the opportunity to build some confidence as a new nurse. Just my $0.02 worth. Good luck!

~Erica :confused:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

I really like the advice of ICU or ER or even Medsurg for that matter, because you will get an overview of lots of different patients.

Perhaps, what you may want to consider is the preceptor herself (or himself). Do you have a chance to meet with your potential preceptors before you decide? Having a good match makes such a huge difference in how your preceptorship will go. I have been blessed in my career with both good matches and bad matches and it was the difference of either heaven or hell (well that may be a bit over dramatic, but you get the point).

I was also one of those nurses who changed a lot until I found my niche. I did nursing home, a vent house (a group home for quads on vents) home care, TCU, then the hospital where I did ortho, tele and now ICU. I am grateful for all the different areas of nursing where I have worked, because I have a sincere appreciation for nurses everywhere. There are strong nurses and weak nurses everywhere and no area is better than another. My advice is just allow yourself to be open to your own path as it unfolds for you...your path will be your own unique journey and it will be exactly what is supposed to happen for you...I truly believe that. You don't have to use your head so much as just being open to the opportunities as they show up in your life, and the perfect match will be there sooner or later, I promise!! Your journey will give you what you need to make the next step work... it is all good and for a reason. Relax and enjoy the ride!

:yeah::yeah::yeah: it's all good!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in geri.

Thanks for the replies, everyone!

Ok. So the preceptorship is ONLY 100 hours, which is technically no time at all but a really long time if you're miserable, right? ;)

And no, we don't get to meet our preceptors beforehand so we can pick. We are paired up by our faculty based on heaven only knows what, BUT our preceptors are volunteers so at least they won't be surprised when I show up and say, "Here I am! Teach me everything you know within 100 hours!" hehe We write down 3 choices and they try to put us in our first choice but if not, blah blah blah. Since I am very flexible with my schedule (days, nights, evenings, weekends) I am pretty sure I'll be placed in my first choice as far as which hospital.

I am leaning towards med/surg. At least if I don't like it I will be busy all the time so it will fly by, right? :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

Hey,

What happened? Did you start your preceptorship? How is it going? Just wondering about you!! Hope all is well!

;););)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in acute care.

how are preceptorships graded? Does the nurse you are working with grade you?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics.

i know how stressful choosing your preceptorship is! i essentially had a breakdown the night before, i think mostly because our school put such a HUGE emphasis on where you would be going, working after graduation etc etc etc. well.... if you're like me at all... CALM DOWN!

then think about this-- you may not be doing this in an area in which you dream of, and thats ok. you're not locked into anything, and if you're thinking of multiple areas of specialty following graduation it could help you narrow down what you *don't* want.

personally, i chose the PICU for mine this past spring because they get everything-- burns, trauma, ortho, etc. and i figured that would be the best way to end nursing school for me. i ended up loving it and have been working in pedi med-surg for 4 months now and i think i made the right decision for myself.

also, preceptorship is awesome because the nurse that you're paired up with expects you to be there,knows you're coming, and has volunteered to precept. makes a world of difference IMO... instead of being paired up with someone new every clinical day and keeping your fingers crossed that they don't *hate* having a student.

Good luck to you!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion