What to choose for preceptorship?

[smallnurse10]

I am graduating in the fall and am in the process of choosing an area for my preceptorship. I like L&D and was hoping to do that, but no one in my area is hiring for specialty areas. I would be really lucky to even get a med-surg job, so I'm just not to sure what to choose that will be most beneficial for the future. In addition to L&D I like the ER and that would be my second choice in a perfect world. Based on this info what do you think would be a good area for me?

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

i would go with l&d since that is your main interest. yes, your area may not be hiring at this time. however, you can make friends with the people on the floor and impress the hiring managers so that they make an exception for you when you graduate. in other words, this preceptorship can be your foot-in-the-door that is closed to others! if this is too scary an option (or too big a risk), then land a med surg position that may be a better guarantee to future employment. gl!

[netglow, ASN, RN]

I look at this a bit differently because I am right in the midst of the bad economy. OP, do you have to put in your requests this early? Or, are you pondering. If you have the summer to think it over, then wait and re-eval once school starts. What to do between now and then, is get some email/phone info of classmates who will graduate this term. This way you can monitor the market thru them.

If the market is still bad, here's what I'd do (and what I did) throw caution to the wind and go for the L&D. Here's why: there's a very slim chance your preceptorship will gain you a job in this market. You can use it however to check that you still really love L&D. In preceptorship you will be there for many weeks, and if the "wheels" are gonna fall off, they will in that time. What I mean is that everybody being on their toes might last a week or two. Then you see very clearly what is right and wrong with the unit and why. It will be clear as a bell. Never will you be able to see so clearly again. People get so sloppy and careless with students around, they let things slip. This is a golden opportunity to see if you still want L&D, but maybe not at this facility or maybe they are wonderful and you do want to work there. Thing is you can see them for what they are worth, as well as check your dream out to see if you had any misinformation and dreamy ideas of what that kind of job would be like.

I used my preceptorship totally for that purpose, which is not the way it is intended really. Most important is, you'd hate to be wishing away that some day you'll get into L&D, work for years to get it, and then find out you absolutely hate every last thing about it once you finally land that supposed dream job.

IMHO.

[lillybellsmom]

Hey! I'm starting my preceptor this Thursday at L&D...I'm so scared but excited at the same time. I thought that I should just select med surg (that is what our instructors wanted for each of us anyway) because I could continue doing everything that I was used to doing on a medsurg floor instead of a specialty floor, but in the end, I went with my heart and requested L&D and got it. My instructor told me that with the current job market, it might be an opportunity for future employment if they like me and see that I am competent. I'm told by nurses all of the time that once you (finally) do get a job, you will learn how they do things on that unit so I'm hoping that I made the right decision too! Good luck to you and I'll keep you posted how L&D is in my world.

[ReWritten]

How does your school determine preceptor spots? My class is 130 people, and they determine ours based on our HESI scores and what clinical faculty have reported on us. The only people in my class that got L&D were people who scored extremely high in the OB HESI and did well in the class.

I personally think you should chose the one you're most interested in, that way you can get a feel if this is the area you really do want to work in after graduating. However, given the economy, you might not be hired into an OB position, as the case for my friend last year. She precepted Postpartum and ended up getting a job on a neuro floor and was completely lost for a while because she didn't precept on a med/surg floor.

Given that case, I think med/surg would be better... but really, I don't think it matters. I precepted in Neuro ICU, and I've yet to find it giving me an advantage over other applicants so far in my job search.

[smallnurse10]

Thank you all for the replies. Unfortunately, I do have to put in my preceptorship request before the summer so that spots can be arranged for the fall. We take the summer off. I live in Las Vegas and have come to terms that I will have to move out of state to get a job. So many new grads in the area and a lot of new grads from out of state with no jobs to speak off. If no one thinks it will affect me in my new grad employment pursuits to have not done my preceptorship in med-surg then I think I will just choose L&D. I will take any job when I graduate. I'm not picky I just want to be employed so I guess my last school rotation should be an enjoyable one. Thanks to all you!

To the last poster - My school also has around 130 students. Our preceptorships are chosen based on our grades. My grades are good so I feel confident that I will get the placement that I want. Also, we have more than 10 hospitals to choose from and not everyone loves L&D as I do so that helps narrow the field down quite a bit.