What length to get a Preceptorship

[Ms Blue Sky]

Hey lovely nurses

I'm a new grad doing learning disability nursing

Been looking for a Preceptorship and I've found two, one in a brain injury unit which sounds excellent but would require relocation to a city where I'd know nobody

Second, is tough, working with anorexic women and women with personality disorders, I'm not that trained in mental health 

They are both Preceptorships, which university advised we should take when we graduate

Three friends, one of whom is a nurse, have told me to take the "easy" job in a care home up the road working on the dementia floor, with no Preceptorship for an easier life, I've had a lot of challenges the last few years and not sure I could handle more stress - and to me this does seem the easiest, as I've been doing my final year placement in a long-term stay unit which is similar

I suppose I'm looking for reassurance you can do well without a Preceptorship, the home have said they will train me and more experienced nurses will show me the ropes as well as a manager always being on site

I will more or less have autonomy when on the floor which both excites me and scares me

I am hoping Preceptorships are over-rated LOL 

Seek your advice! thank you and love X

 

[litepath2]

Preceptorships are NOT over rated. As a new grad/NCLEX certified RN, You have met the basic competency to now LEARN about how to nurse in 'ROME'. Rome being wherever you land.

No way on earth I would have survived being a new nurse without a great preceptor. No way! Of course it was ICU, but it could have just as well been LTC. Doesn't matter in my eyes and experience.

Question. What are the protocols meant to accomplish in any given work environment for the RN?

[Ms Blue Sky]

Hello, I think there has been a misunderstanding here...as I am in the UK where I believe it is slightly different from USA

I have done my consolidation placement of five months with a mentor in a complex care unit and would not be where I am today without him - he has trained me in everything and taught me so many clinical skills, I have also learnt a lot about the culture and running of a LTC unit

Here in London there are few Preceptorships for learning disability nurses post-graduation available and I would need to relocate to a city one and half hours away from home to get an amazing one which I would love, working with adults with brain injuries ( which is what I am currently doing ) 

The care home up the road from me offers training but not Preceptorship per se and I'm rather torn about what to do 

I was just being very flippant with my comment about Preceptorships as really, I know they are very valuable

thank you for replying, I know a good Preceptorship would make the journey smoother from student to registrant, it is just a matter of whether I feel I have the strength to relocate - and I may do so, since the Preceptorship is so valuable

MBS X