Mistakes I Made While Being Precepted 

I'm so sorry to hear you're having this experience, but glad you're taking some steps to get what you need to succeed!

How long was your training if I may ask ?

I can relate to your experience so much. Like you, I also have ADHD and dyslexia, which make tasks like reading and writing more time-consuming for me. I secured a role in a telemetry/stroke MedSurg unit through a nurse residency program, only to be paired with a preceptor who was more focused on clocking out on time than mentoring me. For about two months, I was under the impression that handling minor tasks was the norm, thanks to her guidance 🤨 When it came time for my evaluation, I was ambushed with a meeting involving my nurse educator, unit manager, and preceptor. They expressed concerns about my pace. Considering I had devoted a decade to this hospital as a PCT, I found it disheartening that they seemed ready to usher me out. However, once I communicated my learning disabilities, the tune changed. I was moved to a slower-paced unit where I received the time and guidance I needed to flourish. I've not only met but exceeded my own expectations and feel immensely proud. We've all successfully completed nursing school and board exams; don't let anyone, including yourself, doubt your capabilities as a registered nurse. You're exactly where you should be.

ADHD girlie over here. Definitely made things harder!

​@Mister_MasterzRN what unit were you moved to...I have some health concerns and may benefit from a slower paced unit

Wow, thanks for sharing! I'm so, so glad this resonated and you're paying it forward. This is how we chance things!

Sofia I’m exactly in your shoes right now and listening to this video and feeling that other people relate is so relieving

I hear you!!! no one is perfect, if others can, we can do it too right? so don't feel bad coz i am also experiencing it now. It's hard but God is good.

I hope it has gotten better 🥺 so sorry you are going through that

I'm so sorry. I hope you're doing better ):

Are you able to touch base with management to let them know that you need more support? I'm sure they have no idea. I highly encourage you to advocate for yourself to ensure you get the training you need to be successful in the role!

How many patients did you get for long term care? Did you enjoy long term care settings/coworkers more than hospital Then?

It's a great field to join and you've got awesome experience to put on a resume whenever you complete the degree!

agree!

"Keep My Cool" by Benji Heard :-)

I'm so sorry to hear this. Remember, you don't have to work in a hospital - that degree is valuable! You can do a clinic, outpatient dialysis, home health, home hospice, school nursing, community nursing, telehealth, insurance companies... heck, you could even been a freelance medical writer on Upwork! It sounds like that unit wasn't a good place to be, but I promise there are other fulfilling ways you can maximize your degree and expertise while paying down debt.

Hi there! Yes, I've got a lot of ICU resources here: www.freshrn.com/critical-care-icu-nursing/

I look forward to being a preceptor in order to make a positive impact on new nurses. "Hospitals don't know how expensive it is to have crappy preceptors." Hello. Hello. My guess is even in nursing school, where I work at the moment, 8 out of 10 nursing students don't seem to have the kindness and courtesy that you would want to see in a human being. 2 out of 10 show you the kind of humanity you want to elevate, while the other 8 are passing but are only kind to their clique of friends. I don't know. I don't understand them.

Nursing is a very cliquey field, and it's quite frustrating. It's also disheartening when preceptors really kill your confidence. I'm so sorry you had that experience! Hoping there's a nursing unit out there for you to thrive in!

We made a course just for this: courses.freshrn.com/p/preceptor-pro I also have a few podcast episodes on precepting: FreshRN.com/podcast

It will be up to your manager to assign your preceptor, so often there isn't much you can do to select a great one. You'll have to go with what's assigned to you and see how it goes from there!

It depends on the complexity of the patients (ICU nurses tend to get longer orientation periods than med-surg or clinic nurses) and the hospital. Generally speaking, we're talking 3-4 months of three 12-hr shifts/week. If you are in a subspecialty (like a specific OR, labor and delivery, CVOR, or something like that) it might be longer. If your hospital is lacking resources and preceptors, it might be shorter. I've heard of as short as 8 weeks, which IMHO, is way too short.

Didn't realize this was 50 mins lololol was trying to squeeze it in while squeezing one out.

lolololololol

Accountability depends on an individual's personality, not one's sex or sexual preference. I've seen many heterosexual men who avoid accountability at all costs, and many who do not fit that categorization as highly accountable.