So, apparently when Hood Hospital 2 was like "we might give you an intern" the meant TOMORROW. So I have a baby nurse with me now guys, learning all my profanity laden hood rat ways. Oh man. I tried to be professional for like, 2 hours, and then the floor was giving my intern crap about taking report and I was like "put those bitches on the phone right now, I will go up there and cut them if I have to" and just like that, the facade was OVER. Luckily, my intern is amazingly super awesome. Like so much smarter than I was at that stage in my career. But she doesn't know how awesome she is, so she is still super cautious and humble, which makes her ever more awesome. And she has some life experience and isn't totally naive and dumb like I was when I started, so she doesn't mind the fact that I'm potty mouthed and ghetto. I almost feel like it's making precepting too easy for me.
But I get to teach her all the experienced RN type of nuggets. Like, we're working on doorway assessments, the right stuff to say to patients and docs to make them happy, and charting tricks to cover your butt. And I see the gears turning in her head and it makes me super happy. It helps that she actually has clinical experience, so I don't have to try to find the words to try to explain how to start an IV or something.
I was so stressed out about precepting a new grad after my own experience. My first preceptor gave up on me so fast, and she was so hardcore and so unhelpful that I worried I would swing the other direction with my own new grad and help too much and be a huge softie, and end up releasing somebody who wasn't ready or wasn't cut out for the ER. Although I may still be a bit of a softie, I have no doubts that this gal can handle it. And somehow I feel a little more confident in myself being able to verbalize what exactly to look for when dealing with a sick patient. I'm glad I've waited this long- I'm not sure I would've been ready when Hood Hospital 1 started throwing this out to me as an option. So yeah. Precepting is rad. And I'm making an effort to help out the on their own baby nurses, and another friend is coming over from Hood Hospital 1, so maybe we'll just take this bitch over.
I know my optimism may be silly, but it's how I do. I just miss the strange tough positivity and kindness that shaped my nursing career when I started. I'm gonna sneak in here and make it happen again.
Unfortunately we don't get to do an ER rotation in our clinical, but if we did I would LOVE to have you as my preceptor!!! I'm sure you are going to be a great inspiration to these newbies. My favorite preceptors are new nurses b/c they haven't forgotten yet how it is to be in nursing school. The worst preceptors are the ones who are burnt out, or who think they are too good to waste their time with you. That nursling was lucky to have you!!
ReplyDeleteI love that you might be able to take over and change culture that seems built in. I know it's not but it seems entrenched and hard to swim against and YET !!! there you are !~! Go grrrrl.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, I hope you're able to make this hospital a better place to work for yourself and others.
ReplyDeleteIt's better to have someone who will have those "honest" conversations with a new nurse than to let them believe that they're doing an alright job then side slap them that they suck.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have it right, and you may even convince her to join your "group" there in the ER and have your back in the end and you can swing the pendulum in the ER to your way and change the culture there.
I sincerely hope that I have someone like you as my preceptor when the time comes. I'm ending my sophomore year in nursing school and it is really encouraging to read your blog. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings with us. :-) It is also encouraging to me to see that you want to be a part of the solution rather than just walking away before trying. I think that having that kind of optimism is what will keep the human race from completely devolving as sometimes I think we are going to do. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely LOVE my preceptor (wanted ER or ICU, got PACU). It's so nice to see someone who is excited about taking on a student, as I feel that most nurses just eat their young. They don't ever remember being in the student's spot, and absolutely scared shitless so they're rude. Luckily, my preceptor is awesome and not like that. I wish you were my preceptor though, I think that would be a dream.
ReplyDeleteRemember, just as it's always easier to get forgiven than to get permission, it's also easier to subvert the culture that to ask it to voluntarily change.
ReplyDeleteRock on, and remember to only use your powers for good, and not evil.
For the record, when The Powers That Be are evil, anything that either undermines them or pisses them off is good. Just don't leave fingerprints.
I love your enthusiasm as a preceptor AND your excitement for your student's potential. I spent over 15 years as a high school teacher and am heading into PA school. I can only hope that my training and mentoring will have the same enthusiasm and attitude as you do; one who takes the opportunity to really TEACH both the content/skill and the reality of the environment in which one will be functioning...as opposed to treating the opportunity as a fraternity/sorority hazing ritual rife with humiliation.
ReplyDeleteRemember, you're creating your future co-workers. You can either have them hate you or be an integral part of your team. Looks like you're choosing the latter route. GOOD FOR YOU! :)
I'm so excited to know, how did it go?
ReplyDeleteOo, I'm rhyming. Cos that's how I roll.
I start precepting tomorrow (night shift med-surg at a small town hospital) and I pray my preceptor is as cool as you!
ReplyDeleteThat will be ME in 38 days!! Too bad I can't have YOU for my preceptor. The one I had while rotating through the ER was blunt but at my age, I wasn't offended. She promised me she wouldn't let me really hurt anybody but she pushed me out of that nest faster than I was comfortable with. But guess what? I flew. ;)
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