Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Get to Know Your Preceptor Whether you are about to embark on your nursing career, or you are switching to a new role or facility, developing your relationship with your Preceptor is one of the most valuable tools that you have available to you. Having a good rapport with him or her can be the difference between feeling like you are climbing Everest with, or without, a guide. They will be there to explain confusing terms, processes and procedures to you, and to support you if you feel like there are areas of your learning that you need additional help with. Building a great relationship with your Preceptor today can lead to you knowing that you have a valuable mentor for life, throughout your nursing career. These are our top five reasons for getting to know your Preceptor. 1.
Clarification
In your previous experience, you might have had different terms for equipment, procedures and important items. There might be entirely different terms, practices and expected behaviors in your new setting and your Preceptor is invaluable in helping to understand these differences. It’s crucial that you ask questions, here - if there are things that you don’t understand, or that seem different to you in your new role, your Preceptor cannot help you understand if they don’t know that you’re confused. Do not feel like asking questions will highlight your lack of experience or highlight the fact that you are ‘new’; we’ve all been there. Asking questions and getting involved with the way things are done at your new facility could be the difference between becoming a valuable member of
the team quickly or slowly (and worst case scenario, not at all). A good Preceptor will take you asking lots of questions as a good sign! Remember that knowing when to admit your limitations is an important part of any medical role - asking for help or clarification is not something to be ashamed of, it’s a crucial and valuable way of learning and contributing to your experience. Related: Top 5 Ways to Bring a Smile to a Patient’s Face 2.
Opportunities
Developing a good relationship with your Preceptor can lead to valuable opportunities and experience, which will allow you to grow as a nurse. If there are procedures in your new environment that you don’t have much experience with, or which do not seem clear to you, tell your Preceptor. Explain that you would like the opportunity to experience new things, and help with new tasks. Again, a good Preceptor will value your honesty, and also your willingness to make yourself available for new tasks and challenges. Take the time to explain if you have found a particular procedure or task tricky in the past - you may find that your Preceptor is able to arrange additional training or advice to help you find new ways of working that can help. Keep your eyes and ears open in your new environment - if you see others nurses or staff taking part in processes or procedures that you are unfamiliar with, ask your Preceptor if you are able to watch or join in at some point. Likewise, if you hear clinical or local terms that are new to you, ask her what they mean - guessing will only mean that you extend your novice period.
3.
Experience
It’s important to remember that nursing is about more than the physical patient experience. During your career, you will experience lots of situations that you may not have thought about or encountered yet, and a good Preceptor will take time to introduce you to them. S/he might talk to you about things such as work/life balance (such as times where nursing has impacted on their family or personal life), or occasions where their career has come into conflict with their own morals or judgment. It is important to take in information like this from your Preceptor, as it will very likely help you later on, or even prepare you when you face these type of challenges yourself. Similarly, if you already have concerns like these, do ask your Preceptor if s/he has already experienced them. Ask how they have coped, or what difficulties they have presented. Having the information in advance will make you feel more prepared when you find yourself in that situation, and will hopefully make it less stressful when it presents. 4.
Evaluate Your Own Self-Assessment
Talk to your Preceptor about activities that you feel confident, comfortable and capable of performing on your own and those that you still feel like you need additional support with. He or she will help you to come up with learning activities which are defined, measureable and observable, meaning that you will be able to work towards a set goal. If you are unsure which areas you are performing well in, or if you feel that you are unsure about your strengths, your Preceptor should be able to discuss with you where you need further support to broaden your knowledge. Related: How to Perfect your Nursing Resume
Don’t feel like you need to struggle on your own, or come up with your own learning plan - again, if you feel like you need more support in one or more areas, your Preceptor should be able to help you fill in the gaps with structured activities to increase your confidence and knowledge. 5.
Developing Clinical Judgment
Your Preceptor has a wealth of experience which has allowed them to develop their own clinical judgment. Some of this will come from traditional training and continuing professional development, but some of it will be from ‘on the job’ learning, and experiencing different situations and patients. Make sure that you take full advantage of this, and discuss anything that you observe them doing that you are curious about. Ask them to tell you about unusual situations and scenarios that they have learned from; no two patients are alike, and it’s usually difficult or complex situations that we need help with. Talking to your Preceptor about events that they have already had to deal with may help you in the future, when you encounter difficult or complex situations. In Conclusion: You should now be able to see why a Preceptor is just a valuable part of beginning your nursing career - they are there to hopefully help you avoid the pitfalls that they themselves encountered when starting out, and to provide emotional and moral support when times get tough. Never be afraid to ask for further advice or clarification - if you give the impression that all is well and you understand completely, it will look much worse if you make a mistake. It’s much better to admit a lack of understanding and ask for guidance and support.
Remember that a good Preceptor will also help you to navigate some of the difficulties that you will experience as a nurse that extend past the medical environment. Making time for family, difficult moral decisions and how to approach difficult situations will all be less stressful when they occur if you already know how someone else has coped with them. Take time to ask your Preceptor what they know outside of the clinical environment. Always remember that they were where you are once, and completely understand how it feels to be new. Related: International Nurses Association Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter