If you’re a nursing student or RN wondering, “What is a nurse preceptor?” you’re not alone. In short, a nursing preceptor is an experienced and competent nurse who mentors, supervises, and guides newly licensed nurses. Think of a nurse preceptor as your go-to, experienced nurse buddy. They can show you the ropes, supervise your client care, and offer guidance as you transition from student to practicing nurse. Sounds amazing, right?
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In this post, we’re going to detail the role of a nurse preceptor, so you can get a sense of how they help you make that big leap from a student to a real deal RN!
What is a Nurse Preceptor?
Let’s say you’ve just graduated from nursing school, passed the NCLEX, and gotten your first real deal RN job. So that’s it, right? Now you’re ready to be out on your own!
Well…not quite! While the knowledge you gained in nursing school is extremely valuable, there’s still a lot to learn once you get on the floor. There are protocols, policies, and just real-life nursing skills to discover! Trust me when I tell you, it’s a HUGE transition to go from book learning and clinicals to learning from your own clients.
That’s where having a nurse preceptor comes into play! Let’s go through what your relationship with a preceptor will be like, so you can see how they play such a huge role in your career.
We’ll begin with when and how RNs typically meet their nursing preceptor.
How You’ll Meet Your Nursing Preceptor
Most hospitals have a nurse residency program. During the residency program, you’ll attend relevant classes for your unit and be paired with a nurse preceptor from that floor. My advice: be wary of any hospital that doesn’t have a nursing residency. They’re designed to make the transition from student to nurse as smooth as possible. Doing it alone would be pretty tricky.
Typically, you’ll meet your nurse preceptor either during orientation or on the first day of your shift. You may not get to choose your preceptor depending on the program. While it may seem intimidating to be assigned to a complete stranger, remember their #1 priority is to help you! And usually, they’re actually trained to do that. Oftentimes, nurse preceptors have to go through a course in order to make sure they’re a good fit for the job.
Day-to-Day Life With a Nurse Preceptor
Your day-to-day life with a nurse preceptor can vary depending on program and specialty. However, you can expect your first several shifts to be observational. You become your preceptor’s shadow and follow them throughout the shift.
This is a great time to ask your preceptor questions! How do they perform this task, how would they chart this client assessment, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask—questions are expected and encouraged!
When You Can Start Becoming More Independent
After working with your preceptor for some time, both of you will decide when you’re ready to start gaining some independence. What this looks like will depend on your program and specialty. It may involve you taking on one to two clients, or administering certain medications all on your own.
It’s important to have open and honest communication with your preceptor to decide when it’s best for you to start taking on more responsibilities.
How to Deal With Feedback from Your Nursing Preceptor
As you begin to become more independent, it’s really important to embrace feedback. You’re not expected to know everything and do everything perfectly. That’s why you have a preceptor! They’re with you to make sure you’re keeping your clients safe, while at the same time, teaching you ways to improve your nursing and time management skills. It’s important to listen to their advice and view feedback as a chance to grow, not a criticism or personal attack.
Eventually, you’ll reach a point where you can handle the client load all by yourself and your preceptor will be in the background in case you need them. Once you get to this point, you’re almost ready to be on your own as a real deal RN! 👏 Don’t worry if it takes you a while to get there. Most new nurses aren’t ready for at least three months!
My Personal Experience…
I’ve had the opportunity to be on both sides of the nurse preceptor role, so let me spill the tea on what this job is really all about. 🍵
…working with a Nurse Preceptor
I’ll never forget walking onto the floor for my very first shift as a new graduate nurse. I was terrified and overwhelmed. The thought of following a complete stranger around for 12 hours was not something I felt 100% comfortable with.
Upon arrival at my unit, my preceptor greeted me and gave me a tour. She instantly alleviated a lot of my fears and I learned a ton on my first day. As the weeks progressed, I grew more confident in my nursing abilities all thanks to her.
She also introduced me to the idea of getting along with other nurses and being a solid team player. My preceptor made it clear that nursing is a group effort and depends on everyone working together to take care of our clients. As she always said, you never want to find yourself handling an emergency situation all on your own! 😮
…working as a Nurse Preceptor
After a few years as a nurse, I had the opportunity to become a preceptor. Once again, I was terrified. Could I really be a nurse preceptor? Turns out, I really love teaching! And becoming a nurse preceptor kicked off my nursing education career, which led me to where I am today.
After training several new graduate nurses, I learned a couple of things. For one, I loved when the nurses asked me questions (and a lot of them). When a new nurse did this, I felt confident they understood what it meant to be a safe nurse.
Second, attitude is everything. Being with a nurse preceptor isn’t always glamorous, but it’s so important. New nurses that had a positive attitude about the preceptorship gained a lot more skills and confidence compared to the ones that tried to rush the experience. In other words, embrace working with a preceptor. You’re only a new graduate nurse once! 💙
Final Thoughts
If you didn’t already know this, the transition from nursing student to registered nurse is a huge leap, and nurse preceptors are super important in helping you figure things out. They’re like mentors and guides, offering real-life lessons that you can’t always get in the classroom.
Whether you’re just starting out or thinking about becoming a preceptor yourself, knowing how this relationship works is key to growing your career and making sure clients get the best care. So, dive into the preceptorship experience, ask a lot of questions, and embrace the feedback. It’ll make your transition into nursing smoother and build your confidence along the way!
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