Group 1, Section A- Newly Hired Nurse
New Grad without Experience
As a new graduate without experience, I know that a preceptor is someone who will assist me in learning the policies and procedures of my new nursing job for as long as my orientation takes place. A mentor is someone who I may be able to refer to in the future once my formal training is completed. My mentor will help support me and guide me in my work which I am sure will be necessary once I start my new job. I am very nervous to begin this endeavor and I hope that I can receive appropriate training. I expect my preceptor to teach me where equipment is located on my unit and help me learn the ways of documentation. I am sure there is a lot that goes into being a nurse that I am not even aware of and I just really hope that my preceptor helps me feel confident in my work. Finkelman (2016) states “When staff get the orientation they need, they are usually more satisfied in their jobs, thus boosting retention and positively impacting continuous quality improvement efforts” (p. 223). I have high expectations from my mentor in that I hope I can go to them if I have questions or need help with difficult situations. I know my coworkers and manager will be there to help me, but I may feel more comfortable to go to my mentor if I need guidance.
As a new nurse, I am not sure how long it will take me to master the skills of being on my own. I will have to take into consideration the time it takes me to learn where equipment is, charting, how and when to call the doctor, and knowing when a patient is going downhill, just to name a few. I am just worried about doing a good job and making sure everyone is safe. I am guessing that two to three months would be an appropriate amount of time to build the skills and confidence I need to work on my own. Other facilities I know have a six to eight week orientation program where they work with their preceptor in learning the job, and I think that six weeks is too short of a time. I am sure no matter how long I spend with my preceptor, I will still be worried about being on my own. A two to three month amount of time spent with a preceptor may not seem cost beneficial to the facility or realistic, but it would ensure that I know exactly what to do it most situations. As far as mentoring goes, I hope to forever retain one because I am sure that situations will arise constantly that I will seek advice about.
If I get to work and I do not feel that I am receiving adequate training for my position, I will be afraid to move along in my work at this establishment. What if I receive advice from someone there who also does not know what to do because of poor training? Who can I turn to that knows the right procedures? If my preceptor or mentor is not training me appropriately or I feel that I am left on my own, I may have to let my manager know about it and request someone else to help me.
If my preceptor has a conflict of personality with me, I will try to push through it for as long as I can since I am new. I do not know the field as well as they do, so I need to just stick it out for my career. If my mentor and I do not get along, I will probably have to talk to my manager about it because since my mentor is more of a long-term working relationship, I want to make sure that there are no barriers to me expressing myself to them.
New BSN Grad with Experience
As a new BSN graduate with experience, I feel comfortable in my role as a nurse knowing that I am aware of the basics of nursing, but I have built a stronger understanding of leadership and ancillary roles. Since I already have a background in nursing, I will not expect much of my preceptor that I do not already know. I may need to build in my preparation for job advancement in the future if that is what I decide to do, but my position as a BSN nurse as opposed to an ADN nurse is not changing. I do however, expect my mentor to understand that my knowledge advancement may cause me to rely less on his or her assistance. I am not saying that I will never need help or guidance again, but my newfound education has made me a better-rounded nurse. My preceptor would simply be available to help me learn where things are around the facility, new protocols, and charting if it is different than where I came from.
Sarver, Cichra & Kline (2015) explain “nurses value furthering professional education, but require assistance from nursing leadership to be successful” (p. 156). This statement helps me to believe that although I am not a new nurse, I will still need to have a mentor in my role as a BSN nurse. A preceptor is someone who helps orient me to my job, so since I have already went through that part at my old job, I expect this to take a couple weeks at most. I really need my mentor or manager to help build me up for more of a leadership role. I do not expect to need a preceptor for a large amount of time, but I feel that a mentor is someone I can look up to for the life of my career. This is realistic because since healthcare changes in so many ways, I may not always have the answer to best perform in my job without help.
If I am not receiving adequate help from my mentor I will certainly speak to my manager about securing someone else for that role. I have been a nurse long enough that I am not afraid to speak my mind if something does not seem right even though I am new to this facility. I do not really see myself having a problem with a mentor, because I think I am a likeable person, but I will certainly look elsewhere for a mentor if I do not get the training or information I need.
If I have a conflict of personality with my mentor, again, I will ask to be partnered up with someone else. It is really important that I have someone to report to that will assist me with honesty and companionship, even if I do not need assistance very often. I feel that my mentor and I should be able to work together in coming up with solutions to problems as well as building a friendly relationship for the duration of our careers. I feel like my manager would also play a huge part in helping me along the way in building my skills to later obtain a higher position.
Karissa Marshall
References
Finkelman, A. W. (2016). Leadership and management for nurses (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Sarver, W., Cichra, N., & Kline, M. (2015). Perceived benefits, mtivators, and barriers to advancing nurse education: removing barriers to improve success. Nursing Education Perspectives (National League For Nursing), 36(3), 153-156. doi:10.5480/14-1407
