Working as a Preceptor

What is a Preceptor?  The dictionary defines a preceptor as “an expert or a specialist who gives practical experience and training to a student (or new hire), especially in medicine or nursing”.  A Caregiver Preceptor is an experienced caregiver who serves as a role model and a “buddy” to a new employee during orientation.

WHAT DO ADULT LEARNERS NEED?

• Adult learners need a couple of factors in place to learn effectively.  They are:
• Comfort:  Adults must be comfortable—physically and psychologically—before they are able to learn new things.  If a new employee seems nervous, try to resolve the anxiety first.  Concentrate on introducing the new employee to the other staff members or let the employee have some quiet time to read.
• Energy:  Adults must have enough energy to learn new things.   If a new employee is ill or under stress, it will affect his or her ability to learn.  Try to be sensitive to a new employee’s “body clock.”  For example, does this person seem to learn better first thing in the morning or after lunch?
• Motivation:  Adults must have a reason for learning new information.  For new employees, the reason is usually clear:  they want to do well at their new job!  You can help build on this motivation by making sure they understand what is expected of them.

WHEN PRECEPTING A NEW EMPLOYEE, REMEMBER TO:

• Be prepared: The success of your training depends almost entirely on your preparation!  It’s not enough to simply let a new employee “tag along” and watch you do your regular job.
• Set Clear Goals:  If a new employee will be observing you during client care, decide ahead of time what you want the new employee to learn.  
• Be efficient: Every part of your training should have a purpose. 
• Present the big picture:  Don’t just review a procedure with a new employee . . . explain why a procedure has to be done a certain way.
• Review the steps:  Make sure you know all the steps first.  Then, go over the steps with the new employee.  It may be helpful to some learners to say the steps back to you before attempting to perform a new skill on a client.
• Respect Prior Knowledge:  Don’t start from scratch if a new employee has years of experience as a nursing aide. 
• Ask a lot of questions:  Asking questions is how you find out what the new employee knows and doesn’t know.