PRECEPTORSHIP:

Two second-year nurses
in the BCIT nursing program
are currently doing their
preceptorships (mini intern-
ships) at Mills Memorial Hos-
pital. Both Trudy McLean-
and Sonja Reschke began
their two-year nursing pro-
grams at Northwest Commun-
ity College as participants in
the Remote Access Program.
They then went on to BCIT for
a second year. After November
of this year, it will be possible
to take both years of the two-
year program toward the
Registered Nursing qualifica-
tions locally.

From the first week of
September to the first week
of December, both McLean
and Reschke are doing 16
weeks on the medical-surgery
ward and eight weeks on
maternity. By the end of their
preceptorships, they will be
considered graduate nurses.
They will then write their
registered nursing examin-
ations in January.

Sonja is currently working

in the maternity ward. Trudy

Experienced —
nurses give
time to students

is working with Sherri War-

ren in the med-surgery ward.

The preceptors (on-the-job
teachers) give the student
nurses assignments of a

number of patients. Their

care, and providing guidance
to the student nurse, are still
the ultimate responsibility of

the RNs.

Sherri Warren, Trudy’s
preceptor, explains, “The
preceptor has a full nursing
work load, in addition to
being a preceptor. In the
first four weeks of the pre-

ceptorship, the student.

nurse is supervised at every
stage of care of the patients.
It is also a time to assess her
nursing skills. In the second
four weeks, I am still ulti-
mately responsible for the
patients’ care, but I act more
as a resource person. Trudy
provides the hands-on care.”
Sherri has been an RN for
four years. She did her pre-
ceptorship as a student
nurse in Manitoba and both
she and her preceptor found

it a most rewarding experi- -

ence. This is her chance to
give of herself the same way
her preceptor did for her. “T

Terrace Review —— Wednesday, October 9, 1991 23

During a recent stay in Mills Memorial Hospital patient Lee Kirkaldy got acquainted
with the preceptorship program. She is shown here with (left to right) student.
Trudy McLean, preceptor Sherri Warren and Mrs. Dvorak, the floor nurse.

think the primary goals of
the preceptorship are to
learn organization and pri-
ority setting. These come
with time and experience,”
notes Sherri.

Trudy adds, “It’s a won-
derful opportunity for a stu-
dent nurse to make the tran-
sition from theory and total
supervision to the role of a
registered nurse. We (the
preceptor and the student)
switch roles. Sherri offers
patience, guidance and sup-

port.” Trudy notes proudly
that education and academic
support is always available
in nursing.

Throughout the precep-
torship, Trudy and Sherri
work closely together with
on-going feedback. On the
fourth day of their four-day
rotations, they have a brief
meeting to discuss the care
of their 12 to 15 patients on
a 12-hour shift. They both
love-the 12-hour shifts which
allow rapport and continuity
with patient care. They feel
well rested with five days off
after a four day rotation.

As part of the preceptor-
ship program, they also do
regular reports which are
sent back to Trudy’s instruc-
tor, Kathy Quee, at BCIT:

Kathy will visit Mills Memo-
rial Hospital and her precep-
tor students three times dur-
ing the preceptorship.

Sherri notes that the pre-
ceptor student nurse learns
to delegate during her pre-
ceptorship, a skill she’ll need
when working as_an RN with
an LPN {licensed practical
nurse).

Trudy has been affiliated
with the medical profession

system.

the doctor.

She's wrong.’

Nursing shortages. Hospital bed
closures. Emergency ward line-ups.
Surgery waiting lists. Higher
medicare premiums...

For the past five years, Social Credit
has been chipping away at our medicare

And now Rita Johnston wants to take .
the next step to an American system --
where wealth determines the quality of
your care -- by imposing new user fees
and making us pay every time we visit

Our medicare system is too impor- : 6 an
tant to let Rita Johnston tear it down.

“Paid fot by the Committes to Elect Helmut Glesbeectt

There's a better way... with properly
staffed hospitals and health care avail-
able when and where it's needed.

New Democrats will get B.C.'s health
~ care back on track.

Save our health care from
Rita Johnston's new user fees.

Vote New Democrat.

Say ‘no’ to Rita Johnston's new
health care user fees.
It's time for a change.

ELECT

Democrat

-HELMUT
GIESBRECHT

New

#2 - 4623 Park, Terrace - 635-4146
224 City Centre, Kitimat - 632-4184

ea Speen

ihe no
ae

~~

cre ame te e
Sel at i ee ee

weg

ey

Abie Md glk altar 48 .

rd

~ ae enti UR pie elie eg PRE See in

ine Saree

sas pln rap He” AI Tay SAR in tine PRR oS Se dw

weet op

Pe en rill Mn A I OOD od ome

deg cane ne be