Ask an NP – Working with Preceptors

00:01 So my biggest tip for working with preceptors, when you're an NP student is knowing what you still need to learn.

00:06 It is much easier. I've precepted a lot of students, and it was much easier if they came to me and they said, "Hey, Liz, I need to learn how to do a Pap smear.

00:13 I want to learn how to see like manage someone with insulin, with their diabetes.

00:20 I want to see these are the things I want to know.

00:22 Versus if they came and said, like, I'll take whatever.

00:25 So the biggest thing you can do in order to help your preceptor helped you is to even look over the caseload of the day and be like, I want that one, that one and that one, while still being receptive of their feedback, because sometimes will try to protect you.

00:36 And you're like, you really, that's probably not the one you want to walk into right now.

00:39 Not being offended. It's usually just that there's a social dynamic.

00:43 They might be saving you from someone where you're gonna walk in, and they're gonna talk to you for like 15 minutes before you can escape.

00:49 So being receptive when they say, "Ooh, not that one." but also really putting it out there and being like, "I want to learn this skill. How can you help me?" And even asking if you're in an office setting, who else can they connect you with? You know, I worked with a couple amazing physician assistants when I was precepting, because I put it out there and I was like, I want to learn as many skills as you possibly can.

01:10 And they were able to connect me with other people and they were like, "That guy really likes cutting people up and I was like, "Send me there." And so you learn things that way too.