Our Preceptor Place columnist, Sarah Jane, has given us some sound advice on how to get to know your preceptor. Today, she shows us the other side of the coin? What if you are the preceptor? How can you make a new nurse feel comfortable?

When you are orienting new grads or nurses transferring from another unit, it is important to make them feel like they matter and count. Make them feel like you are glad to have them on your unit and that they will be a valuable asset. I am one of those people who really enjoy taking the time to get to know each person working in the unit.

You can always start by asking the standard questions and see where those questions may lead. A few examples:

• Where did you go to nursing school?
• How long did it take you to get through nursing school?
• Have you worked in the medical profession before?
• Have you worked at another hospital?
• What made you want to work in this unit?
• Why did you want to become a nurse?
• What are goals you have for your nursing career?
• Are you married?
• Do you have any kids or pets?

I know these seem like common sense questions to ask, but it really makes them feel important.

And don’t forget to spend time together outside of work. Once you click with your co-workers, you will get involved in each other’s lives. I was able to make friends quickly by bringing in candy and making baked goods like cookies and brownies. I have yet to meet someone that would turn down homemade baked goods!

At my hospital, we have people who work only the weekends, so that means for night shift they usually work Saturday and Sunday nights. And as we all know, the weekends are usually very stressful! So, on Monday mornings after our shift is over, that group goes to a local restaurant. It is just a great time for us to talk about everything both at work and in our personal lives. It is our way of getting rid of stress and usually leads to a lot of laughing.

As nurses, we will have our good times and bad times, and it is during those times that you rely on your co-workers. They become like your second family. They rejoice with you during the happy times and mourn with you during the sad times. And it is during those times when we are feeling down that I really like to do my best to let them know I am thinking about them. I like to send little cards with some candy attached or even talk to them on the phone. And it also during these times you learn to know who really appreciates you and what you do to help the unit. A little card or note in the mailbox goes a long way to let you know how valuable you are to the unit.

Way too often, you hear about the bad things that are wrong and what we need to work on to make the unit better. It is always nice to hear about the things you are doing well and to be appreciated. I hope this will help you on your way to becoming a valuable asset to your unit as well.

Editor’s note: Send questions or share your experiences with Sarah Jane, the columnist behind The Preceptor Place, at janesarah18@hotmail.com.