Tips for the busy preceptor- teaching while balancing patient care!
Resources:
Embracing challenges of precepting: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4062747/
Managing your time as a preceptor: http://ushp.org/resources/Documents/Sebranek%20Evans_USHPMidwinter2018_2ppHandout_FINAL.PDF
-Planning
-My schedule is that I have three students at a time and they are with me all day every day for 8 weeks. So, planning is essential.
-My best piece of advice, and it may just be me, is to over-plan
-I plan out the calendar in advance and give it to the students on the first day. It is, of course, subject to change. However, it shows them my expectations up front and allows them to (hopefully) manage their time. I even include when the drafts of presentations are due and any meetings that I would like for them to attend.
-One of my best tips when it comes to planning is to provide more assignments/activities than you think is necessary. Our health science students are amazing-they are driven, have strong work ethics, and are eager to learn. The last thing I want is a bored student. Of course, the ideal is a student who is self-motivated to read the latest journal in their free time, but I think it is important to have more activities in mind rather than fewer.
-By having sufficient independent work for your students, it also helps you as the preceptor to feel less overwhelmed. In the time that they are working independently, you can be preparing for your next committee meeting, working on an IRB proposal, responding to emails, etc.
-Students can certainly help with any projects that you have, but also don’t feel like you need to originate all of their work. Before my students arrive, I reach out to several colleagues at my institution. I reach out to my physicians, pharmacy leadership, nursing leadership, and our infection preventionist. I tell them that I will have three students for x number of months and they would be happy to work on any handouts, case reviews, etc-basically whatever has been sitting on that person’s desk for a while. Our students may not do the project perfectly, but it at least gives the person a draft to work from. I think this does a few things. It reinforces the value of our students to others within the hospital and it reinforces the value of the work to the students. It is not just busy work for them to complete, it actually matters to someone (who may be outside of pharmacy). As an example, my students are working on a patient case review for an upcoming quality meeting, a brochure for a new drug at the infusion center, and a handout for staff on our C diff testing process. I coordinated the initial meetings/emails about these projects and then met with everyone involved to discuss deadlines. I think it is a win-win.
-Patient care
-Establish expectations
-Be VERY specific-exactly how many patients they should work up, what time (to the minute) they should be ready, and what information they should be prepared to give you
Read the full transcript at www.twopillspodcast.com !