New Nurse Orientation Tips: How to Work With Your Preceptor (and Get the Most Out of It)
Your preceptor isn't grading you. They're handing you the keys. Make it easy for them.
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Orientation is the only time in your career someone is paid to stand next to you and teach. Use every minute.
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Hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission must orient staff on hospital-wide and unit-specific policies and procedures and on their specific job duties, and must document it (Joint Commission, National Performance Goals Effective January 2026, NPG.12.05.01, digitalassets.jointcommission.org/api/public/content/9ca8005). But the real learning happens shift by shift with your preceptor.
Good preceptor relationships run on clear expectations. Agree on goals each week, ask for feedback often, and say early if the pace isn't working. If the match isn't working at all, it's OK to ask your educator or manager for help.
Practical takeaways:
- Set one or two goals with your preceptor at the start of every shift.
- Ask for feedback at the end of the shift: "What's one thing I did well and one to work on?"
- Keep a running list of skills you haven't seen yet, and ask to be pulled in when they come up.
- If the relationship isn't working, talk to your educator early and calmly.
Link idea: https://jobs.rnsignal.com/jobs/search/rn-jobs?utm_source=rnsignal&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=new-grads&utm_content=nurse-orientation-preceptor-tips
Sources: Joint Commission NPG (2026), link above
New-grad and residency job category pending on the board.