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Letting go, providing more autonomy
for the student, is a challenge for the preceptor. Yet, the
student will not successfully complete the objectives if all of his
or her practice is closely supervised and assisted. Assure
yourself of the student's competence to perform each aspect of
patient management and then allow the student to perform those
aspects independently. Monitor progress through
documentation, reports from the student, and responses you obtain
from patients. Discuss and negotiate the letting go process
with the student. Find out what type of support from you will
contribute to the student's growing independence.
Davis, Sawin, and Dunn (1993)
identify the indicators in the box below as signals that the
student is ready for increased responsibility.
|
Indicators of
Student Readiness for Increased Responsibility (Letting
Go)
| 1. |
Intuitive
Indicators |
|
|
1.1 |
There is a mutual increase in
comfort, almost intuitive, a mutual decision. |
|
1.2 |
Student and preceptor build up
trust. Preceptor trusts the student not to get in over his or
her head and to be responsible for his or her own actions and
decisions. |
| 2. |
Indicators Related
to Student Performance |
|
|
2.1 |
Student proves that he or she will
not miss something important. |
|
2.2 |
There is no longer a need to review
every detail with preceptor. |
|
2.3 |
Student has proven physical
assessment skills, rechecks of the examination are
satisfactory. |
|
2.4 |
Student gives accurate clinical
presentation of significant positive and negatives. |
|
2.5 |
Data presented by the student
proves that (s)he has covered all the bases with the
patient.
(S)He has not only met all the patient's needs, but has also
not found anything wrong with the normal patient. |
|
2.6 |
Student shows ability to tie in
past experience with new skills and apply them to new
scenarios. |
|
2.7 |
Student recognizes limits of
knowledge and admits to weaknesses. |
|
2.8 |
Student asks appropriate
questions. |
| 3. |
Indicators Related
to Student Initiatives |
|
|
3.1 |
The student becomes a self-starter,
can cope with an unstructured setting or a change in
the schedule. |
|
3.2 |
Student asks for more challenging
experience, exhibits confidence. |
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A very important key to letting go
is to assure yourself that the student will recognize the need for
information or assistance and actively seek it from you or whatever
resource is appropriate.
|