Good precepting nurses, like Hoa Le, make those around them shine.
When Le was asked to be a preceptor and train nurses new to her Bone Marrow Transplant/Oncology unit at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, she took to the assignment with a passion for both patient care and policy.
Co-worker Desmon Devery remembers many mornings when Le would come in with worksheets and checklists she had created on her own the night before to help simplify procedures so new nurses like herself could focus on patient care. Le’s manuals were so complete that Devery now uses them to train other nurses.
Le said she wants to make sure nurses follow the right procedures from the very beginning, but also that they do their jobs with integrity and honesty. She believes care should be given as if the patient were a loved one.
“There are so many instances where she has loved on our patients above and beyond any nurse I have ever seen,” Devery wrote in her Celebrating Nurses nomination.
For Le, being a preceptor is a way for her to give back to a profession she loves. She became a nurse 2 ½ years ago as a second career, after first working in neurobiology research then being a stay-at-home mom. Le said she never envisioned going into patient care until a volunteer job at a medical center opened her mind to the possibility. Those around her saw that she had a gift and a passion for patient care and encouraged her to pursue a nursing career. She went back to college for a nursing degree when her children were in high school.
Now, when Le trains new hires she remembers what it was like when she started. Everyone at Northside helped her, and they all worked as a team. Le still embodies that can-do spirit and is persistent in offering to help those newly trained nurses even after they are off on their own.
“I love nursing because I get the honor and the privilege to be part of my patient’s journey,” Le said. “It’s beautiful when just a caring touch or word can make a connection. It’s a profession that never stops giving.”
