Preceptors & Preceptors & Interns Interns

A Funeral Service NecessityA Funeral Service Necessity

Preceptors & internsPreceptors & interns

•Terms definedTerms defined•Significance in funeral serviceSignificance in funeral service•Role of the preceptorRole of the preceptor•ExpectationsExpectations

What is a preceptor?What is a preceptor?

• An expert or specialist (such as a An expert or specialist (such as a physician) who gives practical physician) who gives practical experience and training to a student experience and training to a student (especially of medicine or nursing). (especially of medicine or nursing).

• A teacher; an instructor. A teacher; an instructor. • Role model / mentor.Role model / mentor.• Employer.Employer.

• Preceptors are used in clinical Preceptors are used in clinical teaching.teaching.

• Preceptors mentor and train in Preceptors mentor and train in professional education.professional education.

• Preceptors communicate knowledge.Preceptors communicate knowledge.

What is a NJ funeral service What is a NJ funeral service preceptor?preceptor?

• "Preceptor" means a duly licensed "Preceptor" means a duly licensed practitioner of mortuary sciencepractitioner of mortuary science

who is responsible for the supervision who is responsible for the supervision of an intern during the intern's of an intern during the intern's practical training periodpractical training period

& has annual case volume of 25 not & has annual case volume of 25 not including stillbirths.including stillbirths.

NJ State Board of Mortuary Science definition: (NJAC 13:36-NJ State Board of Mortuary Science definition: (NJAC 13:36-2.1(a)12.1(a)1

What is an intern?What is an intern?

• A student or a recent graduate A student or a recent graduate undergoing supervised practical undergoing supervised practical training. training.

• An advanced student or recent An advanced student or recent graduate in a professional field.graduate in a professional field.

• One trained in a profession (allied to One trained in a profession (allied to medicine) who undergoes a period of medicine) who undergoes a period of practical clinical experience prior to practical clinical experience prior to practicing the profession.practicing the profession.

NJ Funeral Service internNJ Funeral Service intern• formerly known as apprentice & traineeformerly known as apprentice & trainee

• Part of the learning process in Part of the learning process in preparation for preparation for professional professional licensure.licensure.

• Internship is Internship is notnot indentured servitude. indentured servitude.

Registered Registered traineetrainee intern intern

• Person who is duly registered with Person who is duly registered with the Board and who is engaged … in the Board and who is engaged … in learning to practice … mortuary learning to practice … mortuary science under the personal science under the personal instruction and supervision of a duly instruction and supervision of a duly licensed practitioner of mortuary licensed practitioner of mortuary science … in the State of New Jersey.science … in the State of New Jersey.

• NJSA45:7-34(i)NJSA45:7-34(i)

InternshipInternship

• 2 years2 years• 75 funerals / 75 embalmings75 funerals / 75 embalmings• 25 arrangements25 arrangements

while attending college or after while attending college or after completioncompletion

full-time or part-timefull-time or part-time

Requires monthly reports; every Requires monthly reports; every month that intern holds a card.month that intern holds a card.

Obligations & Obligations & responsibilities of a responsibilities of a

preceptorpreceptor

Obligations toObligations to::• InternIntern• Firm/Employer/Firm/Employer/

SelfSelf• ProfessionProfession• PublicPublic

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities::• LegalLegal• Moral / EthicalMoral / Ethical

LegalLegal

• Statutes (federal & state), rules & Statutes (federal & state), rules & regulationsregulations– Mortuary ScienceMortuary Science– OSHAOSHA– FTCFTC– ADAADA

• Mandated trainingMandated training

• General business law: General business law:

responsibilities & liabilityresponsibilities & liability

• Employment lawEmployment lawWage & hourWage & hour

Sexual harassmentSexual harassment

Just to name a Just to name a fewfew others others

• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)• Social SecuritySocial Security• Federal Insurance Contributions Act Federal Insurance Contributions Act

(FICA)(FICA)• MedicareMedicare• Equal Pay Act (EPA) Equal Pay Act (EPA) • Immigration Reform and Control Act Immigration Reform and Control Act

(IRCA)(IRCA)• Federal Unemployment Tax Act Federal Unemployment Tax Act

(FUTA)(FUTA)

The following additional laws apply if The following additional laws apply if you have more than 10 employees:you have more than 10 employees:

• Occupational Safety & Health Occupational Safety & Health Administration Act (OSHA)Administration Act (OSHA)

The following additional laws apply if The following additional laws apply if you have more than 14 employees:you have more than 14 employees:

• Title VII Civil Rights ActTitle VII Civil Rights Act• Americans with Disabilities Act Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA)(ADA)• Pregnancy Discrimination ActPregnancy Discrimination Act

The following additional laws apply if you have The following additional laws apply if you have more than 19 employees:more than 19 employees:

• Age Discrimination in Employment Act Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)(ADEA)

• Older Worker Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA)Older Worker Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA)• Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation

Act (COBRA)Act (COBRA)The following additional laws apply if you have The following additional laws apply if you have

more than 49 employees:more than 49 employees:• Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)The following additional laws apply if you have The following additional laws apply if you have

more than 99 employees:more than 99 employees:• Worker Adjustment and Retraining Worker Adjustment and Retraining

Notification Act (WARN)Notification Act (WARN)• Employee Retirement Income Security Act Employee Retirement Income Security Act

(ERISA)(ERISA)

Preceptors shouldPreceptors should

• Encourage the intern to assume Encourage the intern to assume responsibilityresponsibility

• Encourage questions & critical Encourage questions & critical

thinkingthinking

• Offer feedbackOffer feedbackReinforce what was done well Reinforce what was done well

Give guidance about errors and omissions Give guidance about errors and omissions

• Provide constructive commentsProvide constructive comments

Characteristics of an Characteristics of an effective preceptoreffective preceptor

• communicationcommunication

is a complex exchange of information is a complex exchange of information between the parties involved. Clear between the parties involved. Clear communication of goals is vital. communication of goals is vital.

• demonstration of skill demonstration of skill ““talk the talk” and “walk the walk.”talk the talk” and “walk the walk.”

• personable and approachablepersonable and approachable

More characteristicsMore characteristics

• transfer clinical informationtransfer clinical information• share knowledge share knowledge

but be open to views in conflict with ‘his’ ownbut be open to views in conflict with ‘his’ own• respect ideas and opinionsrespect ideas and opinions• explain the basis for actions and explain the basis for actions and

decisionsdecisions• answers questionsanswers questions• be consistent in what you say and do in be consistent in what you say and do in

relations with public and staffrelations with public and staff

Preceptors' responsibility for Preceptors' responsibility for trainingtraining NJAC 13:36-2.14 NJAC 13:36-2.14

NJ rules and regulations NJ rules and regulations charge the charge the preceptor with professional responsibility to:preceptor with professional responsibility to:

• ensure interns are thoroughly ensure interns are thoroughly trained in the theory and practice of trained in the theory and practice of mortuary science, and the laws, mortuary science, and the laws, rules and regulations pertaining rules and regulations pertaining thereto,thereto,

andand

ensure interns are ensure interns are proficient in the following proficient in the following

areas:areas:

• Removal of remains Removal of remains • Embalming Embalming • Restorative art Restorative art • Dressing and casketing remainsDressing and casketing remains

ensure interns are ensure interns are proficient in:proficient in:

• Making funeral arrangements with Making funeral arrangements with familiesfamilies, , includes selling of merchandise, taking statistical includes selling of merchandise, taking statistical information from families,information from families,

• filing death certificatesfiling death certificates,,• preparing obituary noticespreparing obituary notices and placing and placing

same with newspapers, same with newspapers, • attending viewingsattending viewings;;

interns are to be proficient interns are to be proficient in:in:

• ordering and pricing funeral ordering and pricing funeral merchandise merchandise

• arrangement of flowers arrangement of flowers • arranging for / coordinating schedule arranging for / coordinating schedule

for:for: clergy, church, crematory or clergy, church, crematory or cemetery, livery, pallbearers, cemetery, livery, pallbearers, visitation of various organizations, visitation of various organizations, transportation by common carrier, transportation by common carrier, and delivery of outer enclosures to and delivery of outer enclosures to the cemetery.the cemetery.

interns are to be proficient interns are to be proficient in:in:

• Performing such other incidental Performing such other incidental duties related to the practice of duties related to the practice of mortuarymortuary

science and the maintenance of the science and the maintenance of the funeral establishment.funeral establishment.

Anything else?Anything else?

• Preceptor must write to Board to Preceptor must write to Board to request intern application (NO request intern application (NO PHONE CALLS).PHONE CALLS).

• Preceptor must review and Preceptor must review and signsign monthly reports which are to be monthly reports which are to be submitted in a timely fashion.submitted in a timely fashion.

You mean there’s more?You mean there’s more?• Preceptor must complete a report to Preceptor must complete a report to

the Board whenever an internship is the Board whenever an internship is terminated or is completed, terminated or is completed, (e.g. intern completes training or changes (e.g. intern completes training or changes mortuaries during the internship period.) mortuaries during the internship period.)

• failure of a preceptor to file any failure of a preceptor to file any reports required by the rules will be reports required by the rules will be deemed professional deemed professional mismisconduct and conduct and will subject a preceptor to penalties.will subject a preceptor to penalties.

Intern expectationsIntern expectations

• What do interns expect from the What do interns expect from the intern experience?intern experience?

• Opportunity to learnOpportunity to learn– Includes instruction & tactful disciplineIncludes instruction & tactful discipline– Exposure to all aspects of the professionExposure to all aspects of the profession

(the good (the good andand the bad; the clean the bad; the clean andand the the dirty)dirty)

What is instruction?What is instruction?

•Explain expectationsExplain expectations– Funeral home policiesFuneral home policies– Dress codeDress code– Do’s / do not’sDo’s / do not’s

• Learning is an on-going process and Learning is an on-going process and many people learn best by many people learn best by doing/observingdoing/observing

InstructionInstruction

•Consistent instructions Consistent instructions ((in in writingwriting?)?)

•Meaningful tasksMeaningful tasks(employees need to understand the (employees need to understand the importance of their work to overall importance of their work to overall organizational success)organizational success)

Tactful disciplineTactful discipline

• Interns are people and people Interns are people and people do make mistakes.do make mistakes.

• Interns want to do their work Interns want to do their work correctly and must be correctly and must be corrected if they make errors.corrected if they make errors.

-corrected by a professional, in a -corrected by a professional, in a professional mannerprofessional manner

SummarySummary

• Licensees who agree to be Licensees who agree to be preceptors should understand what preceptors should understand what is expected of them.is expected of them.

• Not every licensee should be an Not every licensee should be an preceptor.preceptor.

(but every preceptor was an intern!)(but every preceptor was an intern!)

RememberRemember

• This is the year 2011. Life/the world This is the year 2011. Life/the world is not the same as it was 20-30 years is not the same as it was 20-30 years ago.ago.

• Good internships are not necessarily Good internships are not necessarily a clone of your intern experience.a clone of your intern experience.

The future of our The future of our profession?profession?

• Funeral Service needs quality personnelFuneral Service needs quality personnel

• We must encourage individuals with the We must encourage individuals with the skills and aptitude for our profession.skills and aptitude for our profession.

• We can do this through effective We can do this through effective training of interns.training of interns.(Training which includes academic (Training which includes academic preparation preparation andand practical application.) practical application.)

Those who are Preceptors have an Those who are Preceptors have an obligation to effectively train the obligation to effectively train the intern;intern;

an obligation to the intern, an obligation to the intern,

to the profession & to the profession &

to the public. to the public.

With a little effort, internship and With a little effort, internship and

preceptorship can be an experience preceptorship can be an experience

of value for all.of value for all.

Questions?Questions?

Thank youThank you

• Robert C. Smith IIIRobert C. Smith III

DirectorDirector

Funeral Service ProgramsFuneral Service Programs

Mercer County Community CollegeMercer County Community College