New grad question.

[scrubing77]

Not sure where to put this but wanted to post and get some feed back. Ok here is the deal. Two of the girls i graduated with are working at a different hospital in the city then me. They both are working at a 12-18 bed ICU and are having a very hard time in orientation. Mind you neither one are close and i talk to both on separate times and i am hearing the same stories from both. The nurses that are orientating them are unwilling to teach, or to help guide them, they get very little help when it comes to new skills, they have both said that the nurses wont explain anything and act like it is a hassle to have them with them. Both are getting very discouraged and are thinking of looking for somewhere else to work. My advice to both to them was:

1) To go and talk to there manager or educator about the situation that way they could at least let them know they are feeling like things are not going well.

2) Or to talk to the persons who are precepting them and tell them how they feel and maybe ask if they could give them some advice. Maybe they are giving the impression that they are not stepping up to wanting to learn or maybe that is what they are portraying.

Both have said that they have not done either of these options and would think about it. I also suggested that they should come together and maybe write down how they feel and go together to the manager or educator that way it would be a better statement to show that both of them are feeling this way.

For me i feel bad because both of these girls were my study buddies during school. Both did well and both are go getters when it comes to trying new things or were in school but don't think that would have changed but could have who knows. My experience has been nothing but well, i am on a tele unit for the first 6 weeks of orientation then i go to the ICU where i will end up. Not sure if this has made a difference but i have a had a great orientation. So far the nurses are eager to help me learn. I am a go getter type always wanting to learn, I attempt or watch as much stuff as i can and ask for help when i need it.

As an after thought i have heard from them that people they know who are at other hospitals in the same system in other ICU's are not having these same issues. Anyways guess a long post but wanting other ideas.

Also if they were to leave they both asked me if on other applications if they should put this place down seeing as they will be leaving during orientations. I told them they should because the best thing is to be honest that is just me i would rather be honest then they find out on their own.

[santhony44, MSN, RN, NP]

I think you've given them good suggestions.

I think they really need to try to change the situation at the current hospital rather than just leaving.

It may be that they are just in a bad environment and will have to leave, but maybe not. Even if you (and they) think that it's nothing they have done/not done, it would also be advisable to ask the educator and/or preceptor "Is there something I need to do, or change, to make this better?"

I'm glad that things are going well for you in your own orientation!

[deeDawntee, RN]

We had two new grads start in the ICU where I work about 3 months after I started there and by far the most difficult part of it for them was the attitude of some of the nurses who felt they had no business being there as a new grad. So I always advise new grads who want to start right off in the ICU to be aware of that attitude. Even in units where they are basically accepted, there is still an underlying difficulty because of other nurses frustration. To be honest, I can see both sides of the issue. It works well when the new grad has an extended preceptorship and then takes the more stable patients for a period of time. The experienced nurses want to know they have someone to "cover their backs" when they need it with patients and feel it will be a good year before they feel they have someone who can be that backup that they are looking for as a coworker.

For your friends though, they ARE already hired. It is clear that the staff has not been prepared well enough or likely has had some bad experiences with new grads. My heart goes out to all involved. It is management's responsibility to go in there and talk to people and come up with some solutions for everyone involved. I would highly recommend that you continue to encourage your friends to talk to their manager. Undoubtedly that manager has a vested interest in seeing them succeed. (or someone in management does, perhaps that manager was forced to hire new grads and does not really care if they succeed? Just a thought. If that were the case, they may need to go above their managers head. Luckily they have power in numbers. (2) )

[scrubing77]

Yeah. I can see both sides also. I was a surgical tech for 9 years and have dealt with some of the same problems before. I was a traveler for 4 of those years. I always tried to be friendly and helpful with new techs or nurses i was training when i was a permanent staff member but had to make sure they didn't endanger the patent or hinder the surgery. As a traveler i had to prove myself and show i knew what i was doing.

The thing with these 2 girls is neither one has worked in health care before. So being new grads i don't thing they are use to having to prove yourself mentality that health care fosters. To some point I think this is a good thing because you have to make sure you are able to take care of patients with out harming them.

But i also thing that a preceptor can help guide them in doing this. Not sure if theirs are doing that seeing as i am hearing only one side of the story.