started 3rd week of orientation and got told by the director :(

Nurses New Nurse

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So i just started my 3rd week of orientation, but i had a meeting with my director, and my preceptor told her that i havent been keeping up the pace. its a med surg floor and constantly getting admissions and discharging patients so its really a faster paced environment that previous med surg floors that ive been at. my main concern is organizing myself. I can do the stuff but not really up to the pace that my director was expecting. I still have 3 weeks more to go with my preceptor after this week. Good thing another nurse gave me an agenda paper/guidelines on what your day would be like and i think its the answer that ive been looking for. i handled 3 patients today, and my director told me that i should be juggling 8 patients by the end of my orientation. Im really discouraged and i dont want to be replaced. The director told me that 120 new grads are waiting for my spot in case I dont meet up to her demands.. I feel like that i have what it takes to survive in that floor i just need direction on how to do so, and i dont really want to lose my job! I have a parttime job in a nursing home but i really want to have a job in an acute setting. Any suggestions? Any words of encouragement? I'm just really discouraged today. Thanks

Specializes in ED.

its been 2 weeks since i posted. I have officially resigned from the job, but i just got hired at a magnet hospital less than half the distance of the previous job!

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Specializes in Med-Surg/ ER/ homecare.

Wow...I just started on a med surg floor similar to yours. I was an LPN before, so I had some experience to help me, but we get only 6-8 weeks of orientation(even for brand new rn's) and an 8 pt load. Even nurses that have been on my floor for 5 years feel overwhelmed. It is totally rediculous. On top of that, you have to make sure everyone else does their job(ie, the sec putting orders in wrong, pharm not sending up meds, and aides not doing q1h vitals on a new post op when you asked them to). Everyday I feel like my license is on the line, but I pray it will get better. Unfortunately, there isnt anything we can do about it...

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Specializes in 1.

8 patients load!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??? That is crazy and unsafe. They should mandate a certain number of nurses and patients ratio for all nurses. For Medsurg in California the most patients a nurse will have is 5!!!! Goodness, I have a hard time managing 4 patients on medsurg/tele during my preceptorship, I would die if I had 8 patients. :bugeyes:. I am sooo glad you left that hospital, I would resign too if I was you. We are humans, not robots, 8 patients per nurse leave no time for you to actually sit down and talk to the patients. RIDICULOUS!

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.
its been 2 weeks since i posted. I have officially resigned from the job, but i just got hired at a magnet hospital less than half the distance of the previous job!

Congrats! Sounds like a better deal!

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
QUOTE=Ace587RN;4266605]. . .The director told me that 120 new grads are waiting for my spot in case I dont meet up to her demands.. I feel like that i have what it takes to survive in that floor i just need direction on how to do so, and i dont really want to lose my job! I have a parttime job in a nursing home but i really want to have a job in an acute setting. Any suggestions? Any words of encouragement? I'm just really discouraged today. Thanks

I heard something along this line at the first inservice in over two years at the place I am employed at, directed at the new nurses. "If you don't care to meet our expectations we have four or five people coming in here every day who would be happy to take your job", and similar anecdotes from others.

Sorry, I don't agree that this is helpful. It sucks the morale right out of the room, and tells the new hires something they are already well aware of. It works much better to simply hire the best of the group, and cultivate them in a positive environment rather than holding the sword above their head and giving them the impression they are nothing more than a meaningless cog in the system.

Congrats on the new job, Ace!! Best wishes!!

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