Will be spent in various classes! AARgh! I start May 31, and won't get to see a patient until July! I have to take the hospital orientation (several days), a critical care course (which includes taking ACLS), and Kaplan review.

Darn! I wanted to see a patient! I bought cute scrubs and I can't wear them til July???? LOL.

Congrats on graduating soon. You made it

Don't worry, time will go by fast. I was wondering where did you get your cute scrubs from? and what color?

A little advice from a new grad just weeks ahead of you...

Enjoy the time to learn in the classroom. It may be too hectic to teach you anything once you're on the floor.

I agree some things you can only learn by doing. However, some need to be learned before you get there...

Me too. I start in the ED and have a week of hospital orientation, a week of unit orientation, a week of ACLS, a week of PALS, a week of monitor class and then I finally get to see patients. I hope I pass boards.

I graduated in Dec 2002 and started work in the Peds ICU in Jan and spent the first month in classes. I was frustrated and thought there is no way I can do this. It is good info and try to concentrate. However, having said that, from experience, it was kinda "over my head" until I actually got in the unit and just did it. Now, after having been on the unit for a while, I understand what was being taught. Good luck & hang in there.

You will definitely appreciate the "learning" time once you begin.

Remember that nursing school does not prepare you at all for what you will be seeing and doing.

Please check back in with us after the month and let us know how you feel. And especially after your first week on the floor.

You can probably still wear your scrubs to class if you want. :)

Congratulations, Rose! My orientation doesn't start until June 6th - I've been out of town. Let us know how your first day went!! :)

I know that going to MORE classes sounds like that LAST thing you want to do, but take it from a DEC04 grad - the alternative could be like what happened to me......

NO orientation - 2 weeks with a supervisor and, HELLO new RN - "page me or ask one of your co-workers if you have a question" - IF I HAVE A question - get real - I have a question about every 3 minutes, or so it seemed - than there's the "battle of the staff nurses vs. superviors" - supv think that staff should precept new nurse and staff nurses think that supvs should do it - end result, a very frustrated, stressed, scared new grad nurse who WISHES she was in a class------so, enjoy it while it lasts - you will be in the "trenches" soon enough!

Conrats on the new job though :)

Rose - how's the new job going so far? I know we want to get in there and work, and then we find out there's MORE classroom time lol, but I'm sure you're learning a lot! Hope it's going good for you!

You will find that all hospital nursing jobs have some orientation requirements. It is the time for the nursing education department to get you educated on policies and procedures. This is important because you will be doing things the hospital's way or it's the highway. You should be in a training program for at least 6 months if you're going into ICU.

Now, that you're a seasoned employee of 9 days, how's it going?