[pattyweb]

New grad orientation is a max of 6 months. We spent about 2 weeks in the classroom at the beginning. Most of us are completing orientation after 4.5-5 months. We have a preceptor we work with the majority of the time, once we are well on our own, we have a resource person on the staff to go to in case we have problems or questions. Our current orientation program was set up with a grant that the hospital is no longer receiving.

I have heard rumors, however, that the next group of new grads will have 4 months.

[JCL APN]

Currently we keep new grads on orientation for 6-8 weeks or longer if needed but we are putting together a new grad unit where they will start on this unit and stay as long as they need to do this. Has anyone else used this concept of an orientation new grad unit?
Thanks Toni

[bubbly]

I am still on orientation for the NICU and I think it's great. 2 weeks of hospital orientation (i.e., going over benefits, learning the computer system, instilling hospital pride, etc., which didn't need 2 weeks but I did get paid ) 1 week of NICU classroom time. 5 weeks in level 2 NICU internship. Another 1 week of NICU classroom time. 5 weeks in level 3 NICU internship. 12 weeks of level 3 NICU orientation. Which totals to be about 6 months. I am also the only intern who has had the same preceptor for the entire time I have been on the floor. She is great and really knows my strengths and weaknesses and I learn a lot from her. I feel lucky to have a great orientation program so that at least the first half of my first year in nursing isn't so bad. I just hope I learn enough by the end of this year so that I can work comfortably without a preceptor.

[finallyiamanurse]

I work in a very small rural hospital 11 acute beds with a 3 bed ER. My orientation to the floor was suppose to be 6 weeks but ended up only being 1 week (almost) but I was working with one other nurse that I could go to with any problems or concerns I wasn't much help to her when she had patients in the ER. Even though I think it made think more on my own and made me learn faster You know how it is in nursing baptism by fire.

[djmRN]

The orientation process in the hospital I just left varied from unit to unit depending on staffing needs. In the critical care areas (SICU, MICU, NICU, Tele, ER) there was a combination of classroom & bedside orientation. In the classroom, they were taught how to read rhythm strips, critical care meds, some A&P and ACLS. The orientation program was designed to last 4 months, and up to 6 months for those who needed a little extra time. HOWEVER....several factors changed this: if an experienced nurse felt she/he did not need the entire length of orientation, they could opt to come off bedside orientation - they had to continue to attend the classroom portion and get signed off on any skills they had not yet completed. Also, staffing issues, especially on the renal & tele floors dictated the length of orientation. I saw many new grads taken off orientation too early just to fill a shortage on that shift.

[momo03]

I have just accepted a position in a Federal Medical Center with a new grad. orientation of up to 6 months. I am under the impression that if you are deemed ready to be on your own you don not have to go the full six months.

[baldee]

Forgive me for saying, but long orientation programs just SEEMS like a way to keep average pay levels down for the same work you will get AFTER orientation.

A long orientation program does not mean you are trained any more, except by experience alone. You are just getting paid less for doing the same exact job. Tell the company that you'd like to see the customer have the same discount charged to them, as your training pay %. And watch their reaction (they can screw you, but...).

Long orientation equals lower pay. This is common in the trucking industry as well. Better or higher paying companies will have short orientation programs.

And anyway, EVERY thing is negotiable.

[Piki]

Long orientation equals lower pay.

Not where I work. You don't get a different pay scale for being on orientation vs. off.

[baldee]

Originally Posted by Piki

Not where I work. You don't get a different pay scale for being on orientation vs. off.

Great, you work for a good company. Some companies would rather 'churn' lower wage newbies until they find low esteem diamonds who want to work for almost free. Its really hard to compare how each company formulates their profitability schemes: but ultimately, the drivers of profit (RNs) must pay for non-value-add indirect overhead labor who makes all the decisions.

Can you see the conflict of interest for the success of the organizational objectives here? Indirects may get fatter and fatter (overstaffed AND overpaid) in greedy companies, when the success rests with its profit drivers: the RN's!

Orientation is just another possible fudge factor to needle the workers pay level, whether uniformly (bad) or individually (may be good but also subjective in many cases)

[ukstudent]

Originally Posted by baldee

Forgive me for saying, but long orientation programs just SEEMS like a way to keep average pay levels down for the same work you will get AFTER orientation.

A long orientation program does not mean you are trained any more, except by experience alone. You are just getting paid less for doing the same exact job. Tell the company that you'd like to see the customer have the same discount charged to them, as your training pay %. And watch their reaction (they can screw you, but...).

Long orientation equals lower pay. This is common in the trucking industry as well. Better or higher paying companies will have short orientation programs.

And anyway, EVERY thing is negotiable.

Your not a nurse yet. When you finish nursing school and pass the nclex then you can take a job with no orientation as see how long you last in this profession. ALL the hospitals that I interviewed at had a set pay rate for new grads that was the same on or off orientation for that first year. Nursing is NOT the trucking industry.