[Fairlythere]

I just finished week two of what is supposed to be a three week floor orientation. I took six patients on the last night and was frustrated and freaking because it felt so overwhelming as my preceptor made me take the "heavy load" even though I didnt feel ready. By the way we work 12 hour graveyard.

Anyway, that morning when my Mgr came in she commented that I had already done the required hours and wanted to know if my preceptor felt I would be safe on my own WHAT?? TEN DAYS ON THE FLOOR??

The deal is this: Normally you get 120 hours and evaluate. For an eight hour person that is 15 shifts worth of experience. I have put in 120 hours in ten shifts because we work 12's. However, I think I should get the other five days because thats five more patient experiences...its not my fault she stuck me with a 12 hour person. I don't think I will EVER feel ready and I know that, I have to go on my own, but my preceptor has only been a nurse for a year herself and I just think she cuts corners a bit. so,

Am I nuts or is that not enough time!! Granted I took six patients during my clinicals but come on, I have never even done a blood transfusion myself, its a tele floor and Im not tele trained yet....etc.

What is your experience? Im gonna talk to my mgr tomorrow and Id like to hear your thoughts

[smilin_gp]

Wow that seems short! Our orientation consists of a month on days and then 2 weeks on nights - 12's too. I am only in the first week of it. I had a 144 hour tele preceptorship as a student, and took 4-5 patients more or less independently, but I don't think that I would feel at all comfortable taking on a full load alone next week under my own license. Yikes! Sorry that you are going through this.

[readysetgo]

Pat yourself on the back for taking 6 patients last night and made it through.
Take your mgr aside and tell her you need another week, don't hesitate.
It's your hard earned license. It's hard to feel secure at first, it only comes with each daily experience - you will gain confidence with each new
accomplishment.

[EDGRADNURSE]

YIKES,

Well, congrats on taking on 6 patients in nursing school. We had 2 or 3 during our last semester.

In the ED as a new grad, we got 6 months--3 of them w/preceptor. I switched to an IMC unit (my choice-an ICU step down unit) ) and got 3 months of orientation. That's 12 weeks of 12 hour shifts. 400 + hours with a preceptor and a nurse patient ratio of 1:4.

Your orientation is really short.

[htrn]

It really sounds like your orientation is WAY too short. Tell your manager what you have done during your orientation and that you feel like you really need a little more time and would like to have pts that would require a certain type of care, such as blood transfusions.

I'm almost afraid to tell you what kind of orientation I got - I got a full year as a new grad into a birth center (LDRP and NBN) I have to admit that I felt ready to take on a pt load most of the time after about 6 months, but there were things I didn't see until after my orientation was over. I'm sure there are things that you will not see until your orientation is over, but that's where you need to lean on your policies and procedures and another nurse/charge nurse or nursing supervisor.

Good luck and don't let anyone short change you out of a reasonable orientation.

[CarVsTree]

I'm sorry you're going through this. It sounds ridiculous! I got 3 months in Trauma Step-down (w/tele). I felt this was too long, but I worked on the same floor as a tech for over a year prior. I do however think that any floor orientation less than 2 months is dangerous. But a week and a half????

This place sounds horrible or I am very spoiled. I leaning toward horrible though.

[Fairlythere]

Actually this hospital has a good rep, but I think the manager has a lot more faith in her choice of preceptors than I do. The girl is only 23 and has been a nurse for one year and I am her first preceptee. I find myself feeling scattered and unorganized and the one night I had a different person it was so smooth I knew it was the preceptor. Also I was told while my probation period is three months, the floor orientation is whatever they think you need to be ready. I know they have confidence in me, but I dont completely feel competent and I will let my mgr know today. Thanks for your support.