[CareBayer]

I'm asking both new and seasoned nurses....how long was your training before you were "on your own" on the hospital floor? This is called a preceptorship at my hosptial. Next week is my last week precepting...I am so nervous to be on my own! I feel like there are so many things that I haven't done yet. I know that this is a "normal" feeling, but I'm wondering how much on the floor training you all had before you were thrown to the wolves.

Thanks for your input!

[earle58]

i had a solid 3 months, and still received a ton of support when i was on my own.
no complaints here, whatsoever.

leslie

[pagandeva2000]

It totally depends on where you work. Most LPNs I know that work in long term care have been sent out to the wilderness within two or three days (seriously!), most orientations last about a month to 6 weeks at hospitals in my area. If they specialize, it's a bit longer...sometimes about 3-6 months. And, it seems that no matter what, when the apron strings are cut, it is very scary. Good luck!

[CareBayer]

I guess I should specify that next week (my last week) will be my sixth week of precepting....

[pagandeva2000]

Originally Posted by CareBayer

I guess I should specify that next week (my last week) will be my sixth week of precepting....

Sounds about average...

Don't think that you should be dealing with things alone if you really are unsure. Ask the more experienced nurses what to do if you need help. Good luck!

[Tweety]

Three months, which is the same our new grads get. I was scared when out on my own, and I learned a lot more off orientation than I did during orientation. You can't expect to know everything. Use your resources. You'll do fine. Somehow we all survive this stage.

[NancyNurse08]

I had ten shifts of orientation on a cardiac telemetry floor. But, I might also add that I have a ton of support and never hesitate to go to my charge nurse with questions.

[racing-mom4]

I had 6 weeks in ICU. Last night I was needing a preceptor. I had two unstable pts, one on a cardizem gtt and one in restraints . Then we got two admits with in about 20 min, both chest pain, one needing blood. I took the simple chest pain that was relived by nitro. So now I have 3 pts in a 6 bed unit. My partner nurse also had 3 but thank god she took the blood pt!.

I also had telemetry's assisgned to me last night, that means I had to anaylize all the folks on Med surge who were on teles last night and post them. Then I was to give report on the teles this morning. Every single tele unit in our hospital was being used.

I was not prepared for my tele report at all...at all. I had anaylized everyone and asked the house supervisor to post them for me out in Med Surge in their charts. But I neglected to write down for myself what everyones rhythms were. Makes giving report pretty darn difficult. I didnt even have the new sheet filled out for day shift. Lucky for me my awesome boss told me OK she would go out on med surge and gather my reports and compile them to put on the days sheet.

Of course, I had to rush home before the kids left for school, and I had to wait to give report on the new chest pain because the Dr had his chart and I had to still read orders with the oncoming nurse.
Not a good morning. but no one got hurt, and I learned a big lesson on I better have my butt prepared.
So even though I am technically on my own now...I still have a lot of support and help.

One other thing I noticed this morning...when I worked 7am to 7pm for training, I still looked half way decent at 7:30pm. Yet when I work 7pm to 7am, I look like a cast member from dawn of the dead. Now how is that possible??? I get ready the same, either 5:30am or 5:30pm. But good lord, I caught a glimpse of my self in the mirror...eeegadds