[marilynmom]

I think 6 weeks sound about normal for med-surg. My ICU orientation in only 10 weeks and that too, is about normal around here. My orientation is only 10 weeks but that doesn't mean I am totally on my own, there are always great nurses around me who love to teach. I work on a great unit--I'm very lucky.

One thing I have learned as a new grad is things like supportive nurses, strong team work on the unit, nurses and doc who don't mind teaching, etc is more important than the actual length of your orientation.

[KaroSnowQueen]

I must live in a different world than y'all do. I have NEVER been offered more than TWO weeks of orientation at any bedside nursing job!!!!! And I was amazed to get that much. My very first job out of nursing school I had about a week and a half, and that was it. Maybe the world has changed in the zillion years since I was a new grad.
I know in my last hospital position, there was a new grad who asked for, and got 4 weeks orientation. Her very few days on her own were not going well, and she was placed into a probationary period, where she had to check in with the NM every week on her progress. And I thought that was amazing, I had never seen anybody get that long.
In my present job, where my only patient contact is by phone, I got 4 weeks plus of orientation. I thought that was way more than enough.