How do you make new hires feel welcome on your unit?

Nurses General Nursing

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We are re-vamping our preceptor/orientation program and I want to focus on making newly hired nurses feel welcome on our unit. So...

Do you do anything special to make your new hires feel welcome? Do they get welcome gifts?

Do you have any tips for creating a positive environment and socializing new hires?

Thanks!

Be friendly and don't eat your young.

And one of the BEST things that someone did for me when I started at my job was to show me the "stuff" that isn't in your training. For example - where the bathroom is that's the cleanest, where a stash of supplies is always hidden (I don't know WHY people do this where I work, but they do), how to run the popcorn machine (yes, we have a popcorn machine at work), where the extra tampons are kept (enough said on that one), etc. It's little things that sound so silly but make life easier.

Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

I always smile and say "Welcome aboard! We're happy to have you."

Don't be afraid to buy them lunch when they have to do those days of orientation to the facility. Sitting all day listening to person after person talk about policy, parking, infection control, etc is really boring. Providing lunch meant a lot to me.

I just finished orientation and it meant a lot to me when, while expressing my worry about being on my own, one of the other nurses said to me, "honey, you're never alone, we're all here to help." that really made my day and helped. I agree with everyone else, no gifts are needed, just be nice, talk to us, don't exclude us in conversations and I think it's important for the manager to check in with you. In my 10 weeks of orientation, the manager never once met with me, never reviewed how I was doing and I found out when my first shift on my own was from the schedule, not from her talking with me. That was very disappointing.

Specializes in MS, ED.
Be friendly and don't eat your young.

And one of the BEST things that someone did for me when I started at my job was to show me the "stuff" that isn't in your training. For example - where the bathroom is that's the cleanest, where a stash of supplies is always hidden (I don't know WHY people do this where I work, but they do), how to run the popcorn machine (yes, we have a popcorn machine at work), where the extra tampons are kept (enough said on that one), etc. It's little things that sound so silly but make life easier.

This!

I had a rough start on my last floor; the assistant manager called and woke me up a few hours before my first (and only) night of orientation to reschedule, stating 'sorry, none of the nurses here tonight want to precept and are already fighting over charge. It won't be a good experience for you.' Ug, not a good first impression. I was already committed to the job and signed on anyhow, but any sense of a warm welcome or teamwork were predictably lacking.

Selecting a friendly preceptor, sharing all those secret things (does the medicine resident tend to sign out early on fridays? where is surgery's call room? etc), offering a copy of important phone numbers and extensions / map of hospital / tour of unit, and being greeted by new coworkers are all appreciated, IMO. The location of the stash of large gowns, small briefs and toothpaste is just gravy!

Someone else mentioned my only other quibble: please be realistic in skills/training expectations of experienced nurses. I came to the previously mentioned floor laterally from a similar unit in its sister hospital and completed the applicable "skills / mega code / etc" day and competency trainings. After arriving on the floor, I was given an eleven page 'skills checkoff sheet' to complete. I am a newer nurse, so I was fine with this...until I saw that not only did I need to demonstrate the skill but then be signed off between 5-30 times for each one. OMG. So - I drew blood on three of my patients, for example, was signed off by three other RNs who witnessed but still needed *twenty seven* more draws signed off individually to make sure I can do them competently. *sigh. What nurse could I pull from their own AM labs to witness mine when we each had patient assignments of 7-11 each?! Poorly planned, to say the least.

Kudos for thinking of your new hires.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency, CEN.

I love that frequently used phone numbers idea by hiddenCat!! I usually just smile and tell them I'm available for questions if they have any (after all, it hasn't been that long since I've been there myself!)..

One of the best things that someone did my first few days after being hired at a med-surg floor was to invite me out to a unit get together. I wasn't able to go (kids) but the gesture meant a ton at the time.

When I was a new hire/new grad I had an awesome preceptor who took her lunches WITH me each shift (there were others who would either take it at a different time than their preceptee or would go off with their friends and leave their new grad alone for lunch) and she would also introduce me to other staff as we interacted with them and tell me about them. And not in a gossipy way at all. For example, there was a staff member who is very sarcastic with everyone right off the bat and she told me this when we saw we'd be working with her, telling me this is how she is but she is not being mean and this really helped, that staff member is awesome. Others she would say they are awesome but some need to be explicitly asked to do something and they will do it. Just little tips and info and integration into getting to know the staff and how the unit works. I love that on our unit everyone gets along and we don't have the night shift vs day shift conflict that other hospitals seem to have.

Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Our unit posts a picture of the new hire in the break room with a little blurb written by that individual underneath it answering a few basic questions, such as their favorite food/color/restaurant, what they like to do on days off, their family etc. It helps all of us recognize the newby when we see them and extend smiles and helpfulness. The little questionaire thing gives launching points to start conversation.

There is a luncheon with the CNO for new grads and at hospital orientation all new hires get lunch and promotional gifts, like sunshades, lunch boxes, camping chairs, water bottles with the hospital logo on them.

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