Survey: Do you feel your facility provides a positive environment for new grads?

mattsmom81 · May 2, 2002

Gotta say no as well. The facility doesn't staff us well enough to give attention to the new grads' needs. Sink or swim seems to be the motto... We do our best to help them but doesn't seem to be enough today...

Some of the really big hospitals in my area have new grad internships which are a great idea. New grads tend to flounder in facilities without this kind of a program in my parts...but talking to administration about this problem is a waste of time; they shrug and tell us to "Hire only experienced nurses". Too bad there's a shortage, eh?

NurseLKY · May 2, 2002

We have a great program for new grads. We have a month long of classes. Going over policy and procedures and that kind of stuff. CPR, telementry, critical care, then we are out on the floor with our preceptor. For the whole first year we have support. We are paired witha mentor so if we have any questions or concerns we can go to them. It is great.

prmenrs, RN · May 2, 2002

I can't speak re:the entire facility, but I REALLY believe our unit does.

micro, RN · May 2, 2002

yes, or at least the attempt is made..............both formally and informally.

cesca · May 2, 2002

I don't think our facility do.....

I was a new grad last June, and many friends who started with me here left before one year mark.

Especially night shift which most of new nurses are, because some of night nursing supervisor don't help us much. Many times, I felt that I got totally lost.

some of old nurses are very hard on new nurses, having a good time making new nurses cry.

Since I was a little tougher than others, they could never made me cry in front of them, I just cry when I get home. haha.

kahann · May 16, 2002

My facility offers a Nurse Residency program for new grads that have passed their boards. The group is limited to 10 new grads. The first two weeks are hospital and nursing orientations and classes on nursing topics from assessments to wound care. The new grads do 2 week rotations on Oncology/Med Surg, Ortho/Tele, and Rehab. They also do short stints in cardiac rehab, cardiac cath lab, Senior Adult Mental Health, and the ICU. After they have rotated through all units they spend their remaining time on the unit they have chosen to become staff on, or name a "home" floor if they choose to be per diem and float.

They are assigned to a preceptor that does not carry an assignment but spends her time orienting the new grads. This is the 4th year of the program and it has been a success. Most of the nurses that began in the residency program are still employed at my facility. I was a part of the 1st Nurse Residency group and now float between 4 floors and the ICU. I couldn't have asked for a better start in nursing!

mattsmom81 · May 16, 2002

Kahann, sounds like your hospital has got the right idea! This seems to be very much needed today and hospitals that offer such a program will find it valuable in recruiting new grads!

I would LOVE to precept without carrying an assignment...that would give me time to encourage and teach. Trouble is, where I'm from the nurses take on precepting as an additional duty and it's a tough job, and the new grads don't get the attention they need. Glad you got such a good start! :)

indeed · May 16, 2002

It's sort of 50/50 in my facility. The orientation I received didn't feel like nearly enough...1 week of classes (three days of which was the dysrhythmia course) and three weeks of orientation on the floor. This was for Tele, and I later found out that I had a longer orientation than most (probably because I asked for an extra week). What has helped make up for this is EXCELLENT staff. Somehow I really lucked out because the group of nurses that work on my unit and in ICU are fantastic and very teamwork oriented. It is still sink or swim some nights, but for the most part, I have had all the help I have needed...all I have to do is ask for it. Although, I think that had there been a different group of nurses, I might not have been able to deal with this unit.

Indeed.

fedupnurse · May 16, 2002

Nope. As soon as orientation is over, they are thrown to the wolves. ICU 3 patients all may be crashing. Very little to no support from mgmt/charge person (unless it's a staff nurse). And they wonder why people are leaving in droves!!!!

AAHZ · May 17, 2002

My hosp says that they do a good job of orienting the new grads.................but then they also said that there is no nursing shortage........................you be the judge.