How much training did you get?

[sue1000]

I just started working at a LTC facility. I have two floors with 40 residents. I worked one night 5-10 following a nurse, then I started the 6-2 shift for the weekend. I followed the nurse yesterday and got familiar with the residents and the med. pass. Today she threw me in on my own???? Is that it??? Am I supposed to know what I'm doing?

So how much training did you recieve?

[NurseCard, ADN]

At my current facility I got five 8 hour shifts, I believe, but on the fourth day I

more of less got "thrown to the wolves".

At the LTC I worked prior to that, I seem to remember getting about five 12

hour shifts and that was it.

[raynbabe07]

I am getting 7 shifts with the treatment nurse (I will be working pm's where I will have to do some of the treatments after she leaves at 430pm), and 3 weeks (12 shifts) with the PM charge nurse, which is what my position is. I am soo thankful for this much training! When I interviewed the DON told me I would get 10-12 days training, and I'm actually getting a lot more, which is amazing! The other job I was offered was only going to give me 2 days.. so glad I chose this place instead. It seems like such a supportive group of staff, and everyone I've met is super nice. The nurses always look so calm and collected, and always take their lunch breaks and get out on time. No wonder this place is a 5 star place.

[lraineynurse]

I got 3 weeks at my current job, which is great even if u have experience. Most places give you 3 days and then you are on your own.

[dallet6]

As a new grad I started on NOC shifts for the first three months of my job. I received 7 shifts of training before I was on my own. When I started dayshift, I got new training, as it is completely different from nights. We get 3 days of orientation per hall, however, I actually only got 1 before I started on the hall I worked. The second day a nurse called in. That day at least I worked the cart with someone else though, who was supposed to be orienting me but had only finished two days of training herself...

[SP1CEGRL]

as a brand new grad, I got only 3 days and it was either take it or leave it! It was so overwhelming at first but I managed to get through it

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

Wow! It seems like many of you had less than 2 weeks orientation, some less than a week! This is very scary, how can a new grad be competent with less than 2 weeks of training?! Most hospitals train their nurses up to 12 weeks!

[vicki518]

5days

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Most hospitals train their nurses up to 12 weeks!

Then again, hospitals generate significantly more revenue than most LTC facilities. Therefore, hospitals have a staggering amount of money in the budget for training, orientation, and continuing education.

Nursing homes have very limited training budgets due to limited revenue.

[NurseNightOwl, BSN, RN]

as a brand new grad, I got only 3 days and it was either take it or leave it! It was so overwhelming at first but I managed to get through it

Same.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

Then again, hospitals generate significantly more revenue than most LTC facilities. Therefore, hospitals have a staggering amount of money in the budget for training, orientation, and continuing education.

Nursing homes have very limited training budgets due to limited revenue.

I have always meant to ask this...maybe I'm just thick. But how exactly does it cost so much money to train a new grad? I've read it costs a facility (I'm speaking of hospitals) thousands of dollars to train a new grad. Is it that 'thousands' figure because they are paying you full RN (or LPN if thats the case) hourly rate for the time you are working with another who is training you? (I'm going with say 12 weeks orientation at say $25/hr working 40 hrs a week ($1000/wk) x 12 wks is $12,000). While they are not getting a nurse who is working independently its not like they are paying you to just sit there, you are working.

Once that orientation is over, I don't see any added expenses for hiring a new grad. Other than the salary they pay while you are on orientation, what additional costs are incurred?? Continuing education is going to happen whether they hire an experienced nurse or a brand new one. We we all need inservices/continuing ed throughout the year. I had the same inservices/continuning ed as an experienced LPN as the newly licensed LPN. As well, as a new grad RN I attend the same inservices/continuning ed as the seasoned RNs.

Even in the LTC setting, once orientation is over, a new grad doesn't cost any more than if they had hired a seasoned nurse. Actually, I think, they are saving money (both hospitals and LTC) with the new grad since a new grad doesn't command the higher rate of pay an experienced seasoned nurse would.

[chillin4me]

i ahve 48max patients of night shift. i had 3 days orientation.. my 1st job

[LemonAide]

I got 8 hours, but I worked as a CNA at the same facility for a few years. Wasn't enough time but I learned as I went along and now I am comfortable and confident in my position. Now I train new hires seems no one else wants to do it. My lack of initial training actually makes it helpful when I train new staff as I remember all the things I didn't know or wished someone would have told me. Most of it had to do with charting/paperwork. What I did was grab every opportunity I had to do paperwork. I did paperwork for labs, end of month changeovers, filing just anything to learn. I love my job! I try and help out the new hires so they will love their job too we have such a high turnover rate I try my hardest to make the work enviroment a positive place!