Agency Nurse Orientation

[80's fan]

Hi....I am in staff development at a rapidly expanding 250 bed hospital. I am in charge of nursing department orientation. Besides our new employees, my hospital has recently been hiring a large number of agency nurses. We are on the path to going "paper free", and with the advent of computerized documentation it is near impossible to do a "quick" agency orientation. Our computerized documentation training for new employees runs approximately 6 hours. Would anyone mind sharing what you do for agency orientation? Any thoughts??? We also run into the same issue with student nurses.

[suni, BSN, RN]

we don,t hire agency nurses

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

We hire thru agencies that have agreed to provide the required education ahead of time to employees. We provide the education and they provide the documentation that it was done. The nurse has to bring that documentation to the House Supervisor before the start of the shift. Student nurses who have instructors with them are not obligated to provide competencies, as they change daily. Precepted students are restricted to management/leadership or must bring competencies.