Brand New Nurse

Published

Specializes in NICU.

Hey everyone! i just passed NCLEX and I start work monday. I will be working on a Med/Surg unit that is mostly renal/respiratory. My orientation is 6-8 weeks. Do you think this is enough time? My nurse manager told me that I could have more time if I needed it. I'm just wondering how long it took everyone to become a confident nurse? I did well in school and I worked as a tech so I feel like I am ready, but I am also very nervous because I still have so much to learn.

Also, I worked as a tech on the same floor I will be a nurse on. Do you think the other techs will respect me? Or will everything still think of me as a tech? I don't want my fellow co-workers to no longer like me because i am "superior." I don't feel I am superior to them. I know how hard the techs work. I guess I am just anxious about everything right now... Excited!! but anxious!

TigerGalLE ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg.

Congrats Tiger GalLE...I too work on the floor that I worked as a tech...for the most part I do not get any grief from the other CNAs/Techs...mostly they are proud of my accomplishments....I also make sure I help them any chance I get...Just always remember how hard they work....you should be fine....again Congrats and good luck!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds; Peds Oncology.

Congratulations!

Don't go into orientation thinking that you won't have enough time to learn. After 8 weeks or 8 months , you will still be a little unsure. That is normal. Don't forget that after orientation you will still have nurses around you to help and ask questions. There will always be someone you can turn to.

I wish you the best of luck!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

6-8 weeks would be the minimum for a new grad.

As far as the other techs, how they treat you will depend on how you treat them. If you "lord it over them" they most certainly will not respect you. Good luck in your new job and welcome to a crazy but wonderful profession!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

How long is orientation for most new grads?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

New grads should have at least 12 weeks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER/Trauma.
New grads should have at least 12 weeks.
All I got was 6 ... barely 6 "weeks" at that.... - and the night shift nurses that precepted me were mostly from the FLOAT POOL! :uhoh3:

NO - this DOES NOT MEAN that the float nurses were "bad" or "inadequate"! Heck, if it were not for their guidance, I would've been a lost puppy making dumb*** mistakes! Heck - The float nurses I work with, ROCK! Their "calm demeanor" - no matter what is shoved on them is just inspiring!

No - I'm just trying to point out that there were no "floor nurses who worked nights often enough" to precept me!

Scared me for a while. I'm kinda used to it now - but I still find myself second guessing certain things I thought would be routine by now (like a PICC line draw I had to do last night for a lab draw. I was bothered if I should use 1/2 a 12 ml syringe to "waste the first draw" or a 6 ml syringe).

My night shift folks set me right - and I'm grateful for that! They are very nice nurses who look for the positive despite the abuse that is often heaped on us (mostly from legal/medical since we are the ones who do the 24 hour chart checks! And other things - I mean, it is like people assume that "nothing needs to be done on nights because patients sleep through the night and those night nurses have nothing to do but paperwork!"

Never mind the ER admits, never mind the "sun downers", never mind the "late post ops", never mind the "recent post ops with no meds/interventions odered", never mind the dozen things that can go wrong with your patient for which you have no interventions ordered as a 'standing order' and you are agonizing if this is a worthwhile call to make to an MD KNOWN for his reputation of being disrespectful of nurses and who ESPECIALLY does NOT like being AWAKENED while he is ON ****ing CALL!

The list; is truly endless....

cheers,

Roy

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Congratulations!! I work with a new grad RN who used to be a tech on the same floor. She is treated c respect! I agree c the other posters who say just remember to appreciate the hard work they do because you've been there. Treasure your good techs!!

As for feeling comfortable, I've been a nurse for almost 6 years & I still ask questions of people who have more exp. than me. If you get close to the end of your orientation & see you need more time, just ask for it. But no matter how much orientation time you get, you still will feel nervous that first year (maybe longer) on your own. If you aren't sure of something, ASK, even if you're leaning toward one answer. Every nurse I know would rather you ask a question that may be considered basic knowledge & be sure rather than assume that you know & royally screw something up for your patient. If people don't like it when you ask questions, the problem is theirs, not yours. Congratulations & good luck!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER/Trauma.
Every nurse I know would rather you ask a question that may be considered basic knowledge & be sure rather than assume that you know & royally screw something up for your patient. If people don't like it when you ask questions, the problem is theirs, not yours.
As a "new nurse", I COULD NOT agree more!
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion