Concerns with brand new nurses

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Specializes in LTC.

:uhoh21:Well Ive been a nurse for only about 2 years. My mom was a nurse for about 20, as well as mother in law and quiet a few other family members. So needless to say Im still technically considered a new nurse, but Ive been involved for a long time. I have some tremendous concerns about these nursing programs spitting nurses out left and right. Doesnt it just seem its too easy now and days?? And then when you start orientating these nurses, the whole time Im thinking, wow are you really gonna be responsible for my patients when Im off?? Not all, obviously because Im a semi new nurse and Im a product of a quickie nursing program. But, I busted my butt in school and continue to do so. I have no problem giving a great orientation and trying to provide tools to becoming a great nurse. But if your feeling the same way about some of these nurses, we all know that just doesnt cut it sometimes. I dunno I guess it just worries me. Just thought Id put it out for some opinions =] BTW, this was in no way meant to offend anyone, I know we all need adequate time to adjust in nursing. Just my opinion.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Can't speak for how programs were years ago although I do know that the ADN progam was the same length of time about 20 years ago when I first considered nursing. My personal opinion is that new nurses need to be trained and oriented to whatever unit they get hired and that is often where the disconnect starts. I don't think any length of school can prepare you for the actual things you encounter as an independent nurse. Some will catch on quickly, some will take longer and it has been my experience that it is possible for someone to be an quick learner but never progress much from the basics or think they are a cowboy and make serious mistakes. Kind of rambling but I think most new nurses are good, just green and that is where you come in. :)

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I think a lot of the fault lies with the nursing programs. New grads are simply not receiving the hands on training that they need during clinical. Add that to all of the cramming that goes on in lecture with hundreds of pages that need to be read and retained weekly and you will have a new grad who is like a deer in the headlights when she/he finally hits the floor.

My experience: I'm on Peds rotation and do you know that we aren't allowed to pass meds even though my co-horts are LPNs already and most of us are working? What kind of clinical experience is that? We mostly stand around assigned to our one patient who usually has a parent at the bedside doing most of the care. We can't pass any meds so once we do our intiial assessment there is jack to do but look at the orders in the computer or read the chart one hundred times.

I think it sucks and I'm pretty annoyed about it. I've spoken to the administration in my school but so far nothing has been done about this. I'm thankful that I am a working LPN who "gets it" and I feel sorry for the very few of my peers who have an active LPN license but have yet to work.

They aren't going to know squat once they graduate and pass NCLEX.

Anyway, OP please don't blame the students because some of them haven't grasped the enormity of the responsibility that is waiting to fall on their shoulders once they graduate. So they don't push to get the kind of experience that they need because tunnel vision makes them focus on just getting out of NS.

P.S having a family member who is already a nurse is a HUGE bonus for any student nurse. My mother and other nurse relatives have truly guided me and made my first year a lot easier than it would have been if I didn't have a close personal relationship with someone in the profession.

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Specializes in Acute, Adult Gerontology.

I am a new nurse that just graduated, passed my nclex and am so ready to start working as a nurse in the real world.... while in nursing school, the nurses that preceptored us always told us to do the right thing and were always patient with us because they new that we were learning and most of them remembered when they were still in nursing school.....

Now that i am ready to be in the real world, i know everything will be quite new, the skills that i have is the text books skills which i only used to check off once or twice with my proffessor....... I am hoping that i will be preceptored by a nurse who will not see me as THE JUST GRADUATED NURSE... but the graduated nurse who is ready to put what she learned in school into practice...... I dont think It would be right to blame our schools for lack of proper skills to practice.

I pray that the nurses who have been in the field for a while and have adequate experience be patient with us who have just graduated and are going to the real world.

I believe that the nursing world is small for nurses because you never know when the JUST GRADUATED NURSE will train your sister, brother, daughter, son etc, and i guess we shall all want them to be treated well....

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Specializes in LTC.

I agree with all of your opinions but, I do believe alot of the "ignorance" is directly related to these small nursing schools who charge out the wazooo with no entrance exams and really arent providing adequate clinical experience. My school in particular. Im sooo thankful for my previous experience and actually helped alot of my fellow students. I ALWAYS give my fellow new nurses 100% in orientation!! And will cont to do so!! Thanks for your feedback =]

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I am a recent grad of a school that has a reputation for its high standards, thankfully! I know that I was continually challanged in class and clinicals, it was the longest year of my life!!! One of my instructors always told us that nurses are the worst for eating there own kind. After reading this post i was reminded of that phrase. I just accepted an offer for my first job today, and I pray to God that my preceptor is someone who remembers where they came from! I was told that I would be with her for about 6-8 weeks. I was excited, i didnt think it would be that long! I got into nursing because i am a caring person and i want to be a comfort and a help to people when they may be facing the worst experience of there lives. I would like to think that most people who are in the nursing profession feel the way i do, even the Recent Grads. :redbeathe:nurse::redbeathe

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Specializes in LTC.

This thread doesnt really pertain to the phrase nurses eat their young. I am the young sooooo... I too am a VERY caring nurse. It just sucks seeing alot of nurses who arent and then on top of that they suck at their job. Really new or old. You'll see what I mean once you start getting your feet wet. Good luck!! You'll love it =]

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Specializes in LTC, MDS, Education.

Does anyone feel that too much detail in anatomy and nutrition takes away valuable time from learning labs? Just curious as I taught in an LPN program a few years ago......

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Specializes in Coronary Rehab Unit.
Doesnt it just seem its too easy now and days?? And then when you start orientating these nurses, the whole time Im thinking, wow are you really gonna be responsible for my patients when Im off?? Not all, obviously because Im a semi new nurse and Im a product of a quickie nursing program. But, I busted my butt in school and continue to do so. I have no problem giving a great orientation and trying to provide tools to becoming a great nurse. But if your feeling the same way about some of these nurses, we all know that just doesnt cut it sometimes. I dunno I guess it just worries me.
Hmmmmm, just a hunch, but ........ chances are that the same "type" of new nurses you're posting about

were also coming out of school back in your relatives heydays, and when you graduated as well....which, 2 years doesn't make you all that much of a veteran, especially since you fess up to coming from the type of school you describe/complain about. There are good nurses, some not so good ..... some are recent grads, some not. You know the old saying, I'm sure...one bad apple etc, etc, etc....

Everybody in my program busts their butts ....... starting out as a new LPN is a lil intimidating - be kind, compassionate, and guiding, don't whine about these "new nurses" .... you were new not very long ago, and how quickly you seem to have forgotten :rolleyes:

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Specializes in Acute, Adult Gerontology.
I agree with all of your opinions but, I do believe alot of the "ignorance" is directly related to these small nursing schools who charge out the wazooo with no entrance exams and really arent providing adequate clinical experience. My school in particular. )

What small nursing school are you attending?..

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Specializes in Geriatrics.
Can't speak for how programs were years ago although I do know that the ADN progam was the same length of time about 20 years ago when I first considered nursing. My personal opinion is that new nurses need to be trained and oriented to whatever unit they get hired and that is often where the disconnect starts. I don't think any length of school can prepare you for the actual things you encounter as an independent nurse. Some will catch on quickly, some will take longer and it has been my experience that it is possible for someone to be an quick learner but never progress much from the basics or think they are a cowboy and make serious mistakes. Kind of rambling but I think most new nurses are good, just green and that is where you come in. :)

I totally agree with you Jules. I'm a new nurse, and yes, nursing school does NOT prepare you for some of the things you encounter as a new nurse. Let me tell you, right now I'm having trouble with documentation. We didn't get sufficient exposure with documentation in nursing school, but like other have told me, documentation takes practice; the more you do it , the better you get at it. And also , nursing school does not teach you time management, because as a new nurse, your trying to do things by the book, and before you know it, time has passed you by just trying to be the best you can be. I never imagined nursing would be this hard. I guess the more expore and the more years you had under your belt, the better it get. I'm still hanging in there though. :up:

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Specializes in LTC.
Hmmmmm, just a hunch, but ........ chances are that the same "type" of new nurses you're posting about

were also coming out of school back in your relatives heydays, and when you graduated as well....which, 2 years doesn't make you all that much of a veteran, especially since you fess up to coming from the type of school you describe/complain about. There are good nurses, some not so good ..... some are recent grads, some not. You know the old saying, I'm sure...one bad apple etc, etc, etc....

Everybody in my program busts their butts ....... starting out as a new LPN is a lil intimidating - be kind, compassionate, and guiding, don't whine about these "new nurses" .... you were new not very long ago, and how quickly you seem to have forgotten :rolleyes:

I think I myself made it pretty clear that Im too am a new nurse. I definently never claimed to be a veteran. As far as the rest of your reply, you took the words right outta my mouth or better yet my post. Im not "whining" Im simply giving my opinion on some observations Ive noticed. I have noooo problem helping or guiding brand new nurses. And I would never in my life be rude to a new nurse. I try and help anyway possible. I think maybe alot of facilities need to upgrade orientation. You know some facilities give brand new nurses 2 weeks!!?? Thats just crazy to me. The point of the post is just to get opinions, not to offend anyone. So I would appreciate it if you wouldnt try to offend me. :nono:

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