Couldn't Ask for a Better Orientation Experience

Specialties NICU

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Specializes in NICU.

I've been on orientation for 1 month now and I can't express what an amazing orientation I have had so far! I have gotten to care for very complex patients on drips, transfusions, numerous vents, studies, etc.

I am so excited. My preceptor has been absolutely amazing. She has challenged me a great deal. She has even on her day off printed out scenarios, and paperwork to help deepen my critical thinking and enhance my narrative writing.

She is always asking me questions of what if... and pushing me to go one step farther at all times. She is super sweet and not overbearing at all. I have bragged about her her before (on my former name) but I just can't seem to express all that she has done for me! I hope others are having an equally good orientation experience!

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Specializes in NICU.

Glad to hear it! I'm loving my orientation as well : )

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that's great! hoping mine goes as well as yours this summer when i start :)

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Wow! That kind of orientation is what I pray for!! My last job's orientation was not good at all. I hope I find someone that really cares like your preceptor does!

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

yay! nothing sucks more than a crappy orientation. mine was amazing as well and i got to take care of a variety of pts.. cooling blanket and the rewarming process, dialysis, multiple drips, initiating nitric and hfov, initiating a barrage of drips (cause it's so much easier when you come in and they're already going!), surgery on the unit, admissions of kids on the brink of death and stable ones.. only thing i really didn't get to do was death care - which is a good thing for the patients but i wish i got to go through that process on orientation for the first time rather than on my own. i also didn't do ecmo, but there was a pt in the same pod as i was on it so i spent some time with it. my preceptor gave encouragement as well as constructive criticism so i'm thankful for that, too.

i read about people's orientations in the 'first yr of nursing' forum and EEEEK...it's scary.

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Specializes in NICU.
yay! nothing sucks more than a crappy orientation. mine was amazing as well and i got to take care of a variety of pts.. cooling blanket and the rewarming process, dialysis, multiple drips, initiating nitric and hfov, initiating a barrage of drips (cause it's so much easier when you come in and they're already going!), surgery on the unit, admissions of kids on the brink of death and stable ones.. only thing i really didn't get to do was death care - which is a good thing for the patients but i wish i got to go through that process on orientation for the first time rather than on my own. i also didn't do ecmo, but there was a pt in the same pod as i was on it so i spent some time with it. my preceptor gave encouragement as well as constructive criticism so i'm thankful for that, too.

i read about people's orientations in the 'first yr of nursing' forum and EEEEK...it's scary.

Don't worry about not doing death care. The 1st death care I did, I don't even remember bc I was so emotionally overwhelmed. The next one I did, the parents were gone within 30 minutes of declaring so that doesn't count. The 3rd one was all out for hours and hours and I was totally clueless, but luckily I had an awesome and not so busy charge nurse to help me out! Then I helped out a pod-mate the next week after that so it gets better.

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I love to hear this. It proves that it can be done!!!!

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COULD YOU PLEASE HAVE YOUR PRECEPTOR REPLY TO ME . i AM STARTING A NEW PRECEPTOR/STAFF EDUCATOR POSITION AND WANT TO DO IT RIGHT. SOUNDS LIKE YOUR PRECEPTOR KNOWS WHAT OT DO . PLEASE HELP ME HELP OUR NEW NURSES!

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Specializes in ER, NICU.

Am SO glad you had a great orientation/preceptor experience.

I FINALLY got a good orientation/preceptor experience in the THIRD NICU I worked in, and it will KEEP me at this NICU.

Sometimes I think they STICK people as preceptors and the preceptor takes it out on the new nurse! I have had THREE terrible preceptor experiences, and left each place that claimed to have a "great" NICU educator(s) and "great" orientation experience.

Some NICUs lie. Trust me. Am so happy to hear about good orientations.

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Specializes in NICU.

I am happy to hear than people actually get awesome orientations. My Level 3 orientation was a nightmare - my main preceptor often made fun of me (even when I was right there) and said all sorts of not-so-lovely things about me to pretty much anyone with ears. I was so beaten down and miserable that when the opportunity came to go to Level 2, I was very excited, haha.

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Specializes in NICU.

Hi Everyone!

Sorry I haven't been on the site in a long time. I actually moved! I left a level 3 NICU on the East Coast to go to a level 3 in the Southwest.

My orientation is almost done. Its only 8 weeks since I had a years experience under my belt. Its not as good as my first one. But I like this hospital and the unit much better.

I am going to start grad school next year to be an ERN. :-)

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Pediatrics.

Ok, so where do you people work that have had these great orientation experiences and great preceptors? I have had so many over the past 2 years that were absolutely horrible experiences that I had at one point wanted to leave nursing all together. However, I am still hopeful that I will get to my dream some day. I am now trying for Air Force nursing in NICU since I have had no luck anywhere else and I can't afford to re-locate myself and my family and pay for another state license.

My first NICU orientation started off good, and went downhill from there. I was fired for "not meeting their expectations", ie... "we just don't like you". And then was blackballed by them when trying to get a job elsewhere, even after they had suggested other hospitals that I could go to for neonatal/nursery.

I just re-certified my NRP with someone at this hospital that no longer works on the unit, and the things she told me about this NICU were absolutely shocking! Kind of glad I am not working there, but surprised that they haven't gotten in trouble or gotten caught for doing some of the things they have done!! Absolutely outrageous!!

So, where are these terrific NICU's with the great preceptors and orientation programs?

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