Do new graduates RN's get ,easier patients?

[lovehospital]

I'm about to graduate soon and will apply for a job obviously in the hospital (as my name suggest it).I was wondering how true is that at the beginning of their career/training,after orientation the nursing manager tries to assign more stable,easier patients to new graduates....and for how long or am I living in fantasy world?

[RNLola035]

Not necessarily. When I was starting, I started with one patient then worked up to four. But the way my charge nurse would do it, was she would give me all of the nurse from last shifts patients so that I'm usually giving report to one person. She really tried to do that as much as she could. I was told you were given whatever patients you would usually get on your floor, the rationale is that you are never alone and even if you are off "orientation", you will still be definitley working as a team and asking for help whenever you need it. And it's good not to shy away from experiences because it would really be a disservice to you. Immerse yourself in all the learning opportunities especially during orientation, no matter how afraid you may be. If a patient seems too critical for you let your preceptor know and they will be by your side helping you through it!

An early CONGRATS on graduating! and good luck with the job hunt

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

Never found it that way on our floor. We were thrown right in to the mix right away. It some ways it made sense so when you're reporting off and on to the same nurses, the same team of patients stays together.

[Reno1978, BSN, RN]

I think it just depends on the type of unit and the nursing culture where you work. I started in a ICU setting and after I finished orientation and was "on my own" I still received a preassigned patient assignment that consisted of "stable" ICU patients. The rationale is so the new grad can focus on assessment skills, time management, and build confidence.

[ERjodiRN]

i work in the ed, and we throw the more difficult patients at the new grads from day one. they've been getting the harder patients (if possible) since they were on orientation and being pre-cepted so they had the support to be able to learn how to deal with those kinds of patients. the er is pretty much sink or swim. we throw them the tough patients and put them in the tougher areas, but make sure they have people helping.

[NurseKatie08, MSN]

I'm a new grad RN in sub-acute rehab (7 months working as of next week). Right off of orientation I was taking a full 8 pt team by myself...since I always take care of the same four rooms....admissions really doesnt always look at acuity when they place rooms, and they certainly don't look at which nurse works that team, so in short, I got difficult pts right off the bat. It's the best way to learn, IMO.

[vashtee, RN]

I work in DOU, which is a step-down from ICU. I don't know what i am doing differently from the other RNs, but they seem to have time for breaks and some socializing, and I don't. I'm not slow, so I am not sure what I am doing differently, and have wondered if they are throwing the more "needy" patients to me. In a way, I hope they are so that I can look forward to the load lightening a bit when someone else is hired.

[flg8tr]

Short answer, they should. I have worked at places that showed consideration and compassion to recent grads and young nurses, and at some that don't. It's actually a good criterion to judge your employer, manager and charge nurses by. No charge who cares about you will throw you to the wolves by giving you the same patients they would give to a seasoned RN with years of experience.

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

I work on a cardiac floor where we take 4-5 patients. Once our new grads are off orientation they get the same patients as everyone else, minus open heart surgery patients, until they have 6 months of experience. We certainly support and mentor them, but they only way to hone your skills is to do the work.

Plus it's not really fair to the rest of the staff to have the heavier pts while the newbie has all the walkie-talkies. We don't up staff because we have new grads.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

Fantasy world.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Easier is a misnomer.

A more stable ICU patient is likely to be conscious.

An awake patient can be very demanding, even if they are more physiologically stable.

A pair of anxious and demanding patients waiting for step-down ICU beds can keep me busier than a sedated and intubated less stable patient.

A charge nurse also has to assign patients looking at the big picture, of which new nurses are only a part.

If the charge nurse takes an assignment, it might be a lighter one so he/she can assist the other nurses and still take care of their own patients.

Float nurses are given assignments that they can handle. The charge nurse is not going to assign them a new trauma admit or a new liver transplant patient.

[PeaceonearthRN]

Lol.. not in my world. New Grads are treated like everyone else after their ten week orientation. I do not agree with this practice unless it is in a HIGHLY supportive environment.