Do new graduates RN's get ,easier patients?

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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?

Imagine then that you hadn't worked there as a CNA and knew the unit. Do you think you would have coped as well as you did?

Not caring and fostering new grads is not long term thinking. If you invest time and support you just may keep a nurse in the profession that would otherwise leave from burnout, going somewhere else where people do care, going into another profession.

Scrubby,

Not all hospitals in the US throw their new nurses to the wolves. My last semester of nursing school was a preceptorship where I followed a nurse and learned to manage a full patient load. Once I graduated and had a job, I had 3 months of orientation with a great preceptor. I had patients of all different acuities and learned to manage those patients under the direction of my preceptor. At the end of the twelve weeks, I had enough confidence and knowledge to be on my own. I was given the same assignments as all the other nurses. Sure I didn't know everything but I in a supportive unit and was able to ask for help if I was unsure of something or felt overwhelmed. Many of my friends had similar, positive, new grad experiences as well.

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All I'm asking is for a safe learning envinronment,patience so I can make a safe transition into becoming a competent as well as productive nurse but I doubt that will be happening,oh well it is good to be dreaming!

When looking for a job, make sure you choose a hospital that has a good new grad program. Do your research before hand so you can find out which ones do and which don't.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.
Unfortunately, with the culture of the bottom line being the most important, those kinds of jobs seem to be few and far between. If you wanna come to St. Louis and work with me though we'd show you how new grad orientation and mentorship is supposed to be done

Really? I wish I had worked with you. I didn't find the hospital where I was quite the same so I'm glad you did!

To lovehospital, I WILL say that while you're not looking to make friends, you'd better hope you and and your fellow staff LIKE each other. Those will be the folks who will be there to watch your back and help you out when times are tough and you don't have the easiest of shifts. They will pass meds, do some of your patient care, clean your patients, etc., while you are drowning in other duties for other patients. You WILL have those shifts; we all did.

If you go in thinking you only want to be professional and not caring about your co-workers at all, I would be very concerned what will happen when you need help!

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
Scrubby,

Not all hospitals in the US throw their new nurses to the wolves. My last semester of nursing school was a preceptorship where I followed a nurse and learned to manage a full patient load. Once I graduated and had a job, I had 3 months of orientation with a great preceptor. I had patients of all different acuities and learned to manage those patients under the direction of my preceptor. At the end of the twelve weeks, I had enough confidence and knowledge to be on my own. I was given the same assignments as all the other nurses. Sure I didn't know everything but I in a supportive unit and was able to ask for help if I was unsure of something or felt overwhelmed. Many of my friends had similar, positive, new grad experiences as well.

I would definately asked to not be passed around from one preceptor to the next unless there are clashes. I had five different preceptors, depending on who worked the day I worked. A couple I liked, a couple were clueless, one was a nurse that I really, really liked. But when she precepted me, she was the devil, very rude and nasty. Just say you didn't want an orientee, I can handle it but don't take it out on me. She made me nervous and upset the entire day.

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Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.

I had a great new grad program, but when it was over I was expected to take whatever patient assignment they gave me. My first week on my own I had a chest tube, a PCA and all it's paperwork, some really complicated patients, and several patients going for cardiac caths, etc. The night shift new grad AND her preceptor had a tough time handling the load I'd carried all week by myself.

Some of my BEST friends are people I've met at work. This whole past year as I was dealing with cancer the people at work were my biggest support group. lovehospital doesn't have a clue what being part of a team is...and sadly I don't think she ever will from what I've seen here. Nurses will chew her up and spit her out if she doesn't have a change of heart and attitude.

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I would definately asked to not be passed around from one preceptor to the next unless there are clashes. I had five different preceptors, depending on who worked the day I worked. A couple I liked, a couple were clueless, one was a nurse that I really, really liked. But when she precepted me, she was the devil, very rude and nasty. Just say you didn't want an orientee, I can handle it but don't take it out on me. She made me nervous and upset the entire day.

I agree. Having too many preceptors is not usually a good thing. Every nurse has their way of doing things and it's very overwhelming for a new nurse. There is a nurse on my unit who I think precepts just so she doesn't have to do as much work. Others nurses have mentioned this observation as well. She tends to disappear, leaving the new nurse on their own and does not provide constructive feedback at all. Thankfully she doesn't precept too often. It's unfortunate because most new nurses are too shy to bring up issues with their preceptors to the manager. I think nurse managers or other clinical educators should provide new nurses with the change to speak up about their orientation so changes can be made if needed. Doesn't always happen though.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

My co-workers are great for the most part. We are trying to plan get togethers like bowling and such. We have unit holiday parties. I couldn't ask for a better group of people to work with. If you can't be part of the team, you're going to run into trouble. Do you think people are gonna watch your back, if you don't watch their's? I find that the co-workers who don't want to part of the team, don't help their team out, don't say thank you when you help them etc., don't last very long.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
First of all a hospital is not a place to make friends,it is a place to fulfill your obligations as nurse and punch out and go home and then make some friends.Anyway decide,is it really wise to make friends in a hospital since it it is a place of a toxic environment about which you mentioned in your previous post,I just want to be treated professionally and fair,that is my one and only standard and expectation.And no,definitely I dont care about breaks too much and they are not on my priorityllist although nothing is wrong with taking care of your body (Maslow Hierarchy of needs).However I am not looking for an easy ride ,or I definitely would not pursue a career in nursing,so you got that wrong,I think anyone who decides to join nursing definitely enjoys chalenges.All I'm asking is for a safe learning envinronment,patience so I can make a safe transition into becoming a competent as well as productive nurse but I doubt that will be happening,oh well it is good to be dreaming!

Based on what I've read of your posts here, lovehospital, I think you should brush up on some of your social skills before you enter the work place. You need to be socially accepted by your coworkers on some level to receive the moral, technical, and professional support you need to be successful. You need to know how to develop allies in the workplace. I haven't noticed that skill yet in you on these boards. From what I've read of some of your posts, you have problems with that in real life as well.

You don't need to socialize with coworkers outside the hospital, but you do need 'friends' at work. You'll be spending a lot of time with these people and you need to somehow connect with them on some level. That will help cement bonds that help a unit function as a team. You can't just blow off people with a huge attitude.

From what I've read of you here, you have some work to do in that department.

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It's definitely not a place to be standoffish. Nursing is very much teamwork..that's why you do so many group projects in school! If you don't get along with your coworkers, you're going to hate your job.

The less friends I started to have the less problems I have and I'm not saying that people should be antisocial,but I dont need to chit chat with all the people I work with.You can be friendly without becoming friends on the deeper lever.

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Based on what I've read of your posts here, lovehospital, I think you should brush up on some of your social skills before you enter the work place. You need to be socially accepted by your coworkers on some level to receive the moral, technical, and professional support you need to be successful. You need to know how to develop allies in the workplace. I haven't noticed that skill yet in you on these boards. From what I've read of some of your posts, you have problems with that in real life as well.

You don't need to socialize with coworkers outside the hospital, but you do need 'friends' at work. You'll be spending a lot of time with these people and you need to somehow connect with them on some level. That will help cement bonds that help a unit function as a team. You can't just blow off people with a huge attitude.

From what I've read of you here, you have some work to do in that department.

This is what I dont understand,you base your opinion on several of my previous posts, actually I have no problem with making friends with women as well as men...I'm a very nice and friendly person around school and avoid being rude however I also have my own opinion that I feel I have the right to express regardless if people agree with or not,if that makes me rude than I guess America can to be a very sad place.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

whew!!! I can't wait for the "I'm being eaten" and the " I was fired for no reason" threads I see in your future..Your posts demonstrate clearly the mind set of many nurses entering the field today.THAT is a good reason for the high numbers that get out of nursing fast.They expect to be handled with kid gloves and when reality smacks them in the face they can't handle it so they quit.But rather then own their own mistakes they blame it on us experienced nurses.....

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Do you have trouble maintaining relationships generally in life, lovehospital? I know nursing school can be socially difficult. But eventually one of the skills you'll need to learn is how to fit in somewhere.

I'm no social butterfly myself, but I've learned the important skill of connecting with people at work, and above all developing a rapport with the patients, no matter who they are or what I might really think of them. There's always some common ground you can find with most anyone.

You can practice here at allnurses. I've noticed that you don't seem to connect with people here. You seem to pride yourself on your role of being an outcast.

Now, look at me. I'm an oddball who starts a lot of threads, some of them off the wall. YetI don't play the role of an outcast here. I'm eccentric, and I march to my own drummer. You can still be a little outrageous and nonconformist and fit in in nursing.

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