First job

[2015Kayla]

I just graduated less than a month ago, had a job waiting and already passed my boards. I started this week and with all the classes I have to go to for the hospital (stupid non helpful classes) I only worked for 2 and half days in my office. I feel good with my pts, like talking to them but the issue is I feel stupid when talking with the nurses and drs. Now they want me to be ready to take on a full load in 2 weeks. This has me freaking out! They also have this call center that anyone can call that has a medical questions then they send them to you to answer! They get like 20 calls a day from the call center and I never know what to tell the pts! I ask questions but only one nurse is really helpful the others are like here go do this and get mad when I ask for help!!! I'm so stressed, I don't eat or sleep any more! I want this to work out and be here for the long run but it's seriously killing me!! Is this normal??

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Congratultions on your new job -- So sorry you're feeling stressed.

The orientation process for most healthcare organizations is pretty lengthy and getting longer all the time. This is because of all the "mandatory" information that must be included... we have to comply with the Federal, State & sometimes local rules in addition to the actual information you need to do your job. It's a bunch.

Since you're a new grad, it is VERY important to have well-developed guidelines in place to inform your responses to all call center issues and requests. There is a great deal of liability exposure (organizational AND personal) in this area. Make certain you have Liability Insurance, and that your insurance carrier is informed that you are in a call center providing patient care advice if that is the case. I have never encountered any type of clinical call center operation that did not have a well-developed, physician-approved, guidelines in place. If you don't have these, I would advise you to initiate a process to develop them as soon as possible.