orientation

fourbirds4me · Aug 2, 2003

OK.... you're scaring me!! I start orientation on Tuesday and I havn't got a clue! They said it was going to be 2 days... one day is orientation and the other day is skills..... what skills?? They the nm said come see her so I can be put on the schedule. Of course I will orientent to my unit. This is nothing like the rest of my classmates went through. They started back in June and they had a month long orientation because they were new grads. In a way I'm glad I don't have to do that... but a little information would be helpful.

Nadia, thanks for sharing and I'm glad to here that I'm not the only one starting this late. I'm thinking about ya girl!

renerian, BSN, RN · Aug 2, 2003

Yes for the first weeks you will be in information overload. It does get better. Give yourself 6 months to a year to feel comfortable.

renerian

nadia562002 · Aug 3, 2003

Fourbirds,

I dont see how I could be scaring you. THe orientation process gives you all the tools you need to do well on your unit. I cannot speak for how your orientation will go but where I work, I went through 2 days of assessment to see where I am at. The assessment of my skills covers blood admin, venipuncture, IV machines, Accu-checks, restraints, and basic labs. It also gives you about 10 scenarios to work through. This gives the preceptors knowlege about what they need to spend more time with you. In addition to the above covered in central orientation, the unit gives you a self assessment of the skills required for their unit. In everything, the hospital expects you to have deficits as a new grad. We are not expected to hit the ground running.

In regards to starting later in the summer, in the state of Washington we are not allowed to start work until after passing the NCLEX. If I had my way, I would have started work in the hospital the day after graduation because its way more money then the home care job I had as a nurses aid.

kbstudent · Aug 3, 2003

You don't have interim permits in Washington?? Here in California you are issued an interim permit which allows you to work as an RN but under the direct supervision of another RN, cannot work alone. You permit is good for so many days (can't remember the exact number) or until you get your results from your NCLEX.

At the hospital where I work (not yet an RN - one more year to go). You have one day hospital orientation (safety, benefits, infection control, etc) and two days nursing orientation to go over hospital nursing policies, evaulate your skills, orient you to particular equipment (IV pumps, glucose monitors, etc). Then you are on your particular floor with a preceptor for however long it is needed.

fourbirds4me · Aug 3, 2003

They do not give interim or temp permits here in Oklahoma either.

Nadia-- I am not realled "scared"... it was a term used to vent anxt or nervousness. I was venting and trying to say I understand where you are coming from. Sorry if you misunderstood.

SandraCVRN · Aug 6, 2003

In Indiana I was hired as a GN. My hospital orientation (insurance, security, etc) was 2 days. New nurse orientation (documention, accu-checks, foley, ton's of stuff) was 7 days. I started on my unit (Ortho/medical) the same day (Tuesday) I took the NCLEX, so that day was pretty worthless, they had me do a computer training program. Thursday was my next shift and I found out that day that I passed THE TEST!!!!! Then I was with a preceptor for 6 weeks.

kimmicoobug · Aug 10, 2003

nadia..I too live in Washington. I was hired at my hospital as a nurse tech five days after graduation. They do give nurse technician licenses, which are a joke, for thirty days. Personally, I felt that I would have made more use of my orientation to my facility if I had just been hired on as a new RN.

GPNANGEL · Aug 11, 2003

Hello,

I'm a new grad (GPN, I take the exam on the 15th)... Any ways, I am at a new job, more like a new journey. I am so overwhelmed

with all this orientation where I work!!!! I will be considered a part time charge float/med nurse to three different units at a nursing home. I get a week of orientation to each unit. They have me orienting on days, but I'll be working the evening shift. To all the new grads who are getting jobs, DON'T get tangled up in the same mess I did!!!!! As soon as I take the test (praying and hoping that I'll pass it), I'm going to look for some thing else that won't be quite hectic as this job I have now.

kimmicoobug · Aug 11, 2003

GPN Angel...I understand your feeling. I was hired to OB for a 12 orientation. Then spent two weeks each orienting to other units, including OB. Now, it seems as if my orientation is over 4 weeks early and I have been asked to transfer to the float pool. I don't feel this is an adequate orientation and am putting in applications tomorrow at different facilities.