new grads and specialty nursing

[dedicatedstudent]

what is your opinion about new grads with no experience working on specialized units such as labor and delivery, or the icu?

[krisjazzer13]

I am a new grad with no prior nursing experience working on a 15-bed general ICU, and so far things are going very well! A few new grads were hired at my facility w/no prior experience and in my opinion, a 12-week orientation is a bit short and we are at a disadvantage somewhat because we have to master the basic nursing skills as well as the difficult ICU skills/classes/etc (since most of us did not have tons of experience in nursing school!) It is challenging, but I see that more specialty areas are hiring new grads so that we can 'jump right into' our chosen areas. It's tough, but I think a new grad can feel comfortable if given a good orientation w/supportive co-workers.

[pcicurn7]

what is your opinion about new grads with no experience working on specialized units such as labor and delivery, or the icu?

Training is key, these arent new grads with "no experience" (hopefully). There are some facilities who offer excellent training and orientation programs, so in comparing the two, you would have to figure out just how much training they received prior to hitting the floor.

It would be foolish for any new grad to accept little training, it would be like agreeing to be thrown to the wolves. Without proper training, not only do you endanger your license, but people's lives. If someone offered me a job in the ICU with 7 weeks of training, i would happily turn it down. I worked too hard for my license, thanks.

[RNperdiem, RN]

There are workplaces that have a core of experienced nurses, supportive management, and adequate orientation. The nurses in this kind of workplace work well as a team, and can support a new graduate.

Other units are held together by a frayed net of new grads, float nurses, travellers, and a constant turnover of staff. The staff of these units are barely staying afloat themselves, and will be unable to support a new grad.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

If it's something you want to do and have no desire whatsoever to do anything else, then don't waste your time "getting a year experience in med-surg" as you will here from a lot of people.

Make sure they have a good training program for new grads and you'll do fine.

I'm all for it.

[HHW2006]

I started as a new grad in ICU almost nine months ago. It has been a great experience. I wouldn't recommend it for someone with no prior hospital experience though - all applicants at the hospital where I was hired had to have prior acute care experience as a nurse tech.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Well since I became an L/D nurse right out of school, I am all for it, obviously. DO what your heart tells you to do and the rest will follow.

[NurseguyFL]

I don't see anything wrong with going into a specialty area as a new grad. BUT, the learning curve is steep, and I would recommend it only if the facility is offering additional training such a critical care course or other appropriate unit-specific training and a SOLID preceptorship program that pairs you up with a very experienced nurse. From what I've seen, some unit managers promise new grads the moon and the stars to get them to take the job, and then they pull them off the training early because they don't have enough staff. If you are ever put into a situation like that you should refuse to accept patient assignments on your own until you feel you have received enough training to do the job safely.