New Grads as Monitor Techs and Secretaries?????

[Tweety]

I just found out one of the units in my hospital is using new grads as monitor techs/secretaries. There is a period of time when after graduation and before they sit for boards they are not licensed RNs, and are technically techs.

Most units allow them to orient with a nurse, doing assessments (not passing meds) and just shadowing and helping. This unit uses them as monitor techs. These nurses were techs on the floor while in school. But they have graduated now. I'm very appalled.

Am I the only one who thinks this is taking advantage of staff and (no offense to monitor techs and secretaries) but not using the nurses to their full potential?

[Noney]

I think it's a wonderful idea. On our unit we get too many nurses that don't understand at all what the clerks do.

You may find some longterm advantages also. The rn's that clerked may come up with some better ways for the clerks and rn's to work together after being on both sides.

These new grads should come to the floor as new grads with strong rhythm skills, and that is a big plus.

[Ortho_RN]

So ya'll don't do that during training/orienting... We sit with the Unit Secretaries for several days.... But we are still RNs our sole job isn't being a US.....

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Originally posted by nurs2b

So ya'll don't do that during training/orienting... We sit with the Unit Secretaries for several days.... But we are still RNs our sole job isn't being a US.....

25 years ago, when I was a new grad, we sat with the unit clerk for an 8 hr shift. That wasn't nearly enough time to learn everything we needed to know. Where I work now, new grads get NO time with the Patient Services Representative (new title for unit clerk or ward secretary).

New grads have a lot to learn -- about working, sometimes. About working in a hospital, and almost always about working in your new unit. Anything you can do to facilitate that learning process is going to stand you in good stead in the long run.

I rather wonder about someone who thinks they're too good to work as a PSR while they wait for their RN . . . .

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

They are paid GN wages, and they are the unit secretary/tele tech, skills of course every RN should learn, I suppose. Still doesn't seem right. They are nurses not secretaries (again no offense to secretaries.) I don't think nurses are too good to work as secretarties but that's not what they go to school to do. Just an opinion, which I seem to be in the minority about, which was the point of my post, to find what others thought. I agree to understand what the UC does, and even how to do what he/she does is important.

When I don't have a secretary I perform all the duties of a charge nurse and a secretary. But I'm not a new grad, I am a charge nurse and have experience within my hospital, by the time I was asked to do charge I was able to do all that secretary stuff already just from OTJ training with a preceptor.

Thanks for everyone's opinion. This is just one unit. On our unit, GN's precept with an RN until they pass the boards, during this time they interpret the rhythms of their patients who are on tele, learn to order stuff they need, and learn to delagate appropriately to the unit secretary dueties within his/her job description. By the time they pass boards they are practically ready to be on their own.

[Ortho_RN]

Originally posted by Ruby Vee

25 years ago, when I was a new grad, we sat with the unit clerk for an 8 hr shift. That wasn't nearly enough time to learn everything we needed to know. Where I work now, new grads get NO time with the Patient Services Representative (new title for unit clerk or ward secretary).

New grads have a lot to learn -- about working, sometimes. About working in a hospital, and almost always about working in your new unit. Anything you can do to facilitate that learning process is going to stand you in good stead in the long run.

I rather wonder about someone who thinks they're too good to work as a PSR while they wait for their RN . . . .

It also doesn't take weeks to learn how to do it either.. I trained as a Unit Secretary and I was on my own after 3 days of training.... I think new RNs should know how to do all aspects, but I don't think that is what they should spend their days doing after they graduated from RN school.... If they sit them with a US for a week or so that is one thing, but making them be a US until they pass boards is just crazy... But as long as they paid me RN pay I doubt I would argue too much..

[kimmicoobug]

Tweety...I am just curious how long it takes the new grad in your area to take boards after grad? I also am one who thinks time spent with the ward secretary is an excellent idea. I was able to spend 30 minutes orienting with the ward secretary and the rest of the time was spent helping out since preterm twins were born via c-sect that day and of course, not enough help. So pretty much everything I have picked up has just been from trial and error and asking the more experienced nurses.

My floor time orientation was 6 weeks long. 4 of it spent as an RN. I oriented two weeks each to three various units and I was told my orientation is over and I am being placed in the float pool. Since, I don't think that two weeks on med-surg was enough to prepare me to take a full patient load safely, I requested more orientation. I agree as well that while learning the tech and WS stuff is important. so is a very good orientation under the guidance of an experienced nurse. The hospital should utilize this time in the new nurse's career to show them the ropes they need to know to practice safely.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by kimmicoobug

Tweety...I am just curious how long it takes the new grad in your area to take boards after grad?

Honestly I don't know. But seems to be a couple of months. There's a paper trail that has to occur. They need to wait for notice from the State of Florida which is notoriously slow, before they can even make an appointment to sit for boards. But when they do sit, it's computerized and they get results fast.

We're not talking a few days training with the secretary. We are talking, you ARE the secretary for those weeks. Seems a waste of good time that could be spent precepting, but that's just me.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Originally posted by 3rdShiftGuy

We're not talking a few days training with the secretary. We are talking, you ARE the secretary for those weeks. Seems a waste of good time that could be spent precepting, but that's just me.

In our institution, you don't get to precept until you pass your boards. So sometimes, folks get hired before they actually take their boards and work either as a secretary or an aide until they pass. They work at the payscale for the job they're actually doing, but arrangements are already made for them to step into an RN position with a preceptor as soon as they have their RN. I think it's a great opportunity to learn. But if someone doesn't want to do that, they don't have to. It's just a way for folks to have an income while they're waiting to pass their boards. I'm sure McDonald's is hiring, too!

[Gator,SN]

As a new grad and new RN in PA. I can say that I had a temporary GN license (good for 1 full year) I spent three 12 hour shifts with the US who walked me through the computer stuff and the flow of the unit from her perspective. For the next 4 weeks my preceptor asked me to take off my own orders, make my own phone calls and pulls my own labs, req forms and run all samples to the lab. I still do most of my own stuff so that I can stay current. We do not have paper charting and everything is computerized, so things change fast. I worked as a GN, making $1.60 less per hour than I do now as an RN.

As a GN, I also spent a day as a PCT, so I could see what they do and appreciate them.

Because the state that I live in allows me to work as a GN with the supervision on an RN and that is what I was hired to do, I would not want to remain a US all this time. We do not have telemetry nurses where I work. Everyone takes care of them. I do not regret my days spent in different areas, I figure that helps me to be more well rounded.

I spent most days acting as an RN with supervision. I graduated May 17th and almost all in my class have taken the NCLEX and everyone is working.

Gator