GN orientation

Yes...Yes...Yes...without a doubt...Yes...mandate it that GNs be rotated throughout the 'house' so they can get a feel for what their professional nick in the nursing field should be. Orient them just like the med students. If the GNs don't have this opportunity afforded them right off the bat after they are first hired in an acute care facility, the hospitals are doing them a disservice, and the GNs are doing themselves a disservice. GNs come on board with many EXPECTATIONS, but few master the REALITY of what they end up finding...therefore, their first jobs are often short lived.

Besides orienting them to various units of their choosing, it would also behoove the hospital admins to once and for all allow the GNs to actually COMPLETE their orientations BEFORE throwing them out to pasture. It is NOT the GNs fault that hospitals are shortstaffed, yet often times their orientations are cut short DUE TO SHORTSTAFFING, and hospitals want to take advantage of them far too early in their orientation phase. Treat them professionally, respect them for where they are at in their training as new GNs, and stop expecting them to have the same amount of experience as us seasoned nurses. :)

We recently piloted a new program for our GN's. They go to centralized nursing orientation in which they learn the lay of the land, the equipment that they generally will come across and the members and functions of the disciplines. After the week long orientation, they come to the floor. Each floor has its own orientation program designed for the patient population. It has worked really well. For example, on our cardiac floor, week one is Chest pain, then MI, then CHF, etc, etc. As the weeks progress, the orientee increases numbers and skills. Overall, it has been great for both the preceptor and the orientee. Let me know if you want anymore information. Be happy to help.

Several hospitals I am considering have 3 month orientation programs. You spend the first 4 weeks in the classroom learning policies and procedures and the next 8 weeks you orient to the floor you'll be working on. I agree with cheerfuldoer- Gn's should be rotated like the med students.