This is basically a follow-up thread. As many of you know I recieved the job offer today at a local hospital. Really happy and excited about it. Especially since I graduated Dec 2010. Make a long story short, I call and tell a friend (that I graduated with) about it and she says, "WOW! I'm surprised they will put you through an internship part-time." (I accepted a part time position). During the interview I was told I will be with a preceptor for 3months, and a skills list will be provided to complete before I am on my own. So my friend says, "Well, the hospital I work for gave us 2 weeks of review before we even touched the floor..... The internship is a year long." Now I am freaking out. Am I getting shortchanged because of previous LPN experience?
I don't even see any openings for New Grad internships, ANYWHERE. I finally get a job, and now I'm like WHAT THE H-E-(chopstick)(chopstick)!!!
Any insight is welcomed. What is your personal experience?
There are different training programs for different hospitals. Often times they will short cut you because of your experience. I got hired at a floor that had 12 week orientation, but because of my experience i was given 8 weeks. My manager made it clear to me this is does NOT mean i will only be given 8 weeks, it is just a plan. if my preceptor or myself feel like i needed more time, then they would have given me more time. They just find that people with more experience are ready to be on there own around 8 weeks.
Our hospital doesn't do training before, with the exception of nursing orientaiton days, but as new grads we are put into a nurse residency program. So this program we practice our skills and get together with other nurse residents during the time we work. We meet twice a month, we get more education and hands on skills during our first year. So some places will do this BEFORE going on the floor, some do it during the time your on the floor and some don't do it all. It just varies between hospitals.
Specializes in Mental Health, Medical Research, Periop.
OK, Snow. Let's regroup.
So it looks like you are not in the intern program. You were hired as a new employee and have 3 months of orientation time. Thankfully, you have experience as an LPN and can easily catch on. You already know the flow of hospitals, work ethic, organizational skills, documentation requirements, medications, and prioritization skills.
You got this in the bag, baby!
Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise for you. You may have been really bored in the internship program, because you already know so much. Don't see this as 'short changing' you...but rather see this as the next logical phase of learning.
I think that this opportunity is perfect for you. How excited are you going to be when you get your badge and see RN after your name?!?!?
Relish in this victory. It IS a victory for you. I am so happy for you!
You have an amazing way with words!! Thank you so much. I felt like I was being left out of the New Grad club or something, lol! Ok, I can do my victory dance now (which oddly enough resembles the "Carlton" (Fresh Prince of Bel Air).
First of all, congrats! Where I work as a new grad we have 3 months with a preceptor. In the ICU and ER I think they do a year but I am on a regular floor. My hospital sounds very similar to yours actually. It wasn't an official new grad program and I just applied to a position. But they have fully supported me and it feels like I am in a new grad program! I actually have heard of people getting hired into my hospital as new grads part time as well. I am about halfway through my preceptorship and I am starting to feel really comfortable with my role. While there are certainly things I do not know because of lack of experience, I know when to ask and who to go to for help. I feel that I will be ready to be on my own at the end of my orientation because my floor has been incredibly supportive throughout this time. I think you are, understandably, being nervous about your first job. Go in ready to ask a lot of questions and knowing your strengths and weaknesses and you will be absolutely fine.
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
Thank you for the compliment. I just wanted you to see the big picture instead of feeling "left out". You are head and shoulders beyond 'new grad' status, BECAUSE you have experience. In my bones, I truly think that you would have been bored and restless in an internship program. Intern programs focus primarily on prioritization, organizational skills, comprehending/questioning orders, and patient safety. You already know all of that.
Your focus now is to hone the skills that you already possess. This should be a relatively easy transition for you. Think of how impressed your preceptors will be when you can take instruction and implement plans with little guidance?!?! Oh, how I WISH that I could have someone like you to precept!
Sweetheart, take tonight to celebrate. YOU DID IT!!! You got a great job, you have much to be thankful for, and you no longer have to pound the pavement in search of that all-elusive job. The stress of landing a job is OVER. YAY!!! Rest your head easy tonight and keep that positive mindset going-you have so much to look forward to now.
I have no doubt that you will be a quickly rising star on your unit. When things get rough and you start to doubt yourself, remember how hard you worked and how many hours you spent searching, applying, and interviewing for jobs. Keep in mind that change, regardless of its nature, is always difficult and has its own set of hurdles. Things tend to mesh with time...and you will adapt.
I think it depends on the hospital. My hospital only gives 3 months orientation with a preceptor and that seems to be the norm. However, I am technically in a new grad program for a year. All that means though is during my 3 months orientation I go to a 4 hour class once a week and then after 3 months I think we have a class once a month but no preceptor.
Personal experience.... agency CNA on Saturday..... night charge nurse on Wednesday. I had a couple of days of looking at the med cart/giving meds (but I'd been to the facility a lot as an CNA, so knew the basic layout). End of orientation. No license- just a GN. For 7 bucks an hour 1985. Thirty skilled patients on 3-11; 60 on nights. And it all got done= that's just what was expected back then. If you didn't like it, you were shown the classified ads.
It's good to get the 3 months- you'll be surprised at how much you pick up- and it's not like you'll be totally alone after that! You will always have co-workers and a supervisor who you can ask questions of! :)
Hang in there- it will all feel very overwhelming- that's normal. If it didn't feel rather nuts, THEN you'd be in trouble ! :heartbeat
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
Hey Snow...I just told my husband about you and your new job (he is oftentimes a wonderful resource when I am trying to answer a member's question or relay relevant information). He and I just toasted to you and your future success!
Here is an 'e-clink' from us to you. So happy for you!
OH my! Whew! I know as a new LPN I got pretty short orientations. But the way my friend made it sound like it was the only way new RN grads get trained to work in hospitals.
Snow, your friend is not correct....many new grads are hired directly to the floor with an orientation program. With the economy and cutbacks the hospitals are phasing out the official "new grad" training programs...too expensive. In my county, none of the hospitals have them anymore--and this is not a small area. You will do fine with 3 months. I was hired directly to a large hospital as a GN and got 8 weeks...that was almost 20 years ago but things arent too too different...so don't feel short changed...if anything, smile and feel like you are one step ahead of her (sort of like - you don't need a whole year of training)...you will pick up SO fast...and after all nursing really is sort of ON the JOB training...you will be amazed at how much you DIDN'T learn in nursing school...and at how much you DO learn while working...EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Never compare experiences because you do not know the criteria for dishing them out. Anyways i am getting 3months orientation with a review of skills after. I am an old grad (2007) who didnt work in a hospital setting. I am doing this orientation with someone who graduated dec 2010 also.
3months including rotation to the different departments. So i dont thing its out of the norm
Don't compare your training to your friend's, different hospitals have different ways and time limits for such things.
Jenni811, RN
1,032 Posts
There are different training programs for different hospitals. Often times they will short cut you because of your experience. I got hired at a floor that had 12 week orientation, but because of my experience i was given 8 weeks. My manager made it clear to me this is does NOT mean i will only be given 8 weeks, it is just a plan. if my preceptor or myself feel like i needed more time, then they would have given me more time. They just find that people with more experience are ready to be on there own around 8 weeks.
Our hospital doesn't do training before, with the exception of nursing orientaiton days, but as new grads we are put into a nurse residency program. So this program we practice our skills and get together with other nurse residents during the time we work. We meet twice a month, we get more education and hands on skills during our first year. So some places will do this BEFORE going on the floor, some do it during the time your on the floor and some don't do it all. It just varies between hospitals.