How long was your orientation

Specialties Emergency

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Hi allnurses, I was wondering how long was your orientation. I will be working on a 23 hour observation unit and I believe my orientation will be about 4 to 6 weeks. I'm hired for on midnights and I will only spend two weeks on days, then I start nights. Do you guys think that's enough time. I'm a bit concerned as others seem to have anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks or more. I live in Michigan but please do not post there, as there is hardly any activity/response there. Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance!

Specializes in ER.
our degree is like engineering, teaching, science, math, etc; yet they don't wipe butt!!

Maybe you should consider one of those careers?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
I think the old mindset was BSN was not bedside nursing. But now all the big hospitals are requiring BSN. Maybe msn get out of booty wiping.

Two classes away from an MSN, don't foresee receiving a BWE (booty wiping exemption) card anytime soon. :D

our degree is like engineering, teaching, science, math, etc; yet they don't wipe butt!!

And they're not providing patient care, either. Look at it from the patient's view -- do you want to lie around in feces? Not my idea of a good time. If that were me, or my parents, or a loved one ... yeah, I am all for making my patients clean and comfortable. It's a basic need.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Anyway ... my ED orientation was 12 weeks, including a fellowship at our hospital system's level 1. I had been working in the same ED as a tech for 3.5 years, which was helpful, and had been a paramedic for a good while by the time I became an RN. Still needed the orientation, though! :D

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Specializes in CAPA RN, ED RN.

Our new grads get a structured 18 month residency in the ED that includes classroom time, mentor and debriefing time and time in other departments that will support their ED experience. There is no observation unit in our ED so I can't comment on that. And no one likes to wipe butt but everyone gets a chance to help someone keep from feeling miserable. That's life at the basic need level.

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Awesome, thread hijack on an ER thread to complain about butt wiping on med-surg.

Now back to orientation. Ours is 3 months for new grads.

good to see your having enough time to care for other people in such a warm, heartful way! Back to everyone's claims about the "butt wipe", you know what, I don't care. If you don't think highly enough of your own "hard earned" degree, then you will be contributing the ever-ungrateful public and doctors who think nurses only as butt wipers and doctor's minions. have some respect for yourselves. if you disagree, I respect your opinion, but to be frank, that is a foolish one.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
tarotale hey, i am currently doing medsurg and I can't do this anymore; can't stand doing butt wiping and nasty stuff which I did not expect to do as a baccalaureate graduate (same way for ADN nurses; they are equally great as BSN). I am burnt out of nursing and got an opportunity at an Observation unit, where I expect less butt wiping and pca work. Does this sound like an Observation unit?

No one likes the dirtier side of nursing....no one. However, it is a responsibility of patient care that we accept when we become nurses. I am ever confused by new nurses, which seems to be a growing complaint, that want no part in the reality of what a nurse really is responsible for at the bedside. By insisting that these tasks are for lesser educated individuals....we are causing our removal away from the bedside and being replaced by non licensed personnel. While it won't effect me too much (hopefully) at my age..... it will affect you and your care when you become old and infirm.

The question is....who do you want caring for you when you are ill and can't care for yourself?

Are nursing schools no longer educating our nurses properly about the responsibilities of the profession? Performing patient care...the little things; brushing a patients teeth, turning a patient, cleaning up human waste when they no linger can, is a part of the reality of bedside nursing and an important facet of what a nurse is responsible for in caring for the sick and infirm.

Nursing isn't about the machines and monitors...it's about human frailty and having compassion for your fellow man. I agree that nurses have other responsibilities but that doesn't give us a pass on patient care to the "lower" care providers without our assistance. We are all responsible for all aspects of patient care equally....that includes call lights, turning your patient, and cleaning up human waste.

I think it has little to do with how much one respects, or doesn't respect, their degree....it is the assumption that because one has a degree one is to be relieved, or is above, of certain duties associated with the position.

Back to everyone's claims about the "butt wipe", you know what, I don't care. If you don't think highly enough of your own "hard earned" degree, then you will be contributing the ever-ungrateful public and doctors who think nurses only as butt wipers and doctor's minions. have some respect for yourselves. if you disagree, I respect your opinion, but to be frank, that is a foolish one.

I have NEVER felt myself above these tasks. While I am also one who really doesn't like med/surg nursing...our reasons are completely different. I HATED that I could not care for my patients in the manner they deserved. I HATED that there were patients I was responsible for that I barely laid eyes on....let alone my hands. I HATED NOT having that one on one patient care that patients deserved....so I went into intensive care where I could be assure that my patients were cared for by me.

I have done administration and trust me you deal with a different kind of "poop"....I guess it's personal preference which kind of crap you prefer. For me....it's the smelly version. The other was far more odoriferous.

Looking for ICU or ED positions will not relieve you of the dirty aspects of nursing......Nothing is quite like a critical GI bleed or a patient covered in feces that laid on the floor for three days because no one found them. But that does not mean that these patients deserve anything less than the best care possible for the time we are responsible for them.

Yes, there are positions at the bedside that offer less exposure and some away from the bedside that offer no exposure. I think the strong reaction by most nurses when these statement are made is the disrespect of the profession of nursing and patient care. I admire a nurse that realizes that a certain area is not their cup of tea. My hair stands on end when a nurse feels themselves above the task of patient care.

To answer you question about an observation unit....there are "Clinical decision Units" for observation of ED patients that usually include more walky, talky patients who are more self sufficient. Some of these units are ED department based/attached and are very busy with multiple patients on serial lads ruling in or ruling out acute MI's. You will move a lot of patients to ICU or to regular admission floors....or transfers to tertiary facilities for invasive cardiac intervention. These orientations are generally shorter than the standard ED position. It's an assembly line of labs draws, multiple admissions and transfers....with but wiping thrown in for good measure every now and then.

I wish you the best in your future pursuits.

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thank you esme first for the deeep insightful comment. you know as I was reading your post, I figured that I was probably arguing against in an uphill battle. I guess it's a blessing that lots nurses such as yourself and others don't mind pca care because of your focus in patient care and compassion. not everyone is well fitted for nursing, and I don't think I am the all loving, all compassionate nurse who don't mind "butt wipe" work. i think change of mentality in different age group also contributes to the reason why you and many others have different opinions. i am honest person, so i admit that nursing is exactly not something I want to do, and not something I thought it would be. Thank you for your feedback, and I wish to find my field that fits my personality to contribute to the society. Thank you again.

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Specializes in CAPA RN, ED RN.

Tarotale, I also have a strong reaction to your comments.

I can't imagine lying helpless in my own filth and having a highly educated "nurse" walk away from me. We are devoted to service and the welfare of those committed to our care. A nurse who truly cares for their pt when managing their care does more to promote professionalism in nursing than any number of letters behind their name.

I challenge you to think about what it might be like to be in a position of needing some nursing care that includes help with basic life needs. It is actually pretty hard to be in that position and very humbling if you have never experienced it. If you listen carefully you will hear over and over how grateful our public is for the wonderful nurses that have helped them or their family member through those hard times.

I generally get as involved as possible in the hands on care for my patients. Sometimes due to time constraints I cannot be involved in booty wiping but I have then missed one chance to evaluate my patient's skin integrity and other issues that will affect their care going forward. We have a tremendous amount of power as nurses that comes from our ability to truly serve those who need us.

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Specializes in CAPA RN, ED RN.

Tarotale, I had not read your last comment before posting. Thanks for your honesty. If you decide to leave nursing, all the best to you. Some of my classmates left nursing years ago. Just consider that everything happens for a reason and you now have this knowledge of life and yourself for some reason.

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hey thanks for your comments... and yes maybe i do need some soul searching because i remember I didn't start out thinking this way... like a jack you know (laughs). I work at a max burn out unit, notorious in my hospital. it's my stupid fault for taking the job, but I guess it's time to leave the unit and hopefully find somewhere I can relaunch my attitude? or it might be too late to change... regardless of that, it's something to think about. thanks for the comments.

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Never mind... this thread has morphed into a whole 'nother' topic.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Ok.....let's return to the subject of this post....how much orientation is usually required for a clinical decision unit in the ED

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