How long did you oriented as a new nurse?

brina8615 · Oct 23, 2009

Wow that sounds great. Where do you work?

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Oct 23, 2009

I got 5 days ! I'm a lpn in assisted living.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Oct 23, 2009

As a new grad, I received one 8 hour shift of orientation at a small nursing home. Keep in mind that I had never worked in nursing before.

kmarie724 · Oct 23, 2009

As a new grad in LTC, I got about a month long orientation. I felt it was adequate, but I had worked in the same facility as a CNA for 2 1/2 years while in school, so I don't know if I would have thought that was enough time if I wasn't already familiar with the residents and facility.

I'm not sure, but it seems to me experienced nurses starting at my facility get 2-3 weeks of orientation.

stefano · Oct 24, 2009

as a new grad, about 4 months in ICU..

allnurses Guide · Oct 24, 2009

New grads get 6 months in the ER. Given a fair amount of autonomy the last months but still have back up. Others, totally depends on their level of experience coming in.

kimmyj74 · Oct 27, 2009

I got 5 days ! I'm a lpn in assisted living.

This sounds like the jobs I've been offered. I'm going to turn down a better paying job because they said orientation was 3 days; one of which in a classroom. I graduated in August and just received my license last week. There is no way I could do it alone in just 3 days. The other job offers (2) are giving me 2 weeks.

vivacious1healer · Oct 27, 2009

As a brand new grad back in 2002, I had 3 months of orientation! It was great! Between learning on the floor and attending lectures/educational courses for new nurses, I feel I got the best orientation I could of imagined.

Now a days, a new grad is lucky to get 6 weeks.....and 2 weeks is off the floor training, so really only 4 weeks on the floor.

IMHO that is not nearly enough to work in a specialty like Neuro and Neuro Step-down unit. I have seen many fail because it is too overwhelming. unfortunately, the response from management is "that's all we are budgeted for!"

What is more costly? The orientee going thru 6 weeks of training, only to fail or give them an extra 2-3 weeks and succeed?

Blackheartednurse · Oct 27, 2009

I graduated from nursing school in May 2009. The hospital I work @ has a formal nursing orientation program for new nurses. The first 12 weeks is general nursing orientation. We learned how the charting system works, policy procedures, how to work IV pumps and other equipment, and we also rotated to each unit in the hospital except for L&D and SICU. During those 12 weeks we had classroom time on monday, which were refresher courses from things learned in nursing school and how to transition those disease process to our clinical practice. On fridays we had a debriefing with our Chief Nursing officer and we talked about what went well during the week and what frustrated us. During those 1st 12 weeks we were only assigned 2 patients per week and we worked 8hr shifts.
After the 12 week general nursing orientation was completed, we started our unit based which varies based on the acuity level of the unit but the minimum orientation time for any unit is 8 weeks. My particular unit based orientation is 12 weeks b/c of the patient acuity level. I have completed for 4 weeks of unit orientation as of 10/23.
To make a long story short....I say pick a hospital with a established nursing orientation program for new grads. You will not feel stressed out trust me. The transition from student nurse to registered nurse will be a lot easier.

awrrrrrrrrr that sound awsome!!!!!!!!!!!