How do you make new hires feel welcome on your unit?

Tarabara · Aug 28, 2012

Im a new grad, been at my job for 5 months now. I dont think new hires need gifts or anything like that, I felt welcomed just because everyone introduced themselves to me and said "Hi, welcome! we're glad to have you!" Everyone on my floor is also really good about periodically asking me how my day is going and if I need any help or offer to answer questions. Really just having a friendly attitude and making me feel comfortable asking questions made all the difference!

**CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN** · Aug 28, 2012

My unit director gave us a small 'care package' including a coveted Carpuject plunger (I had no idea what it was), and some tissues, among other things. I think a 'get-started' kit could be nice, like a multi-colored pen (maybe pen/pencil combo).

We were introduced to the unit members (and I'm sure it was previously mentioned we were going to be starting soon) as the new orientees are announced ahead of time.

I think my floor was very welcoming, but it takes a while to learn who everyone is. I'd almost like something like group or individual photos with names to make it easier to remember people. Getting used to 30 or so new people takes time.

wish_me_luck, BSN, RN · Aug 28, 2012

nursbrooklyn, I am a new grad (boards soon) and I honestly don't need anything materialistic. The thing I want more than anything is to genuinely feel welcomed on a unit and not have a toxic environment. A job in itself in this economy is a great gift. But if nurse orientation/welcome groups and nurse managers, etc could work on the environment that would do everything.

I know when I was in school, there would be a nurse recruiter come to our class and bring lunch. As much as we appreciate that, there were many students (including myself) that thought they just wanted to work in a better enviroment. It's bad when in nursing school you have nurses who don't want you, tech and internship positions where nurses don't want you, and then it's the same as a new nurse. For the most part, I want to believe that people go into nursing to give good care to people (as opposed to money), so quitting jobs after a few months or a 1 year or whatever is not normally part of the plan. My best advice to higher ups is place nurses where they enjoy/want to be (I find that hard to believe that there is not a role for every nurse; I went to school with people who wanted things from psych, ICU, ER, public health, CRNA, nurse practitioner, management, med surg) and nix the toxic work environment.

Nurse ABC · Aug 28, 2012

Having been newly hired by the hospital, I'll tell you how not to make someone feel welcome! I have no locker or anywhere to keep my stuff. I was told I'd have to share with someone but no one has offered to share. I had about two people that acted happy to have a new hire and were genuinely friendly. Finally, every single preceptor I had (three in all) preceptors who complained that they either didn't want to precept or said they told management they didn't think they would be a good preceptor but would do it if they had to. Even if they felt that way, by going out of their way to tell me that, I felt like I had put them out and unwelcome. I think it's awesome you are looking for ways to make you're new employees feel welcome! It shows you care! I would have a talk with everyone on the unit and and ask them to make new people feel wanted by pausing to actually greet them with a smile and say we're glad to have you! I would make sure they had somewhere safe to keep their things. I would try to encourage those precepting to not complain to new hires or talk about everyone behind their back (that goes for everyone).I would encourage everyone on the floor to offer support to the new people and ask them how things are going, if they need help, etc. I think those things will go much further than a care package. If you really want to give them something, why not a free lunch pass?

RN-ing, BSN, MSN, NP · Aug 28, 2012

Yeah, you guys are totally right! The most important thing is feeling accepted and supported. We are definitely working on that too. I work in a large ICU, so its even more difficult for new hires/new grads to feel confident. And I know, preceptors can be negative.

On our unit, you are selected to be a preceptor and its considered a priveledge.

Thanks for all your input...good luck in all your adventures in nursing!

TX911 · Aug 28, 2012

Do you do anything special to make your new hires feel welcome?
Thanks!

Fava beans and nice bottle of chianti

But seriously, when i first hired in I was a new grad and I got "here's your rooms, charge's extension is **** if you need anything. Oh and we usually don't get lunch sooooo...."

star.crush · Aug 28, 2012

Let them know you care. Tell them if they have any questions feel comfortable to ask you. Tell them important things they need to know about the job.

Good Morning, Gil · Aug 28, 2012

You can do things to make them feel welcome, but those things really don't matter in the long run. If it's a good unit, they'll want to stay, but if it's a unit with either poor teamwork or high patient ratios, they won't be there long.

So, I would just focus on things to help all nurses stay. If everyone is welcoming, etc, I don't think a gift is necessary. Maybe something practical would be nice, something that would help them to do their job easier, like a laminated card with all of the important phone numbers on it that they could fit on the back of their ID badge.

star.crush · Aug 28, 2012

Yeah that is definitely a plus. Everyone wants to feel welcomed.

wish_me_luck, BSN, RN · Aug 28, 2012

I want to add something in addition to my above post. One thing I wish managers did is when there's a staff meeting, take like 15-20 minutes or so and the new grad/new staff/other people who aren't fast enough or have staff complaining about them--write their names down and the complaints on them and then, the staff that did the complaining should have to get in a small group at the meeting (in private, not with other staff around) and come up with ways (preferably in writing) to help that new grad/staff succeed or correct what's wrong. They seem to know how to correct it if they are complaining about it.

I will use myself as an example. I was a tech at one point and I will be honest, it was rough time management wise and I did not get everything done the nurses expected my to get done. I was told that several nurses (not all though) had concerns about time management, etc. Yet, even though multiple people complain, only 1 nurse pulled me aside and gave me suggestions on time management and everything. I think my manager should have written my name down with the nurses complaints and the people who complained about me need to get together and come up with suggestions on how to help me succeed. Otherwise, criticism is worthless and does nothing but bring down the morale of the unit. You very quickly realize who is trying to get a person fired because of a personality conflict and who just doesn't think the person is cutting it. If it seems like one person is always complaining about a staff member without offering constructive criticism, I would get rid of them. I think that would decrease turnover.

TX911 · Aug 28, 2012

I think being self-depricating can be a huge way to boost newcomer confidence. When I had new people ask me stuff and comment on feeling like they don't "get it" I always tried to tell them that when I first started, my MAR summary called for mupirocin cream inside this lady's nares as part of our VAP protocol. When I got the little baggie out of the pyxis I was like, "what the hell do i do with this crap?" So I ever so deftly stuck a (gloved) pinkie finger in the bag, covered it with the ointment, and started effectively picking my patient's nose with it. It wasn't til i noticed my pt laugh and write on her communication board "thanks for the effort, but they usually just hand me a couple of q-tips and the bag" that I felt like a moron yet more at ease with the situation.

Using opportunities to tell new grads about the boneheaded crap we all did when we started is a great way to help people settle in.