Length of orientation or preceptorship for new RN grad

Nurses New Nurse

Published

Just graduated RN school and started working on med-surg floor I followed another RN for 2 nights then turned loose to have 10 patients. Is this the norm or what????

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Seriously? No way!

No way! That's crazy And you should talk to your supervisor! I'm new to my second RN job and its med surg and I think orientation is 5 weeks. My first orientation at my first job was 11

that's what I thought...CRAZY! I talked with manager this morning and she gave me a night off.

I bet you are FREAKING!

Specializes in L&D.

A night off doesn't address the issue that you aren't ready for 10pts!(and that seems like a LOT of patients for an experienced nurse!) Medsurg nurses here usually have 5-6pts(sometimes 8).

I'm a new nurse as well(start Monday) and I've heard a lot of nurse managers will start you with your preceptor for a bit and then gradually you take over their patients while they oversee you. Doesn't sound very safe to get 10 pts immediately.

Um, negative! 8-12 weeks is normal.

Specializes in Dialysis, ICU, PCU.

wow! :eek:

that is really scary....I hope you get more time.

I wouldn't do it. You are being set up to fail. You have to protect your license. If it came down to it, I would leave and find something else. It's not safe for you or your patients.

So scary! As stated above, protect yourself & your license. That doesn't sound safe for patients or you.

Specializes in Cardiothoracic.
Just graduated RN school and started working on med-surg floor I followed another RN for 2 nights then turned loose to have 10 patients. Is this the norm or what????

That doesn't sound right at all. As others have written, as a new grad I had 4 months!that included classroom time too for EKG, picc line management, chest tubes etc. us working with a preceptor and them gradually stepping back until you carried a full load on your own a few weeks.

+ Add a Comment