I just began a job in the MICU in a large teaching hospital as a new grad 7 weeks ago. My orientation is 12 weeks long, which includes 7 weeks of working 2 days a week with preceptor and doing ecco course 1 day, 5 weeks doing three day weeks with preceptor. During my interview, the management was pretty hesitant about letting a new grad work in their unit. I left the interview feeling like there was no way I would get the job, but then I did! I feel so lucky to be in my dream position right out of school, but although I feel like I am a "cream of the crop" new grad (I graduated first in my class w/ BSN, did an externship in a level 1 trauma center ED, etc), I am still A NEW GRAD.
Long story short, I alternate between 4 preceptors (which is a problem in itself) and one of them really thinks its unacceptable that they must teach me "basic nursing" rather then only the critical care component. I was told all along in school, you really learn how to be a nurse in your first job in a new grad program. Well, my program wasn't designed for new grads, it is the same program "New to the ICU" nurses go through (that's what all my documents state--new to the icu RN).
Regardless, I am meeting the minimum goals for each week. I am, however, still slower then most nurses at many things. I am still learning to organize and time manage. I feel like they don't understand that my 6 month externship does not bring me up to the same starting level as an RN who worked years in tele or medsurg.
I am just wondering, are there expectations of me unrealistic?
Is a new grad RN supposed to be learning basic nursing things (by this I mean becoming comfortable with giving report, talking to doctors, organizing your day)?
If I am the one who is wrong, I would like to know, because in that case maybe I am truly NOT ready for icu yet...
