New Grad ICU

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Do you think that is wrong for a hospital to make a nurse (graduated nursing school in May 2021, started as a new grad in the ICU in August of 2021) orient a travel nurse and be charge at the same time because the unit is short staffed? Does that sound unsafe? Or do you think it’s appropriate? 

Specializes in Dialysis.

If they're a traveler, they should have some experience,  so it's not like you're getting a new nurse orientee. But, as of late, there have been horror stories of inexperienced nurses, both new nurses or no experience in specialty, so I hope for everyone's sake it's not the case. You should only have to show them where to find supplies, med room/pyxis, locker room, and barely used lunchroom. Best of luck to you in this situation 

On 4/8/2022 at 10:35 AM, Hoosier_RN said:

If they're a traveler, they should have some experience,  so it's not like you're getting a new nurse orientee. But, as of late, there have been horror stories of inexperienced nurses, both new nurses or no experience in specialty, so I hope for everyone's sake it's not the case. You should only have to show them where to find supplies, med room/pyxis, locker room, and barely used lunchroom. Best of luck to you in this situation 

Do you think that is dangerous for a new grad to be in the ICU?

On 4/8/2022 at 7:50 AM, saraclark62 said:

Do you think that is wrong for a hospital to make a nurse (graduated nursing school in May 2021, started as a new grad in the ICU in August of 2021) orient a travel nurse and be charge at the same time because the unit is short staffed? Does that sound unsafe? Or do you think it’s appropriate? 

Do YOU think it’s wrong/unsafe/inappropriate that the charge nurse orient a travel nurse? 

Specializes in Dialysis.
11 hours ago, saraclark62 said:

Do you think that is dangerous for a new grad to be in the ICU?

Depends on the grad. I started in ICU, succeeded. Others didn't, so it's not a one size fits all answer

1 Votes

That is definitely not ideal and it should be left up to the nurse to either accept or decline those duties as more experience is required to perform the roles of preceptor and charge nurse.

Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

Should it happen? No. Does it happen? Sure. We're facing such staffing crunches that inappropriate assignments, shortcuts in training and abbreviated orientations are happening throughout the whole medical community. There are ICUs that are very well equipped to train competent new grads. With a well thought out education plan and support for these nurses, many new grads find success. And then there are units like mine where nurses with less than four months off orientation are now orienting other nurses. New grads are working two to a preceptor. No formal outline of education, not even an educator in the unit in over two years. And they wonder why no new grads have lasted even a year. 

1 Votes
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