New grad, new job, 1 week of orientation. :/

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So I just accepted a job at what I thought was a great teaching hospital. I haven't taken the NCLEX yet and they have a spot waiting for me once I get my license. So that's pretty exciting.

However, the orientation period where I'm paired with a nurse and learn how to work as a RN in a hospital is... one week. It seems a bit short. I've worked as a CNA for a few years, and I was a nurse extern at that hospital over the summer. However, during my nurse externship they wouldn't let me pass meds, program IVs or anything invasive -- just assessing and charting. After my week of orientation, they have online teaching modules and I'm assigned a "mentor" that I can "turn to if I have any questions" but I just don't know if it'll be enough.

I'm grateful I found a job because I know that it's hard right now for new grads. But I'm just nervous because even though they told me have a lot of "hospital experience" I've never worked or had the responsibilities of an actual nurse and honestly, I'm just afraid of accidently making a mistake, potentially losing my license, and harming a patient.

Does anyone have any advice or some words of encouragement for a new grad with a very short orientation program?

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One week! Wow just wow. I don't know what to tell you.

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That's ridiculous. When I was in your position (worked as a extern/PCA) I still received 5 weeks of orientation. Since then they've cut orientation from 6 weeks to 4 weeks which is still not enough IMO (specialized med-surg unit). Does your "mentor" have her own assignment?

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Ya my mentor will have his or her own patient load. The mentor is the same person who I'm shadowing during orientation and they want want that teaching relationship to continue. But I'm wondering when my mentor actually have time to help orient me when she has her own patients as well. Oy vey!

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Specializes in Cardiothoracic.

Hi~ I am curious to know what kind of unit you were hired onto? That seems ridiculously short to me and I don't see how they can expect you to succeed and absorb enough in 1 week, I presume 3 12 hr shifts? It takes time to learn where everything is, who to call for what, how to find things etc on top of patient care and learning procedures and protocols for the unit. I am still considered a new grad, having graduated in May and worked 5 months in an ER, and just moved to a new position in another hospital and am being given 6 weeks, and another nurse with 4 years experience is being given 2. 1 week just sounds unrealistic. Please keep us posted!

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One week does sound short, but with the experience you've had, I'm sure you will be fine. During your externship I assume you learned the routine, assessed and charted (huge part), and learned where everything is, who to call, etc. It sounds like you probably got to watch all the medications be administered and invasive procedures performed, but just weren't allowed to do them yourself? Those are skills that can only be learned in time by actually doing them, but it seems like you have experience in all the most important areas of your job. I think everyone is nervous to be on their own no matter how much time they spent with a preceptor. Just think of how much more time you had in comparison to someone hired in off the street who didn't get the extern experience. If they can do it then you can too! I'm sure the people you've worked with have discussed your skills and feel like you're ready or else they wouldn't let you loose.

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Specializes in Med-surg, tele.

I started on a med-surg/tele unit in November and got three full weeks of orientation, as a new grad. I don't feel ready, as far as facility orientation goes, but the NUS is insisting that I take a full load. I don't really know what to do. I love the hospital where I work, but some of these people are really sick. For example, I had a patient last week with a potassium level of 2. I didn't know how to initiate the protocol that was in place, and I heard, second-hand, that the doctor was frustrated with me. I had never done anything like that before, and feel like I'm getting shorted in my education. I'm still listed as "orienting" on the schedule, but the charges are giving me four patients of my own each shift. :(

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1 week is really not enough IMO, I think it's a threat to your license. I wouldn't even accept that position unless you are very confident in your skills. Just learning the flow of the floor takes time not to mention all the little things like learning which docs to call, how to use equipment etc. I got 13 wks with a preceptor then 2 wks of small teams where I was not counted in the nurse census so the other nurses had fewer patients and were available to help me. I work on a med/surg onc floor.

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I just accepted a position as a new grad RN on a med-surg/ortho floor. I thought I would be receiving 8 weeks of orientation. They asked me in the interview what I thought I would need as far as that goes and I said 6-8 weeks and I thought I was low balling it with that answer. Well today was the 2nd day of orientation and we had a lunch "meeting" with our floor directors and one of the other new grads asked how long we would have a preceptor and she said they used to do 12 weeks but that they just don't have the budget for it...she said ideally she'd like to get us on our own in 2 weeks!!! That just seems crazy to me. But, I'm an ADN nurse in the Los Angeles area, and I feel extremely lucky to have this position...so I feel I can't afford to complain. I'm hoping I can stretch it to 4 weeks at least.

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