New Grad Orientation - How Long...

[rosstat2]

]Hi everyone,

]Just wanted to find out what is a typical time frame for new grad orientation at other hospitals. I am in california and I am working in a med/surg unit which I previously worked on under my IPN. When I passed my RN boards this April 2008, got rehired and was on orientation 3 days for day shift, 2 weeks of class orientation, and the 3 nights of orientation. Tonight, I will be on my own. We use team nursing with total of 10 patients (RN gets 5, LVN gets 5, we have a tech). We also do TPC with total of 6 patients, no LVN, sometimes a tech.

]

]The first time I worked on this floor under my IPN was the same time frame for orientation - 3 days on with a preceptor, 3 nights on, and 2 wks of class orientation.

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]I feel that the floor orientation is not enough. Any advise would be helpful. Thanks

[giveandtake]

This is absoluately not enough time. I got 6 weeks of orientation on my med/surg floor working 40 hours a week. That is very unsafe what they had you do!

[greenchloe47]

i started on an ortho floor in ontario and we only had 2 weeks in class and 6 shifts on the floor as well. it wasn't enough. all i do is ask questions constantly and i've been working solo now for almost 2 months it was terrifying (and still is of course as a new grad) and my first day alone i wanted to cry before my first break. i managed to hold off my balling until i got home but was so stressed out, i left almost an hour late and they even took one of patients away after 8 hours because it was obvious i was so stressed.

6 shifts is certainly not enough.

[MIcrunchyRN]

Yah no where near enough time!!

I get 6-8 weeks of on the floor 40 hours a week orientation. Starting with one patient and working up to 4-5 patients. The first patient is low acuity. As time progresses so does your patient load and acuity leve.

If you don't feel comfortable being on your own DEMAND more time orientating. Nursing shool no where near teaches you enough.

[Jodie, GN]

i am a graduate nurse who in may started working on an ortho floor in the US. i had 6 weeks of orientation, and i have now been on my own for about 2 weeks and am still scared. ortho is difficult because you so not recieve much of it when you are in school. i am starting to catch on but that is just after 8 weeks, thats a shame that they did that to you, its almost like they set you up to fail, i am sure you are an awsome nurse and maybe you should ask them for more time. I think the transition from student to grad to RN is tough and takes alot more than 6 shifts.

[cubbynurse]

i just finished week 1 of my 12 week orientation. for the first 8 weeks i am 40 hours/week and then weeks 9-12 i drop down to 32 hours (what i got hired for)

[DreamingTree]

I'm also a new grad. We get 12 weeks of orientation -- 2 weeks classroom, 10 weeks on the floor. I'm even getting a few extra weeks because I only work part-time & I had some vacation time thrown in.

Orientation started out very light, and I've gradually been taking on more responsibility. I'm now up to 4 - 5 pts, but my preceptor still helps me out when needed. In fact, she has spared me some aspects of the job (new admissions, some phone calls, etc.) to allow me to get into a groove with my current workload.

[NATmicuRN]

at my hospital the first week is hr orientation then if your in a specialized unit (say icu like myself) i have 3 more weeks of classroom orientation followed by 6-8wks of precepting depending on how well ur preceptor feels your doing...i would deff. not feel prepared if i hadnt had all this

[*ac*]

That's ridiculous. I got 12 weeks on the floor PLUS a 2 week class. Then I wasn't totally ready, so got another week on the floor.

[babyNP., APRN]

That does seem a bit ridiculous. I'm in a NICU-neonatal, and we have a 5 month orientation, with 8-16 hours of classroom stuff each week.

[Brittany, RN]

That is REALLY not enough time. With my job, we are getting 2 weeks in the classroom followed by 3-4 months on the floor, depending on how you progress. Like some above posters stated, we will start with 1 low-acuity pt and work up to a full patient load.

[TRINI_RN]

I just started on a L&D floor and my orientation is 6 months, but I do know that on the Medsurg floors in my hospital orientation is 8-12 weeks and can be stretched out according to how you are doing. Many of my classmates did externships on these floors in our senior semester for 10 weeks and they still are getting the benefit of the full orientation. I think that you should really talk to your nurse manager or nurse educator about having a more comprehensive orientation. Good Luck!