new graduate with very hard orientation.should I quit my job?

Nurses New Nurse

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OMG! I am a new lpn graduate.I got hired last week for the midnight shift (I preferred afternoons but no opening yet for that shift).I just had my first 3 days of orientation and it was so hard.FYI, in our unit,we only have 1 nurse for the midnight shift and 57 patients(the manager already asked me if I'm ok being on my own with 50+ patients). I just had my first 2 days of my 1 month of orientation and I feel very overwhelmed with everything.

My first 2 days I had to learn skills.it was ok until I got to learning to do the paperwork.I got confused with learning how to do nursing audits,med reconciliation,charting doctor's orders.None of my nurse orientors had enough time to teach me those with 50+ patients.

Worse of all,on my 3rd day,I had 1 seasoned nurse train me.She already knew I just graduated but still she just told me since I already got my license,I can pass meds on my own,made me do the narcotic count even if I NEVER knew how to count the narcotics and do the treatments.No wonder there's the saying nurses eat their young.She did not even tell me where the meds are in the med cart,so I had to try to manually find those meds.She just threw me cluluess on the floor.As a result,I was left still passing meds when my shift ended at 7:30.I apologized to the oncoming day nurse that it took me time because it's only my 3rd day being a nurse and my nurse orientor threw me on the floor without teaching me how to do anything.Then the oncoming nurse even had the nerve to say I better hurry up next time, knowing I'm a new graduate.

I feel so stupid and incompetent and very slow.But what can I do? It was my first time passing meds on my own.Then my orientor later said she threw me to the wolves in purpose so I will know how hard it is on my unit and she even said "I hope you won't leave this job". IS that even legal to make a new graduate nurse orientee pass meds on her own and even count narcs without knowing how to do them?? I thought orientation was supposed to be a time to learn and not to be thrown on the floor until I get done with orientation.It was only my 3rd day.Its either this nurse is too lazy to teach me or she wants to put my hard-earned license at risk.I shouldnt be thrown on the floor to pass meds on my own until I'm done with orientation right?

I dont wanna lose my job because it really pays me good.I spent 8 years of my life trying to get this license.But OMG! How can they expect a new graduate be on her own with 57 patients.I dont feel it is safe.What if I have questions or if I have an emergency and I dont have any other nurse to help me? I prefer the afternoon shift coz at least they have 2 nurses.So I can ask another nurse if I dont know how to do something.But there's no opening.I wanna report this to my manager so bad,how I really feel unsafe if I'm left on my own and that my nurse orientors aren't teaching me properly,but I dont wanna be unemployed again.Should I insist on just going to the afternoon shift and if the manager still says there's no opening,just find another job?But at this economy,it is very hard to find another job.I wish all seasoned nurses could just remember and never forget that they were once new graduates too who didnt know much so they know how scared and intimated we,new nurse graduates, feel.I'm very confused now.Should I keep this job risking my license?Do you think my manager might fire me if I really tell her how I feel about my orientation?or should I leave this job if there's no open afternoon shift?Any advice from all nurses I would really appreciate.Thanks

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I would suggest that you speak with your manager and request a longer orientation. If he/she can not accommodate you, then I would encourage you to look elsewhere. It is not too much to expect to be fully oriented and trained before accepting the responsibility of so many patients. I went through a similar situation with an extra part-time job and after a few days I could tell that it wasn't me, wasn't my organization, wasn't anything except that I did not have an adequate orientation. Although I can say that I did everything necessary to care for and keep patients safe, my charting, paperwork, and all the extra stuff that I never reviewed in my way-too-short orientation was not completed to the standard that I hold myself to...my last night, my husband waited in the parking lot for 1.5 hours while I was finishing the paperwork (without getting paid for working past my shift, of course). Truthfully, it was very similar to what you describe. It bothered me tremendously and I did not trust the organization and it's leadership to support me, so I left that job. So...you have to consider a couple of things. You already feel that it is not safe for the patients but it is also not safe for YOU and not safe for your license if something should go wrong because the environment did not support you to be the best you could be. Best wishes to you, I hope everything works out for you!

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wow, sounds like that place is a accident waiting to happen.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Education.

Talk to your manager. Refuse to go off orientation until you are comfortable with your duties. It is supposed to be this hard at the beginning, so try to be optimisitc about your skills.

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Specializes in Nursery.

No! If you work with this nurse or any nurse tell them you are on orientation and you are there to learn how to do the job, not to be thrown to the wolves. If it continues you may need to talk with your DON on how you are being treated and that if you can not get a proper orientation that you may have to seek employment elsewhere.

Had a job just like this when I got out of LPN school only had a weeks orientation than I was the only nurse on nights with 92 patients and 5 CNA's. Needless to say I went and found a job elsewhere and have not regretted it one day. You worked to hard for this license for it to be taken away do to poor orientation.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

I had to care for 65 patients once, and 5 PCAs/PSAs - never again will I do that. I rang the agency as soon as I got home and complained. It took me all night just to do meds and very little else.

Keep working. Get into a routine with meds, start them early and make a shift plan and stick to it.

Get on the computer, update your CV and start applying for other jobs. I do not risk my license for anything now, not for any job at anytime. It's just not worth throwing away all that hard work to get it.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Once you have your license, you can legally pass meds. At that point it becomes our obligation to practice safely and protect our license. If you accept an assignment and make an error, it won't be the person who threw you to the wolves getting in a heap of trouble -- something to always keep in mind as new challenges fly at you quickly and it seems easier in your mind to accept it all and not make waves than have everybody guilt-trip you and make you feel like a failure. Don't buy into that! Don't let them pressure you to hurry up every thirty seconds so you begin to rush through your 5? 6? (used to be 5 but they seem to be discovering new rights every day) rights at breakneck speed and not there long enough to connect face to name.

Another thing-- any person who trains another by effectively tossing you into the deep end when you can't yet swim has her priorities all mixed up!!

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Specializes in ER/Ortho.

You SHOULD be passing meds before your orientation. The goal of orientation is to have you doing everything you should be doing (maybe not up to speed), but doing it at the end of orientation. Every new task will seem overwhelming, the first few times you it, and when it is added to everything else the whole thing will seem overwhelming. When you first come off orientation you will feel overwhelmed again. The I barely have my head above water, I am just trying not to kill someone feeling is pretty normal for the first year. I have not made my first year yet, but some days are great, and others I am very overwhelmed still.

That being said, you should have at least had some training as to the task you are doing before you do it. If you do not understand it then you must go ask either your preceptor, another nurse, or your manager to make sure you understand what you are doing. As far as the speed it will get better.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

You need to communicate with your boss, no one will no what's going on with you unless you communicate it!

If you're honest with them and let them know how you feel, I'm sure they will understand. After all, it takes money to train people and time to find some one else for the job, which I'm sure they will not want to lose you. So the key is communication! good luck.

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If you didn't know where the meds were, you needed to ask. If you didn't know how to do the narc count, you needed to ask.

You are on a month long orientation. You shouldn't be doing *everything* right away; you should ease into it. I hope you can talk to your preceptor and your boss about a smoother orientation schedule for you.

And even if they were holding your hands and doing most everything for you, it would still be overwhelming. You're only on your third day of orientation. Give yourself a break, it'll take some time to become comfortable.

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Specializes in pulm/cardiology pcu, surgical onc.

I understand you're feeling overwhelmed and it sounds like you're preceptor threw a *bit* too much at you. But didn't you practice any of these skills during your clinicals? I do agree you should be doing everything during orientation and seeing as many different things while you have someone to ask. But maybe not all at once. Make sure you're asking questions when unsure and not second guessing. You are a licensed nurse now and eligible to do the dreaded narc count ;)

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Specializes in LTC.

From the sound of your post you have a month long orientation for a good reason. The first few of days of any orientation are overwhelming and stressful. You have alot thrown at you and not all (if any) is absorbed the first time around. Ideally at the end of your orientation you should be able to feel comfortable in the job.

The main thing is to really communicate with your preceptor. Let her know if there is something you are not comfortable doing or need help. Take alot of notes while orienting. Like tips for doing the med pass, and other procedures. You need to get in there and do some of these things like med pass and order processing while still in orientation so if there are questions or problems that you have help is available. You also will learn time management this way.

Best of luck to you. Remember the first few days of orientation are the worst. Things will fall into place. You will just fine.

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