New Nurse Liability

[kris16]

I have just graduated from a four year nursing college and am studying to take the NCLEX exam sometime in early/mid summer. I was planning to work part time in a hospital while studying for the exam and continue part time after taking it, then begin full time in September. I was wondering about the liability factor as it pertains to new nurses.

Can new nurse's hospital responsibility and legal responsibility differ? For example, When I pass my licensing exam and the state legally grants me permission to be a nurse what are the legal ramifications of working even though I have not yet gone through any orientation or training? If an emergency situation occurred would I be legally responsible to act even though I have not been formally trained but have been licensed by the state? Would I be jeopardizing my nursing career before it even starts? Should I forgo working part time and just wait to formally start in September?

[Jolie, BSN]

when i pass my licensing exam and the state legally grants me permission to be a nurse what are the legal ramifications of working even though i have not yet gone through any orientation or training? if an emergency situation occurred would i be legally responsible to act even though i have not been formally trained but have been licensed by the state? would i be jeopardizing my nursing career before it even starts? should i forgo working part time and just wait to formally start in september?

i'm not sure i understand your question. i don't know how you expect to work without having gone thru orientation and training. other than agency nursing (which is not appropriate for a new graduate) i don't know of any nursing position that doesn't begin with a formal period of orientation and training specific to the institution and clinical area for which the new graduate been hired. you will begin your employment by learning about the functioning, policies, and procedures of the hospital, department of nursing, and your specific unit. you will also have clinical orientation, during which you must (by law) be supervised by a fully-licensed rn.

in my opinion, working in a professional nursing role is the best preparation for nclex. so, if your state allows new grads to work as graduate nurses prior to taking and passing nclex, i strongly encourage you to do so.

like any nurse, it is your responsibility to review your state's nurse practice act and practice within its guidelines. you are also responsible for following hospital policy and procedure, something you will become familiar with during orientation.