new nurse orientation

Kim911er · Apr 16, 1999

First of all, I love your name!

In our dept. the new nurse is assigned a mentor. They follow that person for six weeks and have a checklist of various skills.

As the weeks progress, the nurse takes over

the mentors room assignment and the mentor steps back. Unfortunately, this usually only works in theory because we are so busy. The new nurse often learns by being "thrown into it" and has to asks questions on the run.

I'll be interested to hear from others.

Unfortunately, this usually only works in theory because we are usually so busy and understaffed that the new nurese learns by being "thrown ino

CEN35 · May 8, 1999

Our new RN's get an orientation period. Depending on the amount of experience they have, and popsition taken, determines the length of orientation. If a new grad starts in the er, they go through two days of hospital orientation, then 6 - 10 weeks of orientation with a mentor. The mentor takes three rooms and the orientee follows them, for a few days. Then they help the mentor, as they explain things to the orientee. As time goes on, the orientee gets one room, then two, then three. They are however, under the watchfull eye of the mentor.

CEN

MissyS · Mar 12, 2000

As a preceptor where I work, I like to have the first 4 hours to go over paperwork, the area, and a tour of the hospital. I also feel the preceptee needs time to read the ED procedure manual. Then we go for patient care. I have written an orientation manual for ED procedures that most find a great help.

NIC · Apr 29, 2000

I have the same interest. I am the clincal coordinator of my ED. We have a very "word of mouth" orientation. WE have a check list to go by but you really can not teach a new employee about Rapid sequence intubation buy talking in over on the check list. I am trying to put together a book for the new employee to be able to study from and take home. This way they have the time to study and go over cases that they had during the day. FOr example that abd pain that they had taken care of that day. They could go home that night and go over the section on ABD pain and read it over and see if they missed anything I.e. rectal temp, orthostatic Bp's etc. I believe with a preceptor and a take home study book as well as a competency skills station would be a pretty thorough orientation. IF any of you have any examples of what your hospital has for an orientation program and articles... please let me know and send it to me. I would greatly appreciate it. I am the person responsible to precept new employees whether they are green or experienced. So it is difficult to ensure a complete and competant orientation. Most times the new employee ends up working on there own and that scares me to death. HELP!!!! Nic

CHUBBY · Apr 30, 2000

I think orientations (or lack thereof) vary from ER to ER, shift ot shift, nurse manager to nurse manager. The old ER I worked, the new orientees are getting a much longer, involved orientation than I ever got. The ER I work now, what orientation? Luckily, I've been doing this long enough, I dont need one, but they hired new people who never did ER and within 6 months, were doing triage. I had to talk to the one staffer ( constructive criticism) and say, "If a patient comes in who been vomiting, is IDDM, and tachycardic.They're URGENT, not non-urgent. " But its a learning curve, it takes time.

KR · May 1, 2000

Hello there. I read the post concerning orientation and thought I would put my two cents worth in. I know that the Emergency Nurses Association has a whole bunch of information and Orientation stuff that you can purchase from them. I don't know of anyone personally that has used it, but I heard that people have success with it. Their website is www.ena.org. I hope this helps. Have a great day Kim

Overland1, RN · Oct 2, 2000

Orientation does vary from one place to the next. I know of one ER that has a 4-week orientation, while the one where I work does (up to) six months.

When I started at my current job, things were so busy that I was working my own patient load within a couple of weeks. This is nobody's fault, but it makes the process less effective in the long run.

For example, I chose to challenge out of an ECG class, took the test (I am a lousy test taker), and missed a few questions on blocks and pacing. I then attended those two classes and re-took the test, and did OK. I then realized that I really should have taken the entire class because I would have learned so much. Instead, I succumbed to the "hot-dog" thing and shortchanged myself. I took the next class (meds) in its entirety, and it was a great refresher; well worth the time.

The third part of this "Core I" class is body systems, which I will also take in its entirety. I have learned to take advantage of the training that is offered.

As for the actual "hands-on" part of the orientation, my preceptor has been excellent, as have most of those with whome I work. Again, due to nobody's fault, we have been so busy (I worked three codes in my second week with very little supervision - my preceptor was occupied with other patients who were crashing) that some of the finer points of orientation were overlooked. I am working to fill in those "gaps" from this point forward.

In the long run (barring unforeseen circumstances), all should work out well, but there is really no orientation that covers everything perfectly. Fortunately, there will be continuing classes and "in-services" to keep us all up to date.

As the saying goes, "we learn enough to be dangerous, the rest of the learning comes with experience."

45margie · Oct 17, 2000

[As patient car ecoordinator of ED, I would love to have some more info on your orientation schedule.

I have been involved in developing one but I would like to further develop it.

Feedback always great!!

CinRNED · Nov 12, 2000

I'm glad I have heard all these stories on the types of orientation other facilities have. I work in a small community ED (6 beds!!), but as I like to say, "We may be small, but we do it all". We recently had a new hire who none of our staff nurses felt would make it but our administration dragged out the inevitable for 8 weeks. We of course did the Monday morning quarterbacking about our preceptor program, orientation program, and still haven't come up with a new plan that we can adopt. I can tell you that I went to the national ENA conference in Chicago, and looked over the orientation program offered, and I was less than impressed. It certainly wasn't something we were interested in adopting. At any rate, I will keep watching for other programs to be described, hoping to glean hints and pearls we can use.

perfectpicture · Feb 4, 2009

I would love to have a copy of your study book for new orientees.i have been in the er for one year after working on med surg,peds and docu and iccu but i got 2 weeks orientation and that was it.