New nurse no training?

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Is it normal for a new nurse to start a home health job with NO orientation with the company at all. This is my first job and I just got my tb and physical yesterday and my boss informed me im working 7 days in a row with no training at all. My client is a complicated one to say the least and its very nerve racking with no orientation. I havent even met another nurse. No clue who to call with questions ot anything. It just feels very unsafe to me. And yes they knew I was a brand new nurse.

Specializes in ICU.

The good news is u got the job. The bad news is ur risking ur license .

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I would not be working for this company. That is unsafe and asking for disaster.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

NOT normal :no:

Keep pounding the pavement for a job.

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Common sense dictates that once you started voicing concerns, that the nursing supervisor or Director of Patient Care Services would have sat you down with the plan of care and proceeded to allay your trepidations. They would have insured that you had some idea of what is supposed to happen. For example, if GT feedings are on the plan of care, they would have quizzed you, had you do a demonstration, etc., to make sure you knew where to put the syringe, etc. I had a client mom who told me she was sent a nurse who had no idea of what to do with the GT tube or feeding syringe. She was fumbling around at the patient's mouth! The supervisor would have gone over the nurses' note form and given you a couple of sentences concerning required documentation. Experienced nurses are told what the current emphasis is about. By not making the slightest effort to make you comfortable, the agency showed you that you will be nothing but a warm body that they do not care about at all. It would be no surprise to them that you choose to walk on down the road to the next agency. Good luck.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

If you're already feeling uneasy, there's a reason. Don't take the job because you will regret it later.

If there isn't anyone to give you an orientation & they want to staff you in there for weeks on end with no days off. Run.

You're a new nurse & they will be quick to throw you under the bus. Not only that, you're human & need rest.

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So, OP, what is your decision? Take the job with lots of fear, an evasive boss, and no orientation? Or go see the boss in person and make him give you the time, attention, and training you need? If he won't provide it, will you nicely but firmly tell him you can't accept the job?

Who cares for the patient now? If nurse or family, whoever it is can train you - spend a couple of hours with you, tell you stuff, show you where things are kept, introduce you to the pt, and so on.

For God's sake, you are a brand new nurse, a brand new employee to this agency, a brand new worker on this case. They have at least an ethical duty, probably a legal duty, to make sure you are able to do the job.

Get gloves and masks from the agency before you go, find out what other supplies are needed and take them with you, even a minimal one day supply.

Remember: the agency's goal is to make money, not make sure you are comfortable. You must find a way to convince them it is in their best interest to get you properly oriented.

If need be, can you go meet the patient and family before your scheduled start of work?

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

Regardless of if you take the you, you really should get .

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Can you do a meet and greet first? Did you Google the street address to see if it's safe area? Get a copy of the plan of care and see if you will be in over your head. Remember those guys working in the office, do not give one flip about you. They just want to staff that shift.

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Specializes in ED, Behavioral Health, Home Health.

Contact your states nursing association, ask for help. You may really want this job, but there are other jobs out there. Ask yourself? Am I able to provide safe care for my patient? And ask yourself if you are safe or have been provided the tools to stay safe physically, legally, emotionally...? Don't be shy w agency, demand orientation. Of they balk, show proof. The last thinv they want is to have their license questioned by the division of quality assurance. I was too timid in my last position and I regret it now... I was not meeting my patients needs. I can disrespect myself but will not disrespect my patients care. Just a thought. I still don't know a lot about home health care. Much respect and admiration to all home health nurses. You rock.

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No way!! I'm not a new nurse- but new to home health- and I've had four weeks of orientation- with one week just hr stuff- before I could even go out to see patients with another nurse!! I have probably another 4 weeks before I'll be off on my own- and even then I can't go to a patients house to do a skill I haven't been checked off on! This outfit sounds very shady!! Scary!! And I wouldn't do it if I were you- you worked really hard for your license- protect it!!

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No way!! I'm not a new nurse- but new to home health- and I've had four weeks of orientation- with one week just hr stuff- before I could even go out to see patients with another nurse!! I have probably another 4 weeks before I'll be off on my own- and even then I can't go to a patients house to do a skill I haven't been checked off on! This outfit sounds very shady!! Scary!! And I wouldn't do it if I were you- you worked really hard for your license- protect it!!

That is a lot of time IME! Our new nurses have spent approx. week with HR stuff and learning modules, (intermittent HH, not PDN like I think OP is talking about?) and they are fried by the end of it and anxious to get out in the field with a preceptor. Then 2-3 weeks with a preceptor gradually doing more of the patient care and documentation, even shadowing gets monotonous.

The longest orientation is for taking new HH nurse to case mgr and less if just to transition to revisits for awhile before doing admissions.

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My orientation is 3 days a week bc I'm prn and that's all I'm able to do- but even at that- the first day was kind of a meet and greet- hr stuff-brought birth certificate- met office staff- pay roll- MCP QA- that kinda stuff- and the computer modules have taken about 7 days in office- and now I've been in the field- they had me shadow an lpn and pt to know what they're able to do in the home- now with the RN preceptor has been this week 3 days-next week I'll have patients from her roster assigned to me but I'll still be riding with her... Maybe this company really strives to make sure we're prepared for home health- bc it's very different than anywhere I've worked before!!

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