NP Orientation period

[labelle777]

How long was your orientation period for your first NP position, do you feel there was sufficient time allotted to orientation? In contrast, as a new NP, were you expected to come on the new job with little to no orientation needed?

As a soon to be NP graduate I'm just curious of what to reasonably expect.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Very dependent on the practice. I've heard in primary care, you get little to no orientation. In our nephrology practice, we give 3-5 months as it takes that long for the credentialing part.

[chiromed0]

Haaa ha...I've been waiting to tell my story. My first day on the job, heck my first hour...I was handed a laptop, spent an hour with the clinic mgr logging in, getting set up, then the doc/owner tells me, "okay, you logged in? Alright go see some patients, you know what you're doing". Sounds like a vote of confidence, nope! Just an overbooked schedule! Second day...shadowing him in another clinic (that I did not apply for and haven't been able to stop filling in a couple of days a week at -- it's been over 6 months now) we get to lunch time and he said, "go get you something to eat and come back". Okay, my reply, "what time should I be back (ya know 1/2 hr or an hour)?" He replied, "NO, I said go GET something to eat and come back, you're a provider now--you don't get a lunch if there are patients." WTH? So that can be your experience. I hope not but be prepared. Most people say 3-6 weeks and ramping up from a few pt's/hr to a full schedule.

[WKShadowNP, DNP, APRN]

I'm seeing my own patients but everyone checks on me and encourages questions or provides constructive feedback. The only statement said like a back handed veiled complaint was how this individual is being helpful to me so I learn how to do it right so she doesn't have to fix mistakes.

When I admit a patient, the billing is under me but with a supervising physician. By law that provider must also see the patient. (Incidence-to billing). I am fine with that. They go pretty quickly and see the patient and sign off my charts. It works well as far as I can tell and as a MLP peer told me, everyone wants me to succeed so they're "lovin' on you." Which means that they are patient and understanding of my newness and affording me the growing room. However, I'm hoping I don't exceed the time they expect me to meet their expectations, which has not been stated.

My direct supervising DO is increasing the number of patients I round on and seems happy so far. I suspect in this process they adjust the pace based on the person and how well they progress. I think tomorrow I'll ask for one more than I've had.

[Rnis, BSN, DNP, APRN, NP]

I had a LONG orientation.... I had two weeks of spending a few days following every provider on my team. Then I had 2-3 weeks of following them and taking patients and then telling them what I would do before going in with them. Lastly I got to ramp up. I got to pull the holds out of my schedule at my leisure . I had 6 months to loose them all. I see on average 12-16 pts a day...with about an hour of my time blocked for administrative tasks a day. I will say that it has been a smooth transition.