Orientation for experienced ED nurse?

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Hi all, I am considering taking a new ED job and am looking for your opinions. I have been working in a large, busy Level I ED for about 16 months, but have only been off orientation for 4.5 months. By the time I start this new job I am looking at I would hopefully have around 6 months off orientation.

The ED I am looking at stated their orientation is 4-6 shifts and "longer if needed." (I am not sure how much longer). This seems super short to me! Would it not be a smart move to take it? I feel I am just getting comfortable now as an ED nurse and while I have improved a lot in so many ways since coming off orientation, there is so much I am still not comfortable with (for example, I have never given TPA and the new facility said they give it all the time).

How long is orientation typically for an ED nurse with experience?

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Was your current position a new graduate residency? Even at that, a 12 month orientation is definitely not the norm as most new grad residencies I am aware of usually range from 4 – 6 months and orientation for inexperienced ED nurses 10 – 12 weeks.

Regarding your potential position; a 4 – 6 day orientation is rather on the short side for anyone except an exceptionally strong ED nurse with vast experience. For most experienced ED nurses 6 weeks is probably typical when you consider that the purpose of orientation is not to teach you to be an ED nurse, but rather to orient you to how a particular unit operates (policies & procedures, charting, etc.).

There will always be a procedure or patient presentation that you will not have seen, regardless of how long your orientation was. At times like these you need to depend on your more experienced coworkers to get you through. If you are seriously considering this position, this is a concern that you need to address during orientation.

Best wishes in whichever option you choose.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency, CEN.

12 weeks regardless of being previously experienced. You still don't know the new hospital's policies, how to find any equipment or places (cath lab for example), or use equipment that you have not previously encountered.

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I went into the ED as a new grad, stayed there two years, then went to another unit for a year. I have just recently started at another hospital in their ED. In the interview they told me 3-4 weeks of orientation, and it's going to be 5 weeks total because of various time spent not in the ED (shadowing shifts, a ride along shift with EMS, CPI class etc) and just time needed to get back in the ED swing of things (and dude, all the different equipment and stuff is mind boggling lol).

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10-12 weeks

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