Orientation for experienced RNs

[tejon]

I wanted to find out about other nurse's experiences with orientation after working as an RN for several years. Right now I'm in the middle of a very difficult orientation and wondering if I'm expecting too much from my new employer or if I'm right to be concerned about how things are being handled.

How long was your orientation to a new position? If it was a new specialty, was that orientation longer? Were you assigned patients immediately when you started orientation? Were you given a chance to shadow a preceptor before caring for patients?

[Julius Seizure]

After 5 1/2 years as an RN (and all of it in pediatric critical care), I moved to a new city and took a job as a critical care float pool nurse for a childrens hospital. The job was to float as needed between PICU, CIVCU, NICU, and stable vent unit.

They oriented me for 12 weeks. Just for PICU. Then I was supposed to go and have full orientations in CVICU and NICU, and about a week on the stable vent unit.

I started out thinking "hey if thats what you want to pay me for....", but eventually my brain nearly exploded. I actually ended up quitting long before my orientation was ever complete.

(Now as a traveler, I get 1-3 shifts of orientation) :)