Orientation Lengths

Hi I just started in the ED at a level 2 trauma facility and transitioned from tele, our orientation was 6 weeks on the floor and 2 weeks in a classroom. So total of 8 weeks, we do not hire new grads. Hope that helps!

HI. In Belgium to become an ER nurse,it is a 1 year full time study on top of your garduation. This study is actually a study to become a specialized nurse in the emergency and intensive care.

Half of the year, it is theoretical course and half of the year clinical courses at a recognized emergency care/ intensive care unit.

On 9/26/2022 at 10:28 PM, ERRN20 said:

Just curious to see the lengths of orientation for other ERs out there, and how they have their nurses progress throughout orientation. Our orientation for our new grads is 16 weeks, and orientation for experienced nurses is 12 weeks. Does this seem about standard? Do any other ERs have longer orientations? 

Semi rant here..

When I interviewed, it was 12 weeks.  Several weeks in I was told new grads were 4 months.  A few weeks after that I was told 6 months.  No explanation, no metrics, 6 months.

I asked why it was so long and mentioned that I was told 12 weeks, and by 6 weeks I was essentially independent as it was.  They told me they don’t remember telling me 12 weeks, and new grads were all 6 months.

I ended up coming off orientation  4 months from my hire date, the other new grads that I was hired with had at least 6 more weeks.

I wouldn’t mind so much if there were clear metrics or benchmarks, but it’s rather arbitrary.

Switching to an ED from another unit and their orientation is 12 weeks. 

New grad nurse here. Mine was 3 months and  of those 3, we did 5 weeks of class. I work in a metropolitan hospital and we see 3x more gunshots/traumas (at minimum) than the nearest Level 1 trauma which is less than 20 minutes away. 

Ours is 6 months for new grads, 6-8 weeks for  floor nurses