Orientation for LTC Nurses

We give new grads a solid month of orientation with a seasoned nurse before we let them out on their own. Nurses with experience get a week or two. A med pass is a med pass so they don't really need a longer orientation. I always thought that part of my job as the DNS is making sure the new employees, especially the new grads, get a solid foundation for their first job so they don't run screaming from the building and the profession.

We give new grads a solid month of orientation with a seasoned nurse before we let them out on their own. Nurses with experience get a week or two. A med pass is a med pass so they don't really need a longer orientation. I always thought that part of my job as the DNS is making sure the new employees, especially the new grads, get a solid foundation for their first job so they don't run screaming from the building and the profession.

Wow, after orientation at my new job, running and screaming from the building was pretty much exactly what I felt like wasn't just the orintation that made me feel that way too

I've only been an LVN for about 4 months now and been in my LTC facility for three months. I was given maybe 4 days of orientation and one of those days I was thrown in there. As much as I wanna say that was a "bad" experience.... It really helped me. A lot of the times people don't pay attention during orientation and then get thrown in and panic. Some (like myself) are lucky enough to get great nurses to train them. So by the time I was thrown in I knew exactly what to do (i.e who had BP meds, who were BS checks, who needed meds crushed, etc). Now that I've gotten it down I'm the one being shadowed by new nurses.

I've only been an LVN for about 4 months now and been in my LTC facility for three months. I was given maybe 4 days of orientation and one of those days I was thrown in there. As much as I wanna say that was a "bad" experience.... It really helped me. A lot of the times people don't pay attention during orientation and then get thrown in and panic. Some (like myself) are lucky enough to get great nurses to train them. So by the time I was thrown in I knew exactly what to do (i.e who had BP meds, who were BS checks, who needed meds crushed, etc). Now that I've gotten it down I'm the one being shadowed by new nurses.

Wow!! You must be working there full time? That's awesome! I feel like being "thrown in there" helped me as well... but with the medications. By the end of my day and evening orientation, the nurses were feeling bad about how they oriented me. I think for me it would have been nice to have orientation as if I was still in school like on my preceptorship with the orienting nurse being with me, but then again it's my own license I'm working under. I think this would have given me a better picture of how to manage my time during the day and I felt like on orientation, I was just helping the nurses. My shifts so far on days and evenings have not been so good, with me not clocking out on time and I feel way more lost than on my last orientation at the other facility I'm working.

I was supposed to have 5 days of orientation, but was on my own by day 3. All I basically learned was the charting system and went through a few med passes. Any additional skills, such as bladder scanning, I&O catheterization, PICC line dressing change, ostomy bag change, and staple removal, I learned after orientation. I still have yet to insert a Foley catheter, even after 22 months, but we do get them.

I got a month. But I did agree one day towards the end to work a shift on my own. My DON checked on me regularly and was available for any questions or help.