Orientation Over

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Sep 19, 2005

Yesterday was my last day on orientation. It was the best feeling in the world! Well... on second thought... passing the NCLEX felt maybe just a smidge better. I still left the unit with an extra bounce in my step though. :)
I had the absolute best preceptor in the world train me, but I still do not like being watched. It makes me anxious. I work best without an audience.
I thought that I would dread the day when I had to go solo and take patients that were genuinely 100% mine, but I find myself excited and renewed. Being precepted feels too much like being back in nursing school.
So begins a new chapter. Just thought I would share. Anyone else done with orientation?

Hi! That's awesome you're done with orientation. I am on week 9 of mine-so 3 more weeks to go after this one! I feel like I'm on my own most of the time though. I definitely feel a lot more confident now regarding my skills than I did when I just started. How long was your orientation?

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2005

Good luck to you!

KCFRN · Sep 23, 2005

Yesterday was my last day on orientation. It was the best feeling in the world! Well... on second thought... passing the NCLEX felt maybe just a smidge better. I still left the unit with an extra bounce in my step though. :)
I had the absolute best preceptor in the world train me, but I still do not like being watched. It makes me anxious. I work best without an audience.
I thought that I would dread the day when I had to go solo and take patients that were genuinely 100% mine, but I find myself excited and renewed. Being precepted feels too much like being back in nursing school.
So begins a new chapter. Just thought I would share. Anyone else done with orientation?

I have just completed my orientation and I also had the best preceptor in the world! The first day on my own was great, I felt that I had a handle on everything and left the hospital feeling that I was on the top of the world. The next two days were scary - it was (crazy) busy and my patient acuity was really high (I work on a med/surg telemetry unit). I usually feel like I am really supported by the other nurses but they were just as busy. I told my lead nurse that I was in over my head (too many new orders that needed attention STAT) and they finally got a resource nurse for me but I really hated that feeling of not being in control and being able to handle it. I know that not all days will be like that but it was a real eye opener. All in all, I love being a nurse and I love my floor but I know that I am going to take some bumps and bruises along the way.

ActNGrowRN · Sep 23, 2005

Thanks for sharing KCFRN. I know what you mean regarding having those high days and low days. My manager finally sat down with me to complete my 90-day evaluation (my orientation was 12 weeks on ICU christvs). I think she summed up what is ahead of us best when she said, "Consider this next year your puberty in nursing. You are going to grow tremendously, but you are also going to experience those growing pains."

adjowakim · Sep 25, 2005

..i just finished my last day of a 12 week orientation on a telemetry step down unit and i had the worst shift of my life! i thought i was ready to be off orientation, but this shift just threw me off track. after i listened to report on my 4 patients and organized myself, i ended up having to discharge 3 of those patients and take 3 new patients all around the same time! i just lost all of my organization. one of my patients was confused and had a lot of IV meds, another one told me she was having chest pain and it turns out she was going into failure with crackles half way up her lungs when her lungs were clear a few hours ago when i admitted her! my preceptor had to call the Dr. and get some lasix on board cuz i had my hands full with my other patients. i felt so out of control of my assignment. im so discouraged to be on my own now!