Orientation question

[AtomicWoman]

For those who have or will be starting new jobs, I am curious. How long is the typical RN orientation period at a hospital? And if you work nights, is your orientation at night, or do you orient during the day and then switch to nights when its over?

Thanks so much!!

[doglvr]

From the few interviews I have gone on, it seems like the average orientation is 12 weeks (these are for medsurg and tele units.) I have also found that if you are working nights most hospitals want you to orient on days for half of your orientation and then they move you to nights.

[RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P]

8-12 wks of orient. depending on place and your past experience with that floor.

i dont do nocs, but am assuming that you would do SOME at least, day training along with noc training.

[elkpark]

Length of orientation is highly variable.

However, it's fairly standard that most hospitals do a general, facility-wide orientation for all new employees that takes place on M-F days (lots of actual sitting-in-a-classroom type stuff), plus some additional facility-wide orientation specifically for new nurses (also typically M-F days). This is usually followed by a period of orientation to the actual unit/area you're going to be working, also on days; and then some orientation to the actual shift you're going to be working.

[beachbum3]

1 week general hospital orientation, 8-5 m-f. After that 12-16 weeks in the ER on the shift I'll be working.

[AtomicWoman]

Thanks to all who have answered! One last question: do they let you orient while you are still a GN, or do you have to pass the NCLEX and be licensed first?

Thanks again!

[RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P]

it depends where you are. there are some places that dont do the GN thing at all. i will be able to work as a GN, and its only, literally, a couple dollars less than my RN rate will be.

you will have tofind out what your state offers.

[elkpark]

Thanks to all who have answered! One last question: do they let you orient while you are still a GN, or do you have to pass the NCLEX and be licensed first?

Thanks again!

That, again, is entirely up to the facility. Some states have eliminated GN status entirely. In the states that do still offer it, some (many?) facilities choose not to employ people as GNs and that is their choice -- they're not obligated to. You would have to ask at each particular hospital what their policy is.