Orientation

My orientation was 12 weeks with a preceptor working on the floor. There was some class time. I took a fetal monitoring strip class and general orientation classes to the hospital. The one thing I was most unhappy with was that I had several different preceptors. I think I had 8 total. It got very confusing and when I learned to do something one way the next person would try to tell me a different way. Thats fine, but its alot for a newbie to take in.

I can't imagine anyone just being thrown onto the floor to sink or swim on their own on the first day. We even orient travelers with a preceptor for a couple of days. People new to OB get 12 weeks. Some of that is the general hospital orientation. We try to keep the number of preceptors down, but there are always several.

At my last hospital, I found that it seemed to help to orient people on 5 eight hour or 4 ten hour shifts rather than 3 twelve hour shifts a week. The more frequent repitition seemed to help people remember the stuff they were learning even though it increases the number of preceptors they experienced.

We dont have enough people to have orientation classes specific to Ob but since everyone is required to take the AWHONN fetal monitoring class, NRP, & STABLE those are offered once or twice every year. Our director has compiled a notebook of information, both general OB/neonatal information and specific hospital policy, with tests to document learning.

My first day was so long ago that I don't remember it, so I can't help with that question. The most important thing is to encourage the orientee to feel free to ask questions and to participate in her own evaluations as to what she needs.