Orientation to your unit!

[NurseKrieger]

I just wanted to ask what type of orientation you received to your organization and how you feel it served you and prepared you to work there, or as a new nurse in general.

I received 6 months of preceptor ship + 3 weeks of in processing (tours, IDs, shadowing on different units etc). After the 6 months we got a review and were blessed to go about our days. During this time there were several projects that had to be completed; skill check offs, EBP projects, seminars, case studies, etc. It was a great program and I learned ALOT. I get really nervous when I hear about nurses who got 2 weeks out of school with a preceptor and were told to figure it out.

[eatmysoxRN, ASN, RN]

Both jobs gave me 3 weeks roughly, first as charge on med/surg tele, second job a cardiac step down.

I wasn't prepared at all for my first job since I was the only rn on the unit. My second job orientation was adequate, however, I am pulled to ICU frequently and never got a minute of orientation there.

~ No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent -Eleanor Roosevelt ~

[Inori, BSN, RN]

it really does depend on your company, how short staffed they are. Ideally orientation you'd be doing as you are .. classes, progressing slowly to working on the unit, and slow release from your preceptor. My place was short staffed so my preceptor needed to do her work on top of training me so she had no choice but to drag me with her and i was to learn on the go. My orientation to the unit was to start working there in piecemeal, do PCA work, following my preceptor first as observer, then working under her watch, and slowly picking up more of the work until I'm almost fully independent, now i function on my own for the most part though i have access to senior nurses to consult on things as needed. My orientation was 4.5 months with rotation to different areas i'm expected to cover, so i'm very happy they allowed me time to learn and be comfortable rather than pushing me out after 2 weeks as heard from some of the allnurses posts. New grads need the long orientation time part of it is spent switching from student mode to nurse, building confidence, on top of learning what is required of you at the unit.

[DysrhythmiaRN]

Thats great you received 6 months. I'm currently on orientation for 12 weeks, which is great too. I feel nervous and overwhelmed when going to work. Learning everything new and having such responsibility. Anybody have tips??

[Coriander, BSN, RN]

My very first day in the hospital as an RN will be spent shadowing my nurse. My next shift a few days after that will be with one patient of my own, same thing the next day. After that I will have two patients twice, and then will have a full load. I will be on this unit for 5 weeks and then off to another unit.

I'm thankful that I'm familiar with the unit because I was a float nursing assistant with the hospital system. I'm scared to death, though!

[coopmke]

I received 9 weeks orientation with a preceptor (1 of these weeks was spent in classes learning about the facility, policies and procedures, multidisciplinary approaches, etc.). I work in the ICU and the orientation usually lasts 12 weeks, but I worked there as a nurse extern, so I came off orientation early. We also take and ECCO (essentials of critical care orientations) computer course and an EKG interpretation computer course during our orientation. I had a great preceptor, so I felt pretty good coming off orientation, but its pretty impossible to feel 100%!

[PediLove2147, BSN, RN]

I had 1 week of general hospital orientation and 8 weeks with a preceptor. We had classes with our educator and an EKG class as well. I felt prepared, not totally (do you ever?) but knew I could safely take care of my patients. I think anymore and I would have gone crazy, I enjoyed getting out on my own. My preceptor and I worked the same days for a few weeks after so if I had any questions I could go to her.

Important to note also that I was not a new grad. I had a year of experience under my belt as a private duty nurse, not acute care but nursing nonetheless.

[julz68]

I had one week general hospital orientation and 6 weeks with a preceptor on the floor. Tonight will be my 3rd night on my own and I feel pretty good about everything so far. The last 2 shifts I needed help with a heparin drip and with giving blood, but you need 2 RNs anyway during those processes. In the beginning I thought 6 weeks was not going to be enough time but I'm glad I got to leave the nest...there's really good team work on my floor so there's always someone available if I have questions.