Orientations?

RN1982 · May 5, 2008

I'm sorry you are going through this during your orientation. But to me, what you are experiencing would put serious doubts in my mind about the unit and management. What I mean is that, you are a new graduate and you are still learning. Your nurse manager and preceptor should be actively involved in your orientation. If you can't sit down and talk with your manager about your orientation thus far and she won't call you back, I would seriously look elsewhere to work.

You are a new graduate. You need to be nurtured not passed around from one preceptor to the next.

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · May 5, 2008

Interesting....

Looks like your faced with the same dilemma I faced recently at a new place of employment. I like your approach but I don't think it will fly. If they see you as an outie, get out now save face and resign. You probably possibly read my thread, if not have fun and do so. Cheers! TELE

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · May 5, 2008

Even though your preceptor doesn't always work the same shifts as you, she should be sitting you down once a week or so to have conversations about your progress. She should also be asking you what areas you feel are your strengths and weaknesses at this time. I suggest that you contact your preceptor and schedule some time (soon) to come up with a tentative plan and/or have an informal chat about your progress.

Your unit should also have an orientation coordinator and/or nurse educator. This is the person that you should go to if you talk to your preceptor but things are not working out (ie. he or she doesn't seem interested in teaching, your personalities don't mesh, etc).

Finally, if you are still not making any headway I suggest speaking with your nurse manager. A good manager will try to make it out onto the floor periodically to spend some time with her staff. However, the reality is that in the fast-paced world of health care the manager may not have the time to do this as frequently as she should due to other responsibilities. Some managers are also not as committed as others to communication with their staff members, as sad as that may be...

If you are really running into problems, then I suggest that you conduct all of your communications in writing (ie. by e-mail). This way if your orientation period finishes and your manager feels that you did not make the necessary progress, you will have some evidence to show her that you have been making a good-faith effort towards getting the kind of training that you need as a new graduate.

Worst case scenario, human resources will get involved in this process. Having evidence in writing of your attempts to contact your preceptor, orientation coordinator and manager will show that you are holding up your end of the bargain. This might allow you to request a transfer to another unit or to get an "eligible for rehire" letter should you choose to leave your unit.

Finally, you should be bring your orientation checklist to each preceptor at the end of your shift and make sure that they are checking you off on all of the competencies that you have accomplished. If you partially completed an item on the list, have them make a notation in the margin. Without a consistent preceptor, it can be very difficult to complete these lists unless you are very diligent about it.

Good luck :) We were all new grads at one time and we made it through. You will, too!

nurseback · May 5, 2008

I felt the same way too during my second week of floor orientation. I was able to work with my preceptor the third week. I would suggest you ask your nurse manager about what you felt on your orientation because the time your orientation's done you will be on your own.

I am currently orienting to a new LDRP unit as a new grad. My orientation seems to be a free-fall. I have a preceptor but we don't always work the same hours and if she is not around I am assigned to follow whoever is available that day and doesn't have an objection to having me. There is no particular setup or layout to what I am expected to do, no timeline or learning plan. I am not sure how long my orientation will be- I was told 8-12 weeks initially but haven't heard anything since then. I have yet (3 weeks into orientation) to sit down and talk to my NM face to face, except in my interview. She doesn't return my phone calls and tends to be off the unit or in meetings during the day.
I would like to develop a specific plan for myself to follow so I can stop looking like an idiot and actually make some progress. If anyone has any insight into how their orientations work or what I should do I would appreciate it. Also, if you think this is typical or expected. I am afraid my boss wants has decided she doesn't want me to work there for some reason or something. I am generally an independant worker who doesn't need a lot of coaching but it's hard to teach myself something I don't know :) Thanks.

nurseback · May 5, 2008

i've been gone from nursing school for two years now. i just recently work in a hospital. can anybody please send me an example of head to toe nurse charting. i've been looking for one in the internet and i couldnt find one. i am poor in the charting since i almost forgot the medical terms i need to use. i felt so imbarassed when my preceptor comment on my charting. please can anyone help me. i would really appreciate it. i need to get back the terms i learned from school.

RN1982 · May 5, 2008

i've been gone from nursing school for two years now. i just recently work in a hospital. can anybody please send me an example of head to toe nurse charting. i've been looking for one in the internet and i couldnt find one. i am poor in the charting since i almost forgot the medical terms i need to use. i felt so imbarassed when my preceptor comment on my charting. please can anyone help me. i would really appreciate it. i need to get back the terms i learned from school.

Head to toe assessment charting?

kakamegamama · May 5, 2008

CEG- You definitely need to sit down w/your preceptor and your NM and talk about your goals for orientation. Sounds like you've been thrown to the wolves so to speak. I'm cocerned that your NM is not returning your calls. Unprofessional & certainly I think an indicator of how the unit might work in reality. I too went through an LDRP orientatin similar to yours & then was told, months after I began, that the nurses didn't think I could hold my own. That was due to the lack of orientation I was given. I requested many times to be given opps in Labor, C/S, etc. only to be told that they were too busy. So, I ended up leaving the unit--after giving notice. I will not do anything like that again. I wonder if there is a nurse educator for your unit or someone in staff development/nursing education at your hospital? They can be your allies as well. Good luck!

CEG · May 5, 2008

Thanks everyone. To clarify, I do not think my NM is a bad manager. She is new to the role but known in the unit and well-liked by the other nurses. I think she just has a lot on her plate and I can understand I am not her highest priority. Please keep the good advice coming:)

ffweste · May 7, 2008

Is it usual to be working a different schedule than your preceptor? I have to work the same schedule as my preceptor while I am in orientation. Is that a possibility for you?

CMCRN · May 7, 2008

I serve as a preceptor and with maybe one back up preceptor and my preceptee works my schedule. I want to know what she does on a day by day basis so we can move forward. If you are being passed around it will not work! If your schedule cannot be coordinated with your preceptor then ask for another one. Why is it that your schedule is differnet? The only reason I even have a back up is that they have mandatory classroom and sometimes that conflicts with my schedule.Preceptees don't get flexiblity in orientation much. We have check lists and weekly goals. Of course they just eliminated the educator position so no one to coordinate in the future any more. Good luck, what state are you working in?