lisa74

RN-joy, thank you SO much! I've had a look at most of them and they are really helpful. I'm in Australia, I'm an EEN (endorsed enrolled nurse) which I think may be the equivalent of your LPNs? As an EEN I can pretty much do everything a RN does except give opiates. I'm currently studying for my RNs and I'm finding all these links to be great learning and revision. Thank you very much for putting these links up, they are very much appreciated :-)

As a nursing student doing my registered nursing degree, it makes those of us who actually work hard look bad when students post their questions on here, basically expecting fellow nurses to do their homework for them. If I was to seek help on this site from more experienced nurses, I would at least do my own research first and say "this is what I think, am I on the right track?" Whether it's in response to a homework/student question or just one of the general postings, I enjoy reading the opinions from experienced nurses :-)

I must say, I have to agree with you R!XTER. It's the patients who have patient airways, nil problems breathing and are ambulant who are the most demanding. Yet the really sick ones are the ones who reluctantly use the call bell because "you're so busy" and you always have to check if they need something.

I'm constantly amazed how long the orientation periods are in the US - when I say amazed, I'm not being facetious, I'm just so envious!!! In Australia, public system hospitals provide two days orientation where a massive group of people get orientated to the policies, procedures etc but when you actually get to the wards you're lucky if you get two days supernumery! I started a job in the ER six months ago and I had ONE day's orientation to the policies etc, all shown via powerpoint slides and my very first day on the floor after orientation, I was thrown into the fire - no supernumery days (where I shadowed someone to see how it's done), no support or guidance from the educator, although she gave me plenty of criticism! Australian health bureaucrats could learn something from the lengthy orientation that US nurses receive.

Sorry, I forgot to add that I can count on one hand the number of times this "educator" has given me guidance and those few times she has actually come out to the floor when I've been working, she has gone through my charts and criticised me, loudly, in front of all my patients, my fellow nurses and all the ER doctors. Needless to say it was humiliating. I don't mind receiving constructive criticism. Hell, I can even accept criticism when my work is not up to scratch, but this educator could at least have the courtesy to criticise me behind closed doors and help me/advise me on how I can fix it, don't just criticise me in front 60+ people.

Hello everybody, long time reader but first time poster :-) From all that I have read here on Allnurses, the majority of you seem to be in the US. From the many posts I have read, orientation periods in the ER over in the US seem to be quite lengthy and also, from what I have read, nurses new to the ER don't seem to be given patient loads/allocations until after about 6 to 8 weeks. I think this is awesome as where I work in Australia, I commenced working in the ER and my orientation consisted of an "education day" where I was orientated to the ER via powerpoint slides. I wasn't even given a tour of the ER and where to find supplies, the treatment room etc. The clinical nurse educator told me that on my first day she would be out on the floor with me supervising me and guiding me. As it turned out my first day on the ER floor (with no prior ER experience) was nerve-wracking! The educator met me at the 4 bedded bay I had been allocated and there was only 1 patient there when I started my shift. This educator said to me "Now, you only have one patient, you'll soon get more so my advice is to have all of your necessary paperwork at each bed so when you get a new patient you can hit the ground running. Make sure you record your patients' vital signs hourly and make you prioritise. Now, I have to go back to my office because I have things to do." That was my first day in the ER. Half an hour later, I was given a new patient so things were relatively under control. Shortly after my second patient arrived, the in-charge nurse gave me two new patients simultaneously, both having been brought in by ambulance! Needless to say, I struggled that first week and I couldn't believe that the in-charge would do that to me, knowing it was my first day and I'd never worked in the ER. Talk about baptism by fire! That was nearly 5 months. Things have improved slightly but I still struggle most days because, even though I do get through most of work before the next shift arrives, I've never been educated in how to prioritise in the ER. I know how to prioritise on surgical wards so I have been able to apply it to the ER but it's hard to learn prioritisation where I work because the goal posts move and the rules change, depending on who my in-charge is. All I have ever asked for is guidance and support from my educator, I am willing to learn, but from day 1 she has refused to give me any supernumary days (where I am buddied up with a colleague for several days) to learn the ropes without being smashed. My employer refuses to give me study days and whilst I have said I am willing to pay for a course, they refuse to meet me halfway and even give me days off to attend education for working in the ER. This whole experience has destroyed my confidence so I am looking for another job. As I said, from all my reading of topics on Allnurses, I'm just amazed at the long orientation periods hospital employees get in America. Australia could certainly learn a thing or two from your orientation procedures. It's destroyed my confidence so I am currently looking for another job