CharS

Hi We have a 6 month orientation program. An RN with experience is assigned as that persons preceptor and they are responsible to provide the new person with as much experience as possible. A basic unit orientation is given--where the essentials are--first. Then the actual scrubbing/circulating begins--beginning with basic general & gyn surgery (breast bx/D&C/hernias). They stay with this specialty until the orientee feels comfortable & then they move on to the next specialty (advancing in difficulty). Sometimes we have to jump around alittle between specialties depending on the case load. They are given as much time in each specialty as needed. If they are advancing to a specialty that needs the "expert nurse" then the core leader for that specialty takes over for any cases that the orientee requires help. We don't have any tests. The preceptor assigns the cases they do & the orientee is expected to keep a log book of what they have done. Initally we have weekly meetings (preceptor/orientee), then the meetings are as needed. In the last 2-3 weeks, the preceptor/orientee take cases where one can circulate and one can scrub--so that the orientee works independantly to run a room or scrub a case by themselves. Hope this helps you out! I think I hit everything