So, I am a brand new RN, as of last month. I was offered a position at a local hospital this last March, for their nurse residency program. My orientation started Monday, and I just met the charge nurse of the unit that I will be working on yesterday. I had only met the unit manager, previously. The charge nurse took me around with another new grad, that is starting with me. After the unit tour, she was just talking with us and said "oh, by the way, you're an overhire". Having never worked in the hospital setting before, I was not sure what this meant, so I just responded generally and then moved on. However, after reading about this, I am worried! I realize that I need to talk to my manager about this, but has anyone else here ever been an "overhire" and does this mean that everyone on the unit is really going to automatically not like me/going to give me a hard time? Because, basically, that is what it seems like (from reading other articles/blog posts). I was never told this during or after my interview/acceptance of the position. The other new grad working with me is not an overhire. I talked to an experienced nurse, who used to be a nurse manager and she stated that this charge nurse should have never told me that and that I should maybe look into changing units, if possible. Any other thoughts? I am worried!
As a new grad you won't be counted in the numbers for awhile. And new grads don't always work out...I can think of three I went to school with that didn't finish their orientations for a variety of reasons. I agree with the other posters, just focus on your new job and don't read into any drama. I knew some girls at another hospital that were hired basically in a new grad "pool" and cross-trained for several med-surge floors. At the end they were placed as positions opened at the hospital. It was pretty much a win/win...they were already familiar with the floors, and the hospital could just offer them entry-level positions without having to hire brand new people. Don't get all Macbeth though and start looking for someone on your floor to "eliminate," just do your thing and take advantage of this opportunity. By the end of 12 weeks there may very well be someone leaving, going on maternity leave, or transferring to another floor. If they are stuffed to the gills (unlikely) they may offer you to a similar floor that has a position. It will be OK :)
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Hello all!
So, I am a brand new RN, as of last month. I was offered a position at a local hospital this last March, for their nurse residency program. My orientation started Monday, and I just met the charge nurse of the unit that I will be working on yesterday. I had only met the unit manager, previously. The charge nurse took me around with another new grad, that is starting with me. After the unit tour, she was just talking with us and said "oh, by the way, you're an overhire". Having never worked in the hospital setting before, I was not sure what this meant, so I just responded generally and then moved on. However, after reading about this, I am worried! I realize that I need to talk to my manager about this, but has anyone else here ever been an "overhire" and does this mean that everyone on the unit is really going to automatically not like me/going to give me a hard time? Because, basically, that is what it seems like (from reading other articles/blog posts). I was never told this during or after my interview/acceptance of the position. The other new grad working with me is not an overhire. I talked to an experienced nurse, who used to be a nurse manager and she stated that this charge nurse should have never told me that and that I should maybe look into changing units, if possible. Any other thoughts? I am worried!
Whoa -- why would you jump into looking for the other nurses to not like you? Being an "over-hire" just means that the manager was allowed to hire you even though her FTEs were already full. There can be a number of reasons for this -- maybe you were such a great candidate that she just couldn't pass you up. Maybe she has 7 people applying anesthesia school so she knows that by the end of your orientation period, some of them will have submitted resignations and you'll be there, already trained and ready to slide into an empty slot. (That's how our unit operates -- people considering anesthesia school tell the manager, wait to see if they get accepted and then resign if they do. We always have several people in the pipeline (on orientation) to fill the spots. Not everyone gets into school, but there's a constant churning of staff and to stay fully staffed, we have to plan ahead.)
Perhaps the charge nurse shouldn't have told you that -- but I don't see that it was a malicious thing to have done. Probably just a new charge nurse bragging about having insider knowledge. Most likely, it doesn't change a thing. Go to work, learn as much as you can, and form great working relationships with your colleagues. Same as you would if you hadn't heard that.
Regardless of anything else, you're getting valuable experience and training which, after some time, will facilitate you getting another position if you so choose.
Work hard, be helpful to all, and learn everything that you can from everyone that you can and don't stress about things beyond your control.
Personally, I would not want to be an "overhire" ... I know that happened to a few friends and after residency they had to wait until an actual position opened up on the unit... or were sent to another unit. In the meantime, it seemed like a lot of low census was offered to the staff. It seems kind of tenuous, but I guess not even a regular position is guaranteed.
I mean, even if it's less than ideal to be an overhire, you're basically set for employment for at least the length of the residency program. Take it and soak up the experience. If worst case scenario happens and there isn't a position for you at the end, you still gained a paycheck and experience. Never bad for a new grad!
I agree with you. I did not think that I was coming off like that. I specifically said "it seems like" & that I planned to talk with my manager about it. That is actually why I wrote this post in the first place...because I am not sure.
chacha82, ADN, BSN
626 Posts
As a new grad you won't be counted in the numbers for awhile. And new grads don't always work out...I can think of three I went to school with that didn't finish their orientations for a variety of reasons. I agree with the other posters, just focus on your new job and don't read into any drama. I knew some girls at another hospital that were hired basically in a new grad "pool" and cross-trained for several med-surge floors. At the end they were placed as positions opened at the hospital. It was pretty much a win/win...they were already familiar with the floors, and the hospital could just offer them entry-level positions without having to hire brand new people. Don't get all Macbeth though and start looking for someone on your floor to "eliminate," just do your thing and take advantage of this opportunity. By the end of 12 weeks there may very well be someone leaving, going on maternity leave, or transferring to another floor. If they are stuffed to the gills (unlikely) they may offer you to a similar floor that has a position. It will be OK :)