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Discussion

RN Orientation Length

For registered, I have a few questions related to your orientation.

1. What specialty/specialties?

2. Orientation length for those specialties?

3. Size of hospital for the orientations?

Thanks,

Birdbr

Featured Replies

Registered Nurse in Miami, FL LTAC patients (in pretty bad condition) 50 beds hospital ... 4 weeks of orientation, could extend to 6 only if really needed

PICU in New Jersey- 12 weeks. 20 bed PICU, nearly 700 bed hospital.

Ortho/urology

3 month orientation that included nclex review and nursing classes (heparin, EKG, sepsis, etc) - they really prepares us :) (6 months for ICU)

300 bed hospital

Here in Ontario, we have something called a "New Graduate Guarantee", where the government funds employers of new grad nurses to have 3-6 months of orientation under a preceptor (a more experienced nurse). I participated in it, although my experience with the program was....different.

I had roughly a month with a preceptor, and then took on 3-patient assignments (our usual on our floor is 4-5). Once I got comfortable with that, I started taking on 4 patients. I did ask for my manager for another week with a preceptor somewhere in there because I found I was really struggling to handle 4 patients (but really, I just had crappy assignments, lol).

We also had paid education days scattered throughout to cover a wide variety of topics.

I did this for a total of 5 months.

This is at a large hospital (~450 beds).

Our floor has 58 beds but space for an additional 2 if we're in overcapacity. It is a combination of medical/oncology/palliative.

I am going to get 12 weeks orientation on a cardiac step-down floor at a 700 bed facility.

Operating Room (does GU/GYN, ortho, neuro, peds/peds CT, ENT, trauma, and transplants)

9 months roughly - 3 learning instruments, 1 of classroom, and 5 going through the service groups

750 bed hospital (teaching)

It totally depends on the area, your experience level and the requirements for that facility. I just started working for the state last November as a nursing home complaint investigator/ surveyor and my orientation period will be one year. And they no not expect me to really know my job until about two years. I have been a nurse for 33 years. It is a totally different line of work. So it is very variable.

  • Author

Thanks so much for replying. All these answers are very helpful.

special procedures-endoscopy, OR sedates, IV infusions, wound care, radiology

6 months orientation with a preceptor

small community hospital 125 beds

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