Some insight pls...

[socali]

Is it just me or what...?

I've been working on a new busy surgical unit for two months as a new grad and I'm finding the longer I stay the more reasons come up that make me want to leave. I was told as a new grad by my co-worker that I shouldn't be doing night shifts b/c I'd be alone with 10 pts and it would be my butt on the line if something bad happened. I confronted my manager...he told me that if I needed any help that I could ask the only other nurse working on the ward who had her own 10 pts. He offered me two more orientation shifts in addition to the few I was given. To make a long story short, I worked a couple of nights alone (anxiety level was sky high) then I was back on orientation.

My orientation has now consisted of:

- not being oriented at all and being left alone b/c the nurse that was suppose to orient me was sick or was floated somewhere else

- being orientated by surgical nurses who don't actually work on the ward and aren't familiar with the specific ways things are done here

-reading the policy manual only to realize that I should have never been allowed to work alone as a grad, let alone be in charge of 10 pts (on 5 occasions already)

-errors... something that should have been documented as done was not b/c the nurse orientating me (not from my ward) told me not to- leading to problems for day shift

Any insight would be great...thanks

[Pachinko]

Where do you work? Your name hints at southern California, and if you're here (where I am), your patient load should never exceed 5.

I'm in my sixth week of orientation on my first job, and my experience has not been like yours. Staffing is good at my hospital, people are helpful, patient load never exceeds four on my floor, I work all days...and I'm STILL so stressed out. What you're facing must be terrible.

What I can say is that what you're experiencing is normal--NO new graduate would feel comfortable and competent in your situation. The best I could recommend is to try to find a better hospital to start work at. Larger hospitals and teaching hospitals might be a better bet.

Best of luck!

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

This sounds horrid...contact your NM and find out what can be done to remedy this situation.