I started my very first job. It is at a rehab center, and basically is a mini hospital. They say the patients are "stable" but, a lot of them are not and it seems like they really need to be on a step down unit. Anyways, I should have seen the red flags when they said I would get 2 weeks orientation. Honestly, I thought they meant like some sort of shadow experience and then I would have a preceptorship.....you know, a 6 week or so deal. Nope.
2 weeks. That is it. And from what I'm hearing from my fellow (very stressed) new grad coworkers, sometimes not even that long.
Yesterday was the second time I was on the floor. Like EVER, on ANY floor. And I was left alone and the other nurses had so many patients they looked irritated as all get out when I asked questions. I am a new nurse, and apparently next week I will be on my own with 12+ patients. And half of them are on vents. This can't be safe.
I'm seriously scared of doing something unknowingly that could jeopardize my license. I have good time management and I am confident in my skills but, it seems odd that they would just throw someone with no actual nursing experience out there. Is this normal?
I kind of want to just walk away because I was just offered my dream job in the NICU of a hospital that gives a full year orientation. You learn everything and it is level 3. However, I do not want to be ungrateful, because it took me a while to find a nursing job and this place did give me the opportunity. Everyone is mostly nice, the other nurses are simply stressed out so I understand why they are a bit short. The NICU job starts in March. Should I stick with the rehab place until then or just call it quits?
I agree, if NICU is your heart, follow it. I'd talk to the director/manager at rehab but you should definitely take the job. My first job was a tele/renal floor, hired me fresh out of nursing school, and orientation was 3 months long typically for new grads. After a couple of years, picked up a second job at a rehab hospital, and though they warned me the patients are still pretty acute, I accepted bc that's what I'm used to anyway. Well! Patients were certainly more acute than I would expect for REHAB but what bothered me most was there weren't resources to deal with them like a hospital has. I felt very unsafe and ended up quitting pretty much before I started on the floor by myself. I even talked to the nursing manager and voiced my concerns but she basically told me to pray on it. Oi. Make sure you and your patients are safe and even better since you have another job lined up!
This is exactly my issue! The rehab patients seems much more acute than stable to me and there are certain issues that are scary for a new grad. At a hospital there are resources like a crash team, ICU in house, available docs.....not so at the rehab. Us nurses are pretty much THE resource. And as a newbie, I'm just not sure how much of a resource I am with only a bit of practice from nursing clinical and about 8 days as a nurse on a floor under my belt.
I have decided to take the NICU job! I've started doing my shadow and have been researching like crazy trying to prepare. I start my floor orientation next week and I am so excited/nervous. I'm just going to pay attention and try to learn and soak up as much information as I can.
As for the rehab job, I'm going to chalk it up as a bad decision. Some nurses may be able to handle facilities that give them heavy patient loads but, as a new nurse, I can't. And, I'm not entirely sure I'll ever want to do it as an experienced nurse either. I know now for the future that it is VERY important to ASK QUESTIONS DURING YOUR INTERVIEW! LOL. If something sounds off, it probably is.
run for the hills is what I got to say about that. Very unsafe and is quickly becoming a common practice. Until new grads start showing employers they won't stand for this then it will keep happening...I left my first nurse job 3 weeks into orientation a 6 week orientation in which they started me brand new with 3 patients on my own and no one on one preceptorship as they implied in the interview...did not feel safe at all. When I turned in 2 weeks notice, they just let me go, not that I blame them. Places with short orientation spans means many nurses are leaving at the same time...now why are they leaving?
Anyways I got another job, just complete my 8 week orientation and now on my own...a much better experience. A new grad needs at least 7 weeks orientation one on one with a preceptor, with progressive patient load and at least 1 day just observing the routine of the floor, in my opinion. For specialized units, 1 year orientation is a must. If at the interview its less than that...run, run , run!
I have decided to take the NICU job! I've started doing my shadow and have been researching like crazy trying to prepare. I start my floor orientation next week and I am so excited/nervous. I'm just going to pay attention and try to learn and soak up as much information as I can.
As for the rehab job, I'm going to chalk it up as a bad decision. Some nurses may be able to handle facilities that give them heavy patient loads but, as a new nurse, I can't. And, I'm not entirely sure I'll ever want to do it as an experienced nurse either. I know now for the future that it is VERY important to ASK QUESTIONS DURING YOUR INTERVIEW! LOL. If something sounds off, it probably is.
Very good point about asking questions! Congrats on the NICU. Just wanted to pass along...I did my senior practicum in the NICU and found the Merenstein and Gardner book to be an invaluable resource. I got if for my Kindle and it was great to have on hand. Best wishes to you!! :)
Take the NICU job. I would give notice to the facility that you are at if you can safely make it through the two weeks, but if you cannot do it safely then I would just call it quits. It's not fair to you or the patients to be put in an unsafe position. From what I have seen over the years is that hospitals usually give decent orientation periods where long term care (haven't worked rehab) give minimum guidance. I never worked long term care before and was the sole nurse and weekend supervisor for a 110 resident facility after three days of orientation. I did okay because I've been a nurse for a while and adjusted to the different protocol for the environment, but they also hired new grads. I felt sorry for the new evening nurse that just graduated, had two evenings following the med tech around and then one day with me on the weekend before she was cut loose by herself. Unfortunately,a lot of these places are all about the profit and don't bother training people to be competent and safe.
theradiantforce
84 Posts
This is exactly my issue! The rehab patients seems much more acute than stable to me and there are certain issues that are scary for a new grad. At a hospital there are resources like a crash team, ICU in house, available docs.....not so at the rehab. Us nurses are pretty much THE resource. And as a newbie, I'm just not sure how much of a resource I am with only a bit of practice from nursing clinical and about 8 days as a nurse on a floor under my belt.