Too much to know in too little orientation !!

Simplepleasures · Dec 8, 2007

Sorry to say ,but this is the norm in LTC.As for them now giving a month of orientation, I would say it happened because some poor new grad may have made a mistake they could've been sued for,or maybe too many of their new grads quit in disgust, OR maybe they actually have a good DON who goes to bat for her nurses!

suzanne4, RN · Dec 9, 2007

We are still seeing LTCs promise a month of orientation and then cut it down once the nurse starts when they are short one day or for some other reason.

One major reason why I never recommend LTC for new grads. Mainly because of the orientation issues. Not enough of the training in the schools for you to be able to effectively function on your own from Day !, then scant to no orientation when you start.

Set up for failure.

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Dec 9, 2007

We give new grads one month of orientation. It's expensive but worth it in the long run to keep staff turnover lower and make sure these nurses have the basics they need to take good care of the patients. "Old" nurses with lots of long term care experience get 3-4 days. They tell me any longer than that and they get bored.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 9, 2007

as a new grad years ago i had one day of a sit down orientation and i was put on a ltc unit by myself! as recently as 5 years ago i saw 3 days of sit down orientation followed by 3 days with a preceptor on the unit before being put on one's own. you gotta hand it to all who have gone through this that it has been our own brains and ingenuity that gets us through it.

i have often wondered why the state departments of health or medicare hasn't pushed for better orientation standards in nursing homes. can't imagine why it hasn't happened yet and can only imagine that it is the economics of it that has ruled over this. nursing homes, despite what people think, don't have the huge budgets that the acute hospitals have to orient people. when i worked as a manager in the acute hospitals we were told that it cost approximately $10,000 - $50,000 to orient a new nursing grad for a 6 week period. and, this was not considering that orienting nurse to be part of the nursing staff--just in training.

having worked for many years myself in ltc i have a great appreciation for those who have done charge nurse work in nursing homes because i know how they have come by those skills. my hats off to all who have made it through the acclimation process. i think a ltc charge nurse whether lpn or rn can hold their hat next to a hospital rn when it comes to organizing the work of their shift and dealing with subordinate staff any time!

lil' girl, LPN · Dec 11, 2007

At our facility you can re-orientate if you wish. We had a nurse who had worked there for almost a year and asked to be put back in orientation and she was. So ask your unit manager if this is a possibility for you. Just explain that you don't feel comfortable and would like more orientation time. Hey, it can't hurt, good luck.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2007

At our facility you can re-orientate if you wish.

How wonderful! I've been running around for years saying that I think everyone needs to go through a second orientation about 6 months of being on the job as a refresher. The reason is because during those first days of orientation you are absolutely deluged with information that often makes little sense to you at the time because you have no practical experience on the actual unit to apply it to yet. But, after 6 months you certainly do!

gagezoie · Dec 13, 2007

:lol2:One month! I wish. I got 2 days on each shift so six days total and then I was put on nights, I am the only nurse with 2 aids and 50-55 residents. We have at least 10 residents that are full code so if one happens I am %@$$ out of luck. By the way I love it.

NC Girl BSN · Dec 13, 2007

I got 1 day of sit down orientation and 3 days on the floor. I was a new grad and new to the building. Luckily was a quick learner and very familiar with a nursing home setting. I don't think I would have ever made it.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2007

At my first LTC job, I received 8 hours of orientation before being cut loose to work on my own. I was a brand new nurse, and the ink on my license had not even dried completely! Of course, I didn't know what to do or which forms to complete when a female resident fell out of bed and suffered a laceration.

In my area, the typical LTC new employee orientation period is about 3 days. Some facilities give you more time, but most give you less.

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Dec 13, 2007

You know you're old when you've been a nurse longer than most of your staff has been alive! When I was a new grad I went to work at the hospital. Orientation consisted of a tour and a 4 hour class on IVs. We were then sent to our floors for the rest of orientation. When I arrived at my floor, I was told I was going to be in charge. "But WAIT!", I said. "I'm a new grad...I've never worked before." "Yes", they said, "but you're the only one with RN after her name."

It isn't just LTC.

PS What could I do? It was the only hospital around and I needed the job. I did it and no one died.

rjmolloy01 · Dec 14, 2007

Sorry to say ,but this is the norm in LTC.As for them now giving a month of orientation, I would say it happened because some poor new grad may have made a mistake they could've been sued for,or maybe too many of their new grads quit in disgust, OR maybe they actually have a good DON who goes to bat for her nurses!

Like Ingelein mentioned, they probably learned the hard way...