4 weeks with preceptor?!?!

nurz2be · Nov 21, 2007

Hey everyone - Im a new grad and just started working. The orientation with a preceptor is only 4 weeks long. Does this sound unusual to anyone? I was under the impression that my orientation would be a couple of months long. My nurse manager said that if more time was needed, you can have two extra weeks. After one week with my preceptor, I am feeling like I will definitely be needing the full 6 weeks. However I am scared that my nurse manager will be annoyed with me, and that it will just be more work for her and my preceptor. They said by the end of orientation I will have worked my way up to a full load of 6-7 patients (ortho/neuro floor). 4 weeks does not seem like enough time to be taking that many patients and feeling comfortable at the same time. Im scared that I will feel rushed and not be able to handle it. Any advice???

That does sound fast. Our area hospitals have a 3-4 MONTH orientation, depending on what floor you are working on. ER and CCU/ICU/PICU are the longest. WOW, I think I would give it a chance and if you are not comfortable in the end I would ask not to be signed off but to have some additional time. What are the other facilities in your area doing in this matter? I think I might call a few of them and ask what their GN orientation time is. WOW

rogue medic · Nov 21, 2007

I have worked in a number of hospitals and i don't think that i have every seen 4wks or less. I have seen some peeps do it in six weeks but 6-7 pts seems like alot to take on just out of orintation. But that depends if your doing primary nursing or if you are working wtih aids and Lpns.

vamedic4, EMT-P · Nov 21, 2007

That's a big HELL NO in my book. Four weeks???? Have they lost their minds?? My facility gives nurses 4 months...16 full weeks of orientation. Anything less, especially for a new nurse...is dangerous IMO.:trout: As a new nurse...and don't take this the wrong way, please...you don't even know what you don't know...experience is invaluable - I might say that you could handle it if you were a traveller with a year under your belt...but as a new grad?? That's a no.

And they wonder why nurses feel so inadequate - it's because you're put in situations like this.

Best of luck. Take the full 6 weeks. There's no reason you shouldn't. If they give you any flack...find another job, because it'll be obvious to you by that time that you're just a number...just another med giver...another warm body for them to pressure into doing whatever it is they "need" you to do.

And again...best of luck to you.

vamedic4

cold front at my door

swee2000 · Nov 21, 2007

On my unit, which is Med/Surg, the orientation for a new grad is typically 12-16 weeks at a minimum. Heck, even the new LPNs or NI-IIs get 6-8 weeks minimum of orientation.

Piki · Nov 22, 2007

I agree with the others, that sounds nuts. :uhoh21: I'm a newbie myself, just a few weeks off of 12 weeks orientation for a med-surg floor. I can't imagine learning everything you need to know in 4 weeks! Not even counting patient care, but how to do all the computer charting, what is needed for discharges, admissions, transfers, etc.

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · Nov 22, 2007

Wow, I'd really like to know where all these hospitals are that offer 12 week or more MED SURG orientations for new grads. So far, I've interviewed at three hospitals near me and all say about 6 weeks or less. "4-6 weeks" is what they always say....

Maybe we all would feel a little more confident with a bit more time...:uhoh21:

rn-jane · Nov 22, 2007

Our hospital offers a 12 week orientation for new grads, no less. If you are experienced, 5 or more years you get a 6 week orientation.

nurz2be · Nov 22, 2007

Wow, I'd really like to know where all these hospitals are that offer 12 week or more MED SURG orientations for new grads. So far, I've interviewed at three hospitals near me and all say about 6 weeks or less. "4-6 weeks" is what they always say....
Maybe we all would feel a little more confident with a bit more time...:uhoh21:

Eastern Florida...

MelBel · Nov 22, 2007

I'm in New York, and got 2 weeks of classroom orientation, and 10 weeks with a preceptor. It seems about average for around here...

I know the ICUs in my facility give 6 months for new grads.

EmmaG, RN · Nov 22, 2007

Wow. I'm told that I will have a minimum of 6-8 weeks... and I'm not a new grad. As a traveler, I was used to getting only a day or two, so this is going to be a BIG adjustment.

You really need to sit down and have a talk with your NM. Four weeks for a new nurse is insane.

swee2000 · Nov 22, 2007

Wow, I'd really like to know where all these hospitals are that offer 12 week or more MED SURG orientations for new grads. So far, I've interviewed at three hospitals near me and all say about 6 weeks or less. "4-6 weeks" is what they always say....
Maybe we all would feel a little more confident with a bit more time...:uhoh21:

SE Wisconsin, just west of Milwaukee.

FYI: Also wanted to add that my hospital requires new grads to work full-time during their 12-16 week orientation.