What can I expect from NS orientation?

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What questions should I ask? What is covered in orientation? I wanted to get some perspectives from those who have already gone to theirs. I want to be prepared to have as much covered as possible so I don't walk away saying, "I shoulda/coulda/woulda asked that!"

Thanks in advance!

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There are lots of threads about nursing school orientation.Just try browsing through them but remember everyone's experience will be different.

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I just had mine on Friday and quite frankly it was quite a dissapointment. They basically went on and on about how difficult it was going to be for about 3 hours. Even the student panel during Q&A seemed to only want to tell us horror stories. We really didn't cover much of what was to be expected except that they harped on time mgt over and over.

Hope yours is better than mine!

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My orientation is this Thursday so I'll find out then. I'm so nervous!

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Specializes in CVICU, anesthesia.
I just had mine on Friday and quite frankly it was quite a dissapointment. They basically went on and on about how difficult it was going to be for about 3 hours. Even the student panel during Q&A seemed to only want to tell us horror stories. We really didn't cover much of what was to be expected except that they harped on time mgt over and over.

Hope yours is better than mine!

I am halfway through my accelerated BSN program, and I was VERY disappointed and discouraged after our orientation. I had looked forward to starting the program for months, and finally orientation day arrived. I went in a little nervous but very excited, and they basically killed all of my excitement. My orientation was also 3 hours of scaring us about how hard it would be and about how some of us would fail and others would drop out, etc. Oh and they told us that working during the program absolutely could NOT be done...and more than half of us work part-time.

BTW, it has not been half as bad as they made it out to be. I don't know why they spent all that time killing our enthusiasm. Yes, we did lose some people, but none of them were in it for the right reasons anyway. Those of us who really want it are still plugging along! Just 2 more semesters to go!! :D

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I had orientation today! I knew it wasn't going to be the most exciting thing ever...most orientations aren't, but it really wasn't that bad. We got to meet our instructors, find out about the attendance policy and dress codes. All of the faculty were very positive about the program and encouraged us over and over to come to them if we ever needed help. One of our instructors even said she was going to give out her business cell phone number. Then we paid for our background checks and drug tests (that had to be completed within the next 48 hours). Other than that the told us what to bring/expect on the first day of class. But like i said overall it was very positive and encouraging.

Good Luck at yours!

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Our orientation was three days. During it, we had a session with the financial aid office, a session re: the health insurance at our school, a session with a research librarian learning about the database search tools, a session re: labs and clinicals (ie what's expected of us, dress code, etc), speech from Dean of school of nursing, speech from Asst. Dean on our campus, training session on program used for online component of classes, our ID pics taken, a tour of campus and nursing labs, a Q&A session with upperclassmen in the program, and a lot of straigh talk about what the demands of the program will be (but not overly negative).

They also made it clear that they were not looking to weed us out, that they chose us for this very competative program because they felt we all had what we needed to develop into competent and carring RN's....and that it was their jobs to help us get there.

I left my orientation just a bit dazed with information overload, but mostly encouraged and ready for the term!

Peace,

CuriousMe

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Thanks for all the help. I love this forum! I did do a search of "nursing school orientation" as opposed to just "orientation" and it made all the difference! I hope mine will be encouraging as I think the powers that be WANT us to succeed. Otherwise, it's a poor reflection on them. And being in the initial class, I think it's going to be great!

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