What Was Orientation Like For You

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I am wondering how difficult and stressful orientation is for new grads in the NICU. I know I can do it if I get hired into the NICU however I am weary of more stress fresh out of school. My husband and little boys have had to sacrifice so much (and have been so great about it) and I don't know if my stomach can take much more stress than what I am experiencing in school.

I know everyone has their own experiences however it would really help me if some of you could give me an idea of what orientation consisted of for you including the schedule, assignments and stress you experienced. Thanks everyone.

Jen

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

Jen, orientation into any nursing job is stressful. You need to learn to leave stress and craziness at work. No matter how nuts it gets, once you clock out, you can go home and be a wife and mom. If NICU is what you want, go for it. Nursing is stressful enough without choosing a unit that you don't want, based on the appearance that it is less stressful

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Jen, orientation into any nursing job is stressful. You need to learn to leave stress and craziness at work. No matter how nuts it gets, once you clock out, you can go home and be a wife and mom. If NICU is what you want, go for it. Nursing is stressful enough without choosing a unit that you don't want, based on the appearance that it is less stressful

I think you are right and honestly being on a unit that is less stressful but not enjoyable to me will drive me crazy.

Thanks

Jen

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Specializes in NICU.

Honestly I thought my first nursing job was more stressful than nursing school.

I agree with Steve that you need to learn to leave the stress at work, but that's something I had a really hard time doing. I was pretty well stressed about work all throughout orientation and for most of the first year.

It got better as time went on, but during that time I had periods where I would have a hard time forgetting about work when I wasn't at work. I would dread going into work and I would think about it afterwards. Thinking about it afterwards wasn't too big of a deal for me ..... I'd think about it a bit after my shift, but not really. My big problem was the dread of the upcoming shifts. And this would start the day before the next night I was to be at work.

I don't mean to say all this to scare you. But that's how it was for me ..... it might not be like that for everyone.

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Specializes in NICU.

Orientation is only as stressful as you allow it to be. For me, everything I did had to be perfect. It was obviously unrealistic as a new nurse. They know you have no experience and will orient you properly. Feel free to ask as many questions as you can. Even if you had asked the question the day before but don't remember exactly what to do. You are there to learn and they are there to teach you. You will do fine. If you work in a good place, you ought to have a good support system there. Use it. Good luck and relax ... you are done with nursing school!

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Specializes in NICU.

My orientation was 12 weeks. I started in the "transistional nursery" for 2-3 shifts. My preceptor and I shared 3 feeder/grower kids as an assignment. I got accustomed to the monitors, alrams, and basic infant care. Then we moved into the more intensive end of the unit and I had a NC kid. Then we added CPAP. Then a vent, etc. We balanced taking on higher acuity and/or taking on more patients at once. I did 4 weeks of days, 4 weeks of nights, then back to days so I could start doing admissions/going to deliveries. At the end of each shift my preceptor and I would discuss how the day went. How do I think I did, what did I succeed at, what could I spend more time on, etc. By week 10, my preceptor would go work on the staffing schedule and leave me to run around on my own. She was there if I needed her but she said she was confident in my skills/judgement so I should be too. There were always other RNs in the bay with me so even if my preceptor wasn't there, I always had help.

As for stress of work vs. school, well my last final in school was Dec 18, 2006. I started working Jan 15, 2007. So, I had barely a month off before I started orienting to the NICU. Personally, I found it much less stressful than school. I went through a second degree program so my program was 16 months straight through. By then, I was SO SICK of school that work was a welcome change. I liked that when I got home, I was done. I didn't have to think about anything else, if I didn't want to.

Also, the way I learn on the job and the way I studied in school were very different. In school, I felt like I was just studying and loading my brain so I could spit it back out on some test. Cram, cram, cram, then unload. And you know you, as a NICU nurse, you will never need to know like 70% of what you are studying. At work, I feel like it's more of a process. I'm building and internalizing useful and applicable skills. It just felt more natural so I wasn't too stressed. Plus my preceptor was really good about asking me if I was overwhelmed, did I want help, did I want to move on or do that skill one more time, etc.

ALWAYS ask for help. It really comforted me that at work, it's a team effort and no one (if they are worth anything as a nurse) would let me drown. You don't get that at school. You can't ask someone to help you take your test. :p

The only thing that is worse about work is that it's much more physically demanding. My feet were KILLING me for about the first 5 months. Then I guess my body realized that this is sort of the status quo and my feet got a little better.

One last tip: If you do find that work is stressing you out, but you don't want to burden your family, vent to your nursing school friends or fellow orientees! That helped me alot. We would exchange ridiculous stories, make fun of residents, and just laugh at ourselves. It really helped to hear that I wasn't going through it alone and laughter really helps you unwind. :D

I hope this helps, and sorry if I babbled on too long!

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My orientation was 12 weeks. I started in the "transistional nursery" for 2-3 shifts. My preceptor and I shared 3 feeder/grower kids as an assignment. I got accustomed to the monitors, alrams, and basic infant care. Then we moved into the more intensive end of the unit and I had a NC kid. Then we added CPAP. Then a vent, etc. We balanced taking on higher acuity and/or taking on more patients at once. I did 4 weeks of days, 4 weeks of nights, then back to days so I could start doing admissions/going to deliveries. At the end of each shift my preceptor and I would discuss how the day went. How do I think I did, what did I succeed at, what could I spend more time on, etc. By week 10, my preceptor would go work on the staffing schedule and leave me to run around on my own. She was there if I needed her but she said she was confident in my skills/judgement so I should be too. There were always other RNs in the bay with me so even if my preceptor wasn't there, I always had help.

As for stress of work vs. school, well my last final in school was Dec 18, 2006. I started working Jan 15, 2007. So, I had barely a month off before I started orienting to the NICU. Personally, I found it much less stressful than school. I went through a second degree program so my program was 16 months straight through. By then, I was SO SICK of school that work was a welcome change. I liked that when I got home, I was done. I didn't have to think about anything else, if I didn't want to.

Also, the way I learn on the job and the way I studied in school were very different. In school, I felt like I was just studying and loading my brain so I could spit it back out on some test. Cram, cram, cram, then unload. And you know you, as a NICU nurse, you will never need to know like 70% of what you are studying. At work, I feel like it's more of a process. I'm building and internalizing useful and applicable skills. It just felt more natural so I wasn't too stressed. Plus my preceptor was really good about asking me if I was overwhelmed, did I want help, did I want to move on or do that skill one more time, etc.

ALWAYS ask for help. It really comforted me that at work, it's a team effort and no one (if they are worth anything as a nurse) would let me drown. You don't get that at school. You can't ask someone to help you take your test. :p

The only thing that is worse about work is that it's much more physically demanding. My feet were KILLING me for about the first 5 months. Then I guess my body realized that this is sort of the status quo and my feet got a little better.

One last tip: If you do find that work is stressing you out, but you don't want to burden your family, vent to your nursing school friends or fellow orientees! That helped me alot. We would exchange ridiculous stories, make fun of residents, and just laugh at ourselves. It really helped to hear that I wasn't going through it alone and laughter really helps you unwind. :D

I hope this helps, and sorry if I babbled on too long!

That is awesome information thanks so much. Sounds like you had a great preceptor and exactly the situation I am hoping for if I get in. I graduate in Dec so hopefully I will be back here as a NICU GN then NICU RN. :)

Thanks again!

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Depending on your personality (and let's face it, all nurses are a bit anal-retentive), you're going to be stressed out in orientation no matter what. It's the nature of the beast. It's a new environment, new people, new situations, things you've never seen before, procedures you've never done, blah, blah, blah. And I'll tell you, there were some times I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. And I didn't orient initially in a level III NICU, I was in intermediate (or step-down, with the feeder/grower babies). There were good days and bad days. When I finally felt like I had my ducks in a row, I transferred to level III. Best decision I ever made.

I recently went back to work after taking off several years to be a stay-at-home mom. Keep in mind I had nine years prior experience in NICU. But, I was nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs, I was scared to death, thought I was going to kill someone or maim some child for life. (Sometimes I still feel that way.) Luckily for me, I had fabulous preceptors and the unit I'm working in is very much like a family. I was sometimes embarrassed to ask certain questions, but I always asked. I didn't care how stupid it made me look.

As a new grad, you don't know what you don't know. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.:) Please don't interpret it as condescending, it's simply the truth. Just realize that everyone's been in the same boat. If you don't know how to do something, why you're doing something, or if something just looks funky to you, for goodness sake, don't be afraid to ask. The only stupid question is the one you DON'T ask. If you need help starting an IV or getting labs, ask for it. If you don't understand an order or why a certain doc does things a certain way, ask the doc or a nurse who's more familiar with the status quo on the unit.

My hat's off to you for completing nursing school and going into this difficult but rewarding field. You go!!!:yeah:

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Specializes in NICU Level III.
Honestly I thought my first nursing job was more stressful than nursing school.

I agree with Steve that you need to learn to leave the stress at work, but that's something I had a really hard time doing. I was pretty well stressed about work all throughout orientation and for most of the first year.

It got better as time went on, but during that time I had periods where I would have a hard time forgetting about work when I wasn't at work. I would dread going into work and I would think about it afterwards. Thinking about it afterwards wasn't too big of a deal for me ..... I'd think about it a bit after my shift, but not really. My big problem was the dread of the upcoming shifts. And this would start the day before the next night I was to be at work.

I don't mean to say all this to scare you. But that's how it was for me ..... it might not be like that for everyone.

I'm still in this phase of dreading shifts. It's just that you never know before you get there if it's going to be a crazy shift with a heavy load or a more relaxed shift.

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