What do you wish you could/would have done while still orienting?

RNnicu42 · Jan 26, 2013

I had a 6 mo orientation and after it was over I wished that I had been more aggresive about seizing opportunities to practice skills. Not just on my patients, but on other nurse's patients. There are so many skills that I was still learning and sometimes it is scary to mess up, especially on a pt that doesnt know you. My learning curve would have been improved if I had taken the opportunity to speak up and and ask other nurses if I could preform such and such task with them instead of just watching them.

It's a scary journey but totally worth it.

scrubsandasmile · Jan 26, 2013

I think it depends on where you are, but I think something valuable to do towards the end of your time is to take someone from admission and everything that comes with it all the way through what needs to be done for the day, as well as managing your other patients with as little help as possible from your preceptor. If you feel like you can manage this well without completely flubbing, I think that is a good indicator that you have really gotten a good grasp on your unit's ebbs and flows.

Also, just reflecting and looking back on the types of patients and diagnoses/ primary problems they have had could be a good way to see anywhere "subject-wise" that you may be lacking on.

Hope this helps!

nurseywifeymommy1 · Jan 26, 2013

More charting/paperwork

Orange Tree · Jan 27, 2013

I wish I had been able to develop my own routine more. My preceptor usually decided what we did and when we did it. I was more of a task completer than an organizer, and I think it made things a little tougher on me when I finally got pushed out of the nest.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jan 30, 2013

The complaint I have received the most often - as newbies complete their orientation & begin their 'regular' job - is inability to manage a full assignment, with all that entails. As PP indicated, it requires an ability to multi-task and keep your attention on the big picture rather than individual tasks. There's only one way to develop this skill & that is by actually doing it.

I recommend assuming responsibility for a full patient assignment for at least the last 2 weeks of orientation.. you have the patients, and your preceptor has you (ready to step in if you start to go under, offering suggestions, etc). This enables you to develop your own rhythm and gain the confidence that will help you face those new nurse challenges.

Flatlander · Mar 2, 2013

The complaint I have received the most often - as newbies complete their orientation & begin their 'regular' job - is inability to manage a full assignment, with all that entails. As PP indicated, it requires an ability to multi-task and keep your attention on the big picture rather than individual tasks. There's only one way to develop this skill & that is by actually doing it.
I recommend assuming responsibility for a full patient assignment for at least the last 2 weeks of orientation.. you have the patients, and your preceptor has you (ready to step in if you start to go under, offering suggestions, etc). This enables you to develop your own rhythm and gain the confidence that will help you face those new nurse challenges.

HouTx -- you are very wise. You always seem to hit the nail on the head. This is exactly what I experienced in my orientation. It began to feel very stultifying, almost demeaning toward the end. I felt I was being directed and almost "ordered around." I would have given anything to be able to try my wings, set my own pace, asking for help when I needed it. However, by that time I knew I was on shaky ground and didn't want to risk further negative consequences by making an issue of it. Thanks for your always clear-eyed view of the new nurse's needs!

coopmke · Apr 10, 2013

I found it very helpful to ask for the most difficult/least stable patients throughout my orientation. I am in ICU, so I always took the agitated, vented pt's with lots of vasoactive gtts....who's sedatives were maxed out lol. The charge nurses give the pt's who are closest to coding to the orientees so that this can be experienced while working with a preceptor who can jump in to offer help (...not that our whole floor doesn't offer up great teamwork during codes). This allowed me to see the crazy in a controlled environment before I was off orientation.

flugelnuss · Apr 21, 2013

I'm on a tele/ms floor and requested the most unstable cardiac patients. I made sure to get the cath lab patients and dilt drips. I made sure to get the chest tubes and art lines. I consulted with many different RNs, not just my preceptor (who never seemed to be around since I was taking a full load since week one). I never got my organizational skills down until I went to nights. Before I went to orient on nights, I hand picked my preceptor. These are all things that made me more confident when I was finally let loose last week. There are several new grads that don't have the "experiences" I've had and are seeing dilt drips, art lines, and chest tubes for the first time while on their own. My best advice is to get the hard stuff down first. It gets easier when "all you have to do" are NG tubes and catheters!

TamTamRN-RRT · Apr 21, 2013

Telling my preceptor I caught him talking about me amongst other nurses plenty of times when I forgot to do something or made a minor mistake. Still in orientation so I may say something!

babysteps25 · Apr 22, 2013

I would have asked a lot more questions. I already did ask a lot but I also feared looking dumb so I held back quite a bit too; looking back I regret that, orientation is the time for tons of questions. I also would have asked for opportunities to do complicated wound care, practice IVs, etc. My orientation was really disorganized, a lot of the things they told me I would get to do I didn't. Others said they had to pester the manager during their orientation to get those opportunities.