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Discussion

Would this be too much for me to handle?

I'm trying to get a fresh start again with nursing. I graduated last year and basically just have clinic experience only, mainly phone triage. I'm currently out of work and looking. Everything that I learned in nursing school seems forgotten, especially skills, since I have not had to use them in my clinic job. I'm trying to get back on the horse and find something but the economy of course is just horrible. I have an offer from an LTC, and I also have a possibility of working in a telemetry step-down unit at a hospital.

The only problem is even though I have clinic experience, I still feel like a new grad. This hospital does not offer internships and the orientation period would be very, very short. They would expect a lot of me coming in, if they did decide to offer this to me. I would be expected to remember from clinicals how to do all of the basic nursing skills like Foleys, IV inserts, etc, without a lot of re-education from a preceptor. I had a heart to heart with the hiring manager and they are aware of my lack of experience and my desire to learn. They seemed to really want to give me the chance but told me I would have to have the basics down since they do not technically offer internships to new grads and don't have the time to go over basics.

I think this would be an excellent opportunity but I am not sure I can do this without an internship. I have not done any skills since school and even those were rare opportunities in my clinicals. Maybe two Foleys, a few injections, and a couple IV inserts. I've very conscientious and want to learn but not sure this opportunity would be the best learning environment since I would pretty much be expected to hit the ground running with skills.

I'm so scared of failing and don't know what to do. If you were inexperienced or a relatively new nurse, would you take a hospital job that offered little orientation?

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    Personally I wouldn't risk my license because they don't "have time". Just my honest opinion.

    Best of luck!

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    • Author
    Personally I wouldn't risk my license because they don't "have time". Just my honest opinion.

    Best of luck!

    Well I was interviewing for a position that I probably am not qualified for, yet I think they liked me and wanted to give me an opportunity. They were looking for experienced staff nurses and don't have the budget I guess to run internships. I would have a preceptor, but probably only a few weeks maybe at the most and not to ask basic skills questions. I guess it is expected when you come out of school that you are proficient at injections, catheters, IV insertion, etc? I wonder how I could gain practice on these things outside of the hospital. Maybe my clinical experience was a little lacking. Thanks for your response :)

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    Well I was interviewing for a position that I probably am not qualified for, yet I think they liked me and wanted to give me an opportunity. They were looking for experienced staff nurses and don't have the budget I guess to run internships. I would have a preceptor, but probably only a few weeks maybe at the most and not to ask basic skills questions. I guess it is expected when you come out of school that you are proficient at injections, catheters, IV insertion, etc? I wonder how I could gain practice on these things outside of the hospital. Maybe my clinical experience was a little lacking. Thanks for your response :)

    I had a fantastic clinical experience and had never put down an NG, placed a foley or started an IV, so I wouldn't necessarily second guess your clinicals. I guess you could give it a shot and see how it goes, but I wouldn't be afraid to ask a basic question if I had one. I guess that is what makes me nervous, they don't have a budget to train, they are encouraging you not to ask questions, and are so desperate they are willing to risk patient safety with someone who might not be ready to just dive right in?

    It just sounds fishy to me, but that is just me. I was also encouraged in school to never take a first job without an appropriate new grad program in place, and essentially this is a first job of sorts.

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    That's all you need is a few weeks with a preceptor IMO. It will all come back like falling off a bike. You won't know until you try. IVs are still a sticky subject with a lot of nurses. All I hear now days is "IV team please" so there are many experienced nurses who don't know or aren't proficient in starting IVs.

    If everyone sat back and waited for a new grad program no one would be working. I don't mean to sound corny but you need to go in with a can do attitude. Kick up that confidence and go for it. Sounds like they want to give you a chance.

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    How short exactly would your orientation be? I would not accept less than 6 weeks for a tele/step-down unit. It sounds like they are short-staffed and want you on the floor asap. Not a good sign imo. I would not sweat the IV, catheter, injection stuff so much, but I would be worried about how long they will give you to learn rhythm interpretation etc.

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    This may sound silly but, there are a bunch of youtube videos from nursing instructors performing various procedures. I watch them every so often while I continue looking for a job, just to keep the steps fresh in my mind. I know it's not anything compared to a good orientation, but just a little something that may help.

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    • Author
    This may sound silly but, there are a bunch of youtube videos from nursing instructors performing various procedures. I watch them every so often while I continue looking for a job, just to keep the steps fresh in my mind. I know it's not anything compared to a good orientation, but just a little something that may help.

    I thought about doing the same thing. That is good advice, thanks!

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