You landed a nursing job! Congratulations! Now, you must make sure that you get
the most our of your job orientation. This is your chance to gain the knowledge
to either float or sink when it is time to fly on your own! Below are a few tips
that will help you get the most out of your orientation.
- If your nursing preceptor/mentor is negative, lazy, incompetent, hateful,
etc. PLEASE go to your nursing director/manager and request a new
preceptor/mentor immediately! This is YOUR job orientation and it is imperative
that you get the most out of it! Do not accept less!
- It may help to keep a journal of the things you are seeing and learning each
day during orientation and post orientation. This may help you put the BIGGER
picture together.
- Ask lots and lots of questions! Ask multiple nurses the same questions.
Everyone has a different perspective. Don't forget to ask doctor's, physician
assistant's and nurse practitioner's questions. They serve as a great resource
with a wealth of knowledge (most of them will not hesitate to take the time to
answer your questions).
- Sometimes you don't always have time during work hours to get the full
answers you are looking for. If you have questions or would like more
information about a specific disease process, procedure, etc. Write your
question down and look it up at home that night.
- Subscribe to a nursing journal. Nursing journals are full of useful and up
to date information.
- If your orientation is nearing an end and you truly do not feel prepared,
share this with your nursing director and request more orientation time.
These tips not only apply to new graduate nurses, but to anyone
starting a new nursing position. Congrats on your new position and good
luck!
"Many nurses point to stress, lack of supervision, and poor
on-the-job training as their reasons for leaving the field." Follow this link to
read the rest of this article-
http://www.newamerica.net/blog/new-health-dialogue/2009/quality-job-training-lowers-turnover-rate-nurses-10151