What should orientation look like for a new grad?

You got the job! Yay! NCLEX is passed, and pre-screening for the hospital is done.  Now, you sit back and wait for the job to start.  Then the nerves start creeping in.  What does orientation look like?  How long will it be?  Is it with the same mentor… what if I don’t get along with my mentor?

So many questions, and we are here to answer those questions!

How long is orientation?  Well, that all depends on the hospital, unit, and you! Typically, a standard nursing orientation will be from 12-16 weeks. If you are more specialized, like ICU, it may look more like 16-18 weeks.  Some hospitals have orientation programs that keep you in the classroom for a couple of weeks, some take you to other units to learn… it all depends on the hospital.  That’s a great question to ask in your interview to see what they do. 

One mentor or multiple mentors? There are a couple of different answers to this one.  First, you should be put with a primary mentor.  It’s hard to grow and be confident when you have multiple mentors at first.  Then, you can have a different mentor or 2 to learn how to do things differently and hear didn’t criticisms to make you better.  Second, your leadership might not have a lot of mentors.  The nursing shortage is real.  There are a ton of nurses leaving the bedside, and those nurses were mentors.  So, the mentors you have now, respect them and learn from them. 

What if I don’t like my mentor… or they don’t like me?  If you are truly trying and giving your best effort, your mentor will be happy.  Ask questions and communicate with your mentor and expect them to do the same! If you and your mentor don’t have a good vibe, bring it up to them.  It doesn’t have to be a “Why don’t you like me!??” type question, it can be more like, “Hey, is there anything I can do to help you feel more confident with my skills or “So how do you think I’m doing?”  These are open-ended questions that, if your mentor does have an issue, you can address it then.  Look, most people don’t like confrontation, so if your mentor does have an issue, and they bring it up, listen to them and respect their opinion.  This goes both ways.  If you have an issue with your mentor, bring it up to them, respectfully.  If they don’t take it well, then bring it up to your leadership and ask for a change in mentor.

What can I do to make sure my orientation goes smoothly? Check-in with your leadership frequently (every week or two) and ask if they’ve heard any feedback or anything you can work on.  Continue to communicate with your bedside mentor on the tasks you feel comfortable with, the things you are confident in, and what you need to see more of.  This will help your mentor ask for assignments that you can learn from the most. 

The 3 “C”s of Communication for Your Mentor

Last thing. Perception.  I want to bring this up because sometimes it takes a while to learn this and can hurt you in the long run.  If you start your career overconfident, there will be a perception about you on that unit.  If you do not take the time to learn, watch procedures, and ask questions, you will be perceived as lazy or not wanting to be there.  Don’t be this nurse. I don’t say that to sound mean or scary, I just want you to know that this happens and just be aware. Are you not sure if you are being perceived as overconfident or lazy?  If you have turned down seeing procedures because you’ve “already done that” or sit on your phone when someone needs help, the answer is yes.  If you get up to help or spend time in your patient’s rooms, ask to see procedures, or ask to be a part of big situations on your unit, congrats, you are doing great and learning to thrive.

What other questions do you have?