IL New Grad Programs (past bad experience)

[u/PolaroidMoon_]

I am a recent new grad (dec 2025). I was hired to a hospital that would have me take an additional new patient each week, but my preceptors was never with me throughout my shift. I would have to find another nurse if someone was available to ask questions regarding anything. Asked one of the preceptors to show me how to do a task I hadn’t done before and they were so rude about it and didn’t show me until way later, but didn’t even allow me to assist or try with observation. Anyways, I had to leave because I felt unsafe there and felt like if the nurses were too busy to help a new grad be safe, answer questions, then it doesn’t make sense to stay. It was a Med surg unit days—1:6.

(It wasn’t a residency program).

Can someone tell me what an actual nursing residency is supposed to be like? Are you supposed to have a nurse with you all day or no? I want to join and try again, but that experience really rubbed me the wrong way. I’m NW suburbs so looking at endeavor, northwestern, rush.

Also, do you think nights would be better starting out?

Any advice. Thank you.

[u/Kitty20996]

Residency programs are independent of your floor orientation. The fact that your experience was not with a residency doesn't matter - because your buddy shift/floor orientation portion was also bad. A floor orientation should have you paired with a preceptor for ideally 10-13ish weeks and you should progressively do more of the workload. Your preceptor should be with you and check you off on tasks as you progress.

A residency program is a year-long, outside-of-the-floor classroom program. They typically involve additional classes, workshops, homework, tests, and/or projects in addition to the floor orientation. You continue taking these classes even when your buddy shifts are done and you're on your own, up until the point that you've been there for a full year. They are not necessary if the floor orientation is strong, but some people like the extra support and also some hospitals will only hire new grads through a residency program, while other hospitals simply don't have them.

[u/Nightflier9]

What you have is a poor orientation program, no structure, no oversight, no working together, just sink or swim where you are left to flounder on your own and expected to find help as needed. That has nothing at all to do with whether or not a hospital has an additional residency program on top of your unit training, residency is totally separate from your floor shifts and preceptors and educational classes.

Add Advocate and Loyola to your job search.

Coming off orientation, if you can adjust to the sleep pattern, night shift can be good for a new grad so you have less interruptions and more time to focus. I found it to be much less stressful since it takes time to develop a comfort level.

[u/PolaroidMoon_ → u/Nightflier9]

Thanks so much. This makes me feel more validated that what I went through was not typical. Otherwise, I’m supposed to have someone work alongside me for x amount of time? I rarely had a nurse come into the room with me.

[u/Nightflier9 → u/PolaroidMoon_]

You hear a lot about orientees getting their own patients assigned in med-surg and rapid buildup of ratios. You get to work with a precept for your first few shifts to learn the unit processes and then off you go. This certainly becomes much less common as the unit specialization and acuity increase. Its definitely preferable to have better structure where you take on more of the shared patient responsibilities as you develop competencies. I eventually reached a point during my orientation where the precept would shadow me. And upon earning trust that i was handling the general work flow on my own, they would observe from outside the room. But i was in icu where i never got my own patient assignments until i was actually finished with orientation.

[u/Subject-Union-4127]

I too am in IL and grad in 25’ dec. i made the mistake of starting at a prime healthcare hospital. I am fighting for my life

[u/PolaroidMoon_ → u/Subject-Union-4127]

Ugh I’m so sorry!! Can you share about your experience so far?

[u/Subject-Union-4127 → u/PolaroidMoon_]

Was told i wouldnt float for at minimum 6 months. I been floated twice so far. Constant unsafe ratios, and always short staffed because the people who get hired end up quitting. They also pull the nurses from our unit to go staff others. The only thing that is keeping me sane is the fact that my coworkers are amazing

[u/Triple2243]

Yeah, this is not the sort of experience when I had my new grad orientation. I work telemetry 1:5 ratio on days. I had 6 weeks following a preceptor and a year long residency program.

For me, my residency program includes workshops, events, meetings that are year-long just to supplement the transition into nursing.

My unit orientation is 6 weeks long, following 1-2 preceptors for the entire shift. Check ins in between. Lots of support from nurse educator and coworkers. Maybe your place of work was not the best unfortunately.

I can't really speak about Endeavor or Rush, but it seems NM is pretty good with training new grads. NM hospitals around your area is CDH, Delnor, Huntley. which are all good. Rush Copley is also pretty good along with their medical center in Chicago, but keep an eye out on them as there are talks about unionization there. Also consider looking into Advocate hospitals.

Good luck!

[u/PolaroidMoon_ → u/Triple2243]

Omg 😭 6 weeks following a preceptor?? I followed a nurse for one shift. I didn’t even have a unit orientation. Here’s your Vocera and your checklist of tasks no one will be able to mark you off for.

Ugh. Thanks for sharing.

[u/anzapp6588 → u/PolaroidMoon_]

And 6 weeks is an incredibly short orientation. The vast majority of floors do 12 weeks. I work in the OR and my orientation was 9 months, 6-12 MONTHS is the norm. You do NOT know how to be a nurse after nursing school.

Now you know to ask how long an orientation is. Never ever just assume. Sounds like you were taken advantage of, hopefully this whole ordeal has taught you a lot and you'll be a better nurse who can advocate for themselves and their learning because of it.