After nearly four decades in nursing, I find myself sitting through yet another hospital orientation. And I’ll admit, after attending more orientations than I care to count, it’s tempting to tune out when familiar topics come up again.
But don’t.
Every healthcare facility has its own policies and procedures, and even experienced nurses have a responsibility to familiarize themselves with them. What was acceptable practice at your previous hospital may not be consistent with the policies of your new employer.
When a patient experiences an adverse outcome, one of the first things risk management will examine is whether the care provided was consistent with the facility’s established policies and procedures.
It’s also important to understand that hospital policies and professional standards of care are not necessarily the same thing. A facility may establish requirements that go beyond minimum professional standards. Conversely, compliance with a hospital policy does not relieve a nurse of the responsibility to exercise sound clinical judgment.
Practice Takeaway
Experience is valuable, but it doesn’t exempt us from knowing and following the policies of the facility where we practice. Pay attention during orientation, know where to find current policies, and never assume that the way you’ve always done something is the way your new employer expects it to be done.
Reference
American Nurses Association. (2025). Code of Ethics for Nurses. https://codeofethics.ana.org/provision-3-3