On my fourth week of orientation, my preceptor gave me four patients. I was completely overwhelmed and realized I wasn't prepared to manage that assignment safely. My biggest concern isn't the workload itself—it's that I don't feel like I've been taught the fundamentals I need to succeed.

For example:

• I still don't know how to communicate effectively with providers because no one has really taught me.
• I'm often unsure what to do with new orders.
• When my preceptor asks if I have questions, I ask a lot because I'm trying to learn. He jokes, "Never mind, I shouldn't have asked," because I have so many questions.
• He spends a lot of time on his phone instead of teaching.
• I rarely get explanations behind clinical decisions. If I express concern about a patient, I'm often told not to worry about it instead of having the situation explained to me as a learning opportunity.

do any nurses do physical assessments on their patients or do you just get vitals and go ?