51-year-old new grad needs help

[La'sBlueSky]

51 and new grad. Need help with interviewing skills. And confidence. Volunteering did not help me. Was on orientation and was dismissed due to medication error. Should have kept a journal about experience.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Click on the link below for questions and answers to common interview questions. Good luck to you.

https://allnurses.com/nursing-interview-help/how-to-answer-748905.html

[ED Nurse, RN]

You were dismissed bc of one med error?

[La'sBlueSky]

Yes, ED nurse, I had one med error. The unit manager said I was unsafe. I felt so terrible. Destroyed my confidence in myself. The med was BP med. Rest of shift I monitored his BP and HR, neither trended above or below past 24 hr past values.

[ED Nurse, RN]

Yes ED nurse, I had one med error. The unit manager said I was unsafe. I felt so terrible. Destroyed my confidence in myself. The med was BP med. Rest of shift I monitored his BP and HR, neither trended above or below past 24 hr past values.[/quote']

I feel like they had further documentation on you- giving one dose of a BP med is not grounds for dismissal. Perhaps you just weren't doing well in that environment and meshing well with others.

[La'sBlueSky]

I believe you may be right. I personally loved it and was learning so much. The Unit manager said I needed to work on my time management but reassured me that was what all new nurses need to master. I always arrived to work early and never stayed beyond my shift to complete any work. I wish I had kept a journal for each day so that I could look back and try to determine just what exactly they (unit manger and preceptor) may have thought was unsafe other than the med error. I truly wish they had been more specific about what exactly I needed to address. When I think back about my time there my first preceptor was always supportive and told me that I was progressing well. I do remember feeling not so comfortable with the second preceptor. I remember the first week with her and feeling that it was a test. One of my pt. had rales and on previous assessments they were not noted except in ER when she had been admitted several days ago. She questioned my assessment and went into listen and told me she could not hear them. I went back in and listened and told her that I did. So we went back and forth. I did not change my assessment but she was able to change my assessment. The charge nurse confirmed my assessment as correct. Preceptor said "Oh well i have had a cold and my ears are stopped up." Another time a pt. with pancreatitis on a clear liquid diet, receiving hydomorphone for pain, pregnant, and refusing to take lipase and all oral meds, told me she was hungry. I said you are on a clear liquid diet and listed what I could get her to eat. Pt. told me she did not want to eat any of the things I offered. Later I find my preceptor heating up chicken noodle soup and asked her who was that for? Preceptor said it was for my pt with pancreatitis and I told her the pt was on clear liquids only diet. Preceptor proceeded to give it to her and later I was with the pt while she vomited. Preceptor also wanted me to hold on to hydromorphone I found in a workstation on wheels along with a less controlled medication. I proceeded to give to the charge nurse who was like "Oh my goodness! this is a variance! Who had that workstation?" She was freaking out!