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| No. 330 | 
Mar 30, 2009, 04:28 PM
 Re: "Fired for NO Reason"
To rely once more on the metaphor-
A rose is a rose. If it is not nurtured, and lacks sunlight and water, it will not bloom as splendidly as it could have in a better envirnoment, but it is still a rose.
A weed is a weed. No matter how well it is tended to and nurtured, it will still be a weed.
 | | Advertisement Sponsored Links | | | | No. 331 |
Mar 30, 2009, 04:47 PM
Re: "Fired for NO Reason" Originally Posted by azhiker96  As a reply to the OP, people do have a defensive tendency to externalize errors. It is part of the idea of cognitive dissonance and how people will create external justifications so they don't have to admit of an internal flaw. I don't know if it's maturity, critical thinking, or some other factor that allows some people to look internally and accept responsibility for their mistakes. Hopefully, a professional nurse is able to critically examine everything surrounding an error including the system, available resources, and themselves.
I hate to tell you this, but by the time you have made to through the rigorous experience that we call nursing school, those at the lower end of the normal curve are already weeded out. The truth is that most errors are process errors, not deliberate human screw-ups. One of the biggest problems in health care is the lack of acknowledgement of this basic fact. It is far easier to place blame than to change a system that is paralyzed by its own inertia. Yes, the person made the mistake, but as another poster pointed out root cause analysis will often show that the cause was something else. True QI in its purest form can be used to fix many of these issues, but the cost of quality is high, and most health care facilities cannot or will not absorb the costs. Instead of looking at problems, they put their emphasis on how they can save money by minimizing staff, discharging patients sooner, etc. Reducing pressures on nurses is just not considered dollar-worthy.
| | No. 333 |
Mar 30, 2009, 07:03 PM
Re: "Fired for NO Reason" Originally Posted by cxg174 I hate to tell you this, but by the time you have made to through the rigorous experience that we call nursing school, those at the lower end of the normal curve are already weeded out. The truth is that most errors are process errors, not deliberate human screw-ups.
I'll agree that nursing school does weed out many who could not or should not be in nursing. Sad experience has shown that it does not weed out ALL of them though. Read the dangerous nurses thread, it'll be an eye opener. You'll find many examples there. And, it's not that people deliberately screw up. I've only seen one poster even mention such a thing.
Sure, there could be better training systems in place and maybe better training in nursing school. Start a thread or find one that's already out there for that discussion. This thread is about the very small number of people who received a nursing education, passed the NCLEX, were precepted and sometimes repeatedly instructed on items they should have learned in school and they still don't "get it". Then they don't understand why they're let go. I'd be surprised if they did understand it.
| | No. 334 |
Mar 31, 2009, 03:55 AM
Updated
Mar 31, 2009 at 04:01 AM by cxg174
Re: "Fired for NO Reason"
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
Look, I am sure there are a few wackadoodles out there, like the nurse who left the sick child alone to go out drinking. All I am saying is they must be few and far between because in my 24 years as a nurse and 5 years as an aide before that I never saw any nurse that was that bad. Some were unable to think outside the box, some were uncaring and selfish, but none were incompetent or deserved to be fired.
| | No. 335 |
Mar 31, 2009, 06:19 AM
Re: "Fired for NO Reason"
I think these tips for Forbes for business professionals can be adjusted for any profession to some extent..also nursing: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7588718/page/1
IMO if you try your best attempting to learn and have a positive attitude it will go a long way. If still problems with a preceptor, ask for a different one if possible, yet if problems with more then one it could be YOUR problem and not anyone elses. With plenty of others waiting for that particular job the manager has to decide how long before this person can be relatively self-sufficient and contribute to the team. If they decide one with more experience/energy/healthier what-ever would help more then you.. that is why people can loose their jobs. Some things we can't help i.e. the health issue..however some we can do a lot about : study, listen, learn.
| | No. 337 |
Mar 31, 2009, 12:44 PM
Updated
Mar 31, 2009 at 12:48 PM by linzz
Re: "Fired for NO Reason"
I am in agreement with most of the responses here and have learned tons just from this forum. I had a difficult time during one clinical rotation, which was at a very poorly run site. However, I must say that the mistakes I made were my fault solely. It took me a while to fully accept resonsibility for my errors. I think I am now far more open to all feedback, good or bad. I only wish I had learned this sooner.
| | No. 338 |
May 10, 2009, 11:41 AM
Re: "Fired for NO Reason"
We need to be more careful, caring, balanced, and diligent in our evaluation processes, so that we can have a true understanding as to what is consistently "weed performance" versus what is not.
We have to be willing to analyze and treat the cause. And that means working to seriously limit all the bias that goes into current "precepting" and evaluation processes in many institutions. Until places seriously start to look at this, I find it difficult to give their "Magnet Status" much credence.
We have to get real as to what is in general a negative and detrimental function of our profession.
Nursing in general tends to be capricious and build up only those that are "likeable" within the group. It doesn't seek to support and mentor those that are dedicated to nursing that may be somewhat different in thinking for the dominant group. Medicine does a much better job at mentoring those in medicine--regardless of differences in thinking.
| | No. 339 |
May 10, 2009, 12:09 PM
Re: "Fired for NO Reason" Originally Posted by TurnLeftSide I understand what it's like being nervous going through orientation. But that does not excuse a nurse from making medication errors. Why didn't she make check the patient's wristband to the MAR before giving meds? I find it inexcusable. I've given meds to the wrong patient once and I was scared silly when I realized what I had done. I was busy and didn't check the MAR to the patient's wristband. I owned up to my mistake, called the doc, and filled out an incident report. But giving meds to the wrong patient three times?? Three times?
These posts all speak clearly so I've nothing to add, but just wanted to say that, like you, I have made a med error, and like you, I called the doc, etc., etc... I was a young nurse and scared out of my mind (too inexperienced to know that the mistake would not, thank God, harm the patient) and mind you, I did not WANT to call the doc myself, but my charge nurse insisted. Best thing she could've done- I think I was sniffling on the phone talking to the doc, and he was kind about it, but boy THAT'S a good way to learn a lesson that sticks!
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