"Fired for NO Reason"

I have never been told I was a bad nurse, but I have had bad days and done stupid things. I used to wonder about my critical thinking skills (for the longest time I didn't understand critical thinking, period). It is hard to think critically when the basics are still overwhelming. I remember my first job in my first year I had a patient who was increasingly agitated and was taking so much of my time. I was trying so hard to sort her out and then she started spitting out pink, frothy liquid. I had no idea what was happening, but I knew it was bad and got help. I was amazed when I said little more than "pink and frothy" and the experience nurse said "pulmonary edema."

In those days, I worked with so many nurses who had years and years of varied experience. I learned from CNAs, LPNs and some of the older nurses were were crusty, but everyone was supportive most of the time. We were always busy and I was usually spinning and just trying to stay afloat. After three years, I completed an ICU program. Again, I felt overwhelmed, but also knew enough about most things to feel somewhat safe. I hated that place because I could never get the support I needed and was usually running around with two "stable" patients where my neighbor nurse had two "stable" patients and was busy too. In the meantime, other senior nurses had one "sick" patient and their neighbor had one "sick" patient and they would chat, sit and read and take their breaks.

After a year that unit hired a group of new grads (the most they had ever had), and they required massive support and I was expected to provide that and did. Most of them made quick plans to move on (as I had by then) and were quick to notice they were not well supported. Mistakes started increasing and some of them were deemed stupid. However, I started to notice clusters of similar mistakes and remarked on the skill mix, assignments and the fact that what little help we did have available was often monopolized by senior nurses who were very good at "delegation."

I also then began to hear many of these senior nurses complain that they were growing tired of investing so much into new grads who had no plans to stay and no sense of loyalty. I have since worked in another ICU and then moved on. In recent years, I have had to endure preceptors that are half my age, have absolutely no idea what the big picture is and have no intention of being a nurse when they are my age. They have no concept of why somebody would care to subject themselves to a lifetime of the BS that is nursing.

The OP is a great topic and well written. I fully understand the points made and it is surely true that some people are just clueless. Back in the day, new grads were not hired into the ICU: I could not imagine it now. However, I would have done it if I could because when I was a new nurse, I had no clue and was not able to think critically. I did not know the dangers or the stress I would face. I was not dangerous as a new grad, but I was confident and perhaps a bit cocky. Again, what you don't know won't hurt you.

After years in nursing, I realize that there is really nowhere for me to go. I realize that I may be the best nurse in the world, but if I am not "in" I face a dead end. While the money is much better than it used to be, I could have done so much better by choosing another career (and still can). Also, I am not a woman and don't believe I will ever understand their ways. To behave in a way that facilitates success in this female dominated profession appears to be out of the question.

I think that many who choose nursing these days do so knowing it is not their career, but a stepping stone in their career. Where does he fault lie?

Anyhow, I have seen beautiful unit secretary got picked on because all the male doctors, housekeeping guys and other male workers could not keep their eyes off of her....She was not fired...Fortunately!

I understand what you mean, but why the reference about new grads thinking they are singled out b/c they are so beautiful, or extremely good looking? Do you know for a fact that is what they thought? If not, then you dont get it either.

I agree that there are some nurses who just don't get it and may never get it at all.

I really feel bad for some of them (the ones who honestly want to be nurses) because they have invested time and money to become a nurse only to find they are unsuited to nursing. I understand that their incompetence can cause stress to other staff members, may even place patients in danger etc but yelling, being rude and abrupt to them, gossiping about them really isn't constructive at all. I try and imagine how they must feel to be told they are useless, unable to do nursing, to be treated like an idiot. This would be so damaging to their self-esteem.

I think these issues really need to be picked up in nursing school to give these people an opportunity to pursue another career and save them years in a career they are unsuited for.

I dont think this is.......young vs. mature nurse either. Thats not the point at all. Refer to my first post in here about how you can take a different lesson from the same thing.

My point is, there is more to precepting than knowing your job and being the nurse with the most years on your unit.

Teaching skills are not something we can just will ourselves to have. They have to be worked on and mastered. Not a lot of people have them. We are too bussy making sure people are alive to concentrate on teaching skills.

With a heavier focus on helping preceptors be more prepared for difficult GNs (difficult in the......needs extra time way.......not in the laziness/snappy attitude way) hospitlas would improve employee retention by miles. But, despite all their degrees and huge salaries.........administration continues to just fluff precepting onto the senior nurses.......some of whom want nothing to do with it.

Thats my point, thats the part that bothers me.

That coumadin thing is scary though. Thats all I'm going to say. Scary. This girl would have taken a very long time to be brought up to speed.

OP, despite people rushing to defend you, I hope you are not left with the impression that my goal was to attack you. I've had it pointed out by another traveler nurse in here that I tend to be too blunt and need to word things differently.

See, I need the same lesson bad preceptors do.

They did make her take tests in order to pass those classes right? I remember my ICU orientation, you got three tries and then you were out. If an orientee wasn't progressing, even clinically, they dropped you. If you can't handle a busy double (two patients), then management wouldn't keep you...that's at least how my management is. By the last two weeks of your orientation, you should be progressing to the point where you need minimal help from your preceptor.

That's unfortunate. It is unfornunate that young people are being indoctrinated by our society to value youth and looks above all else.

wasnt meant to be!

I disagree. If a nurse can make it thru nursing school and pass NCLEX then who is to say that nurse is in the wrong profession? Perhaps on the wrong floor! That ding-bat of a nurse might do better in clinic work? Or somewhere? <help me out people>