Terminated from first nursing job!

[ILNurse728]

Hi guys,

I graduated with my BSN last year and at the same time I picked up an RN job at this brand new company that is a post-hospital rehab facility. I wanted to leave as soon as I started orientation... My orientation was so disorganized, short, and didn't feel confident at all when I was on my own. I didn't feel like I can always get the support I needed from my nursing supervisors who once told me I am too "by the book" and need to be more aggressive and faster. This company also had a high turn-over with not just nurses. They were on their 4th administrator during the 6 months I've been there. Two nursing supervisors left, two nurses I helped orient left for unknown reasons... Two nursing supervisors were sharing a med cart and accidentally switched their med cups and had to send a resident out to the hospital since it dropped their BP.

I decided to stick with it though because I felt stuck being a new grad and worked there for a total of 6 months. I was terminated a week ago because they caught med errors that I made (giving an OTC med without an order, entering a med order incorrectly into the computer and having an IV filtrate and swell). I am very, very lucky that nothing bad happened with the residents and they told me that they won't tell my future employer the specifics of why I was terminated.

I know I can be a much better nurse than this though. I don't want to blame the company but a lot of times I felt overwhelmed and was constantly running from one thing to the next. I really want to work in a hospital with a smaller nurse to patient ratio and be able to focus more clearly.

However, I can't help feeling I am hopeless now because I only worked 6 months at my first job AND was terminated.

Do you guys think I still have a shot at being hired in the hospital? Any tips for job searching?

[PintheD]

I don't have any advice for you. Just want to say I am sorry that this has been your experience. Keep your head up!

Any wise COB's have any advice for our fellow nurse?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

So sorry you find yourself in this situation. It's awful to add to the 'normal' stress associated with transitioning from student into practicing nurse. Based on my personal experience, Whenever possible, I learned to avoid "new" and "first" type jobs -- these are always fraught with chaos and drama as the company/unit/whatever goes through startup growing pains. There's always a rapid cycle of leadership with each new leader trying to 'fix' the problems.... which results in a state of constant change for the staff. AAARRRGH.

Many of us have been terminated at least once. It's not the end of the world. If you take time to reflect and analyze what happened; what could you have done differently; what you resolve to do differently from now on... it's a valuable learning experience. This is also the way you should discuss it in job interviews. No one expects perfection, but it's very important to learn from your mistakes. This is how expertise develops.

OTOH, Failure to take ownership of your own contribution to a bad outcome/event (job or personal) will not produce any sort of growth... and increases the likelihood of making the same mistakes over and over again. So - ultimately, it's our choice to become older & wiser or just older.