Fired for the second time... by THE SAME DON.

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Well, yesterday morning I got fired, yet again... from an LTC, yet again.. by the SAME DON.

I feel like calling the corporate office and appealing my firing, seeing if there is any way that I can get hired on to a different facility.

The problem is that I DID SCREW UP.

I don't know what else to say; I'm afraid to say much because I know for a fact that people that I work with, or have worked with, read this site. I can say that I'm beyond devastated. I cried all day yesterday. I "ran away" after my husband and I had a knock down drag out fight after my firing.

I was the breadwinner.

I feel like my chance of finding another nursing job are about nil at this point.

The thought of working at another LTC truly truly makes me want to throw up but I guess i'll do it if that would be the best thing for my family.

I guess what I'm asking is, should I try to appeal this somehow?

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Without more information it's hard to say if you should appeal. Did your mistake kill someone? Probably can't appeal that. How did you get fired twice by the same DON?

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

The first time she fired me was in August of 2011, at one facility. I then worked a while for a staffing agency, about 10 months or so, then got a job at my most recent facility in May of 2012.

Meanwhile, she lost her job at the facility where she and I worked, she went to another facility, leftTHAT facility for some reason, and ended up working as a corporate nurse for my company, goingaround to facilities doing mock surveys and such. Well, meanwhile my DON (the third one sinceI started that facility in 2012), quit, so they asked my former DON to come and fill in for a while,since she had DON experience.

Well, when I found this out, I was only slightly upset. I knew it was only temporary, and I knew thatI was doing a good job. I never thought in a thousand years that this would happen; stupid stupid me.

Lately we've all been working a lot of overtime, lots of extra shifts, and working short. We have lostpeople to work injuries, and they cannot be replaced, so we've worked without them. We've had lotsof holes in the schedule. Couple that with the fact that lately a LOT of things have been falling in mylap lately; numerous falls late at night, a case of abuse in which a coworker cursed in front of a resident,ABOUT the resident... an unexpected death... I'm not someone who has boundless compassion, farfrom it, and I was really beginning to suffer from fatigue.

Wednesday night about 1am, something fell in my lap, and I chose not to deal with it at that time.Huge mistake. The resident didn't die, nor do I think she was any more hurt than she already was,but huge huge mistake none the less.

Oh well, I'm not going to try to appeal, I'm just going to move on.

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I know it's tough to lose your job, but your facility sounded like a real pit based on your posts here. Have you tried acute care? Leaving LTC for acute was the best career decision I ever made.

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I've come to realize that there is often little difference between LTC and acute care, especially if they're skilled. OP, there's no way I can offer an objective opinion on whether or not you should appeal based on what you've posted here. I can, however, offer you my empathy and I'll think good thoughts for you/wish you a positive outcome. You say you're not going to appeal... ok. Know that I understand how stressful LTC is. I wish you well and I believe that another opportunity will present itself for you to shine/find a less stressful position.

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Specializes in Lvn to RN, new grad med/surg.

The way I see it, was you chose not to deal with it. While you admit that was your mistake, maybe in the future realize the fatigue is not worth the extra hours and burnout. While working in LTC, there was 2 LVN's and 1 RN for the entire building for night shift. Whenever I could not physically take care of it myself I would ask the RN for help, who would be so gracious and help out. Been there done that, if something is on you, you have to take care of it, even if you have to stay after shift to finish up after you've given report. When they complain about overtime (and they will) tell them you didn't have time do to xyz and keep a log.

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