jean

i am a 53 y/o rn with 21 years of experience in ltc as a charge nurse and the past year as a supervisor, i started a new job as a7-3 staff rn to avoid the headaches of supervisor, my md had started me on toprol xl for htn to be taken in the am. the job had a computerized med system called sigma, no one trained me for the use of the computer ,on my 8th day, they assigned me to an am med pass of 40 residents, it was horrible, i wasn't orientated to that particular unit previously, had no idea of where the rooms numbers were, some residents didnt have wrist id's, and i did not know how to do med administraion with a laptop computer instead of a regular mar book, it took me 3 hours to do the med pass, i didn't know how to put accuchecks or b/p's in the computer, i sat at the nurses station and plugged the laptop in to go over the med pass i had just done, and just stated to the lpn, "it feels good to sit down" at 2:30 i was called into the office by the don and adon to terminate me, they said i yawned too much, and was reported as saying, "oh god, after that 3 hour med pass, it feels good to sit down" i explained to them i had just started on toprol xl for htn, and admitted it made me feel tired for a few hours after taking it, and i would switch it to taking it at nite instead, i had already asked the don for the teaching code password so i could teach my self the computerized med system at home, but they never gave it to me, they said they couldnt tolerate a nurse yawning at the desk, and that they had so many other younger applicants for the job and were letting me go, i asked them if i could keep the job and offered to go to my cardioligist for a clean bill of health, and they said no, i also had found out previously that i was hired so they could fire an rn who caled in sick a lot but had many friends there, i am still in shock and devestated about this

This is why it is never a good idea to share too much information with your coworkers and superiors, better to have said "Won't happen again, you can count on me..".
Regarding your orientation, I would write a memo to the head nurse, ADON and DON and Human Resources that you want to do a good job and you are happy and proud to be a part of the nursing team but you need orientation and help with the following ..... (keep a copy)
end with "I am sure that with the proper direction I will be fine and a valuable member of our team."
It sounds corny or whatever, but better than complaining of your health problems (which no one really wants to hear- sorry!)
I know it is unfair but unfortunately we are not always as empathetic as we should be...