I feel like a FAILURE, what do I do now?

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

Specializes in Pediatrics.

So I was terminated yesterday, completely blind sided honestly... two weeks prior my charge nurse told me she got an order for an antibiotic, she put the new order in my MAR and wrote the note regarding MD contact/ New Order... come to find out yesterday, she never even spoke to the doctor to get authorization, she told me too borrow from another resident, yes i know not right, but unfortunately my facility isn't exactly the legal place too work. Not too mention, the facility is under its typical census, there is a hiring freeze and no overtime is too be taken so I somewhat feel like i was a sitting duck, as far as i know the charge nurse got a slap on the wrist for falsifying the order. I had a bad feeling about my facility there's a lot that goes on that made my stomach churn, so in a way i'm looking at this in a positive way... everything happens for a reason, right?

Now what do I do how am I going to find another job, I'm so worried that my other job is going to destroy me for a new job any suggestions, or kind words? thank you!

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

You know what... the acute care places around me hire LPNs at 13-15 dollars / hour. If LTC would drop their pay to that level and hired more LPNs at that rate, staffing wouldn't be an issue, nursing care could be competent with a higher nurse to patient ratio and job satisfaction (minus the money) would most likely cause more nurses to be retained. I got into nursing not expecting a lot of money but wanting the title of "nurse", the respect that came with it, and the direct patient contact knowing this person is healthier and improving because I was there for them. Even with 3 years experience, I am still working for LESS THAN $15/hr base pay. Perhaps with more nurses, there would be more accurate documentation, less med errors, less stress, more job satisfaction.

Also, when I picked up PRN work in LTC to supplement the acute care income, it was a nightmare I hope to never go back to. Seriously? Every day on a quarter of all the patients I was "borrowing" from another resident's med stock- 16 residents, 1 nurse, 1 CNA, too much of a headache.

Mr. John doe is here for MRSA in his leg.

Why can John Doe not use his upper extremities?

We think he had a stroke?

How can I find out?

You can check his hard chart?

What about his admission assessment?

It won't tell you much.

I found his hard chart, there's nothing in there about a stroke, upper extremity weakness, nor excessive confusion and dysphagia. Did this all happen here?

I'm not sure. He's been here several months.

Like seriously.... Are you kidding me?

I'm so over LTC. It only took 3 months of PRN agency work to make me appreciate my "non-RN" status within the hospital setting.

Dear petluvr,

This may have been a very bad experience for you, but at the same time there ARE other jobs at there and possibly even some in LTC. It is just a very long, hard, arduous search, but you can do it if you keep trying. Create a portfolio of your experience, certifications, knowledge base, etc. Bring it to every interview. Invest in a wonderful new suit! Be knowledgeable and always have follow up questions premade for the end of every interview you attend.

I wish you the best and may you never have a terrible experience like this again.

Specializes in Pediatrics.

Thank you for your support, I'm trying to keep my head up and have even thought about getting out of nursing, I'm currently an LPN and don't even want to further my career, sad huh? I thought about just getting out of nursing for a few months and get myself back into a positive perspective, but i fear that I feel the way I do because of the facility I was at and I don't want to just give up

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

/ hug

Specializes in Pediatrics.

Do I put on my applications that I was terminated and explain why??

You don't say why they fired you. Was the order put on your med sheet? Did you give the med? Did you sign the med off? Were you fired for staeling the med from another patient, for giving a med that had no real order?

I know exactly how you feel. I was fired last year, and every application I fill out always asks if I have been previously terminated. I either put "let go during probationary period" or, more recently, "job ended." I've only been called back once (today in fact!) and the DON asked why I wasn't still working at the place I was terminated at. I answered her questions with simple straight-forward answers, I didn't want to sound like I was over explaining. She invited me to meet with her tomorrow so I guess the way I handled it was satisfactory for her. Good luck with finding another job, I completely understand wanting to give up on nursing, I felt exactly the same way, for months. It really is terrible feeling like you made such a mistake by going to nursing school (and actually really enjoying it). And the job hunt is tough, at least in my own experience, although I know quite a few of my former classmates are also looking for jobs and having a tough time. I wish you the best of luck.

Specializes in Oncology, Med-Surg.

I'm sorry to hear about your termination. It happens to most of us. I got fired from my first LTC job, it turned out ok because I ended up with the job I needed in acute care. In your interviews, tell them you made a rookie mistake and explain it humbly. Whatever you do, don't blame anyone else or trash talk your prior job.

You can always just tell them that the job wasn't a good fit, without going in to too much detail. You don't want to make yourself incompetent, but you also don't want to run the facility down to the interviewer. You definitely should put it on your application, as it is nursing experience. Just tell them it wasn't a good fit. Most places won't even give you an actual "reference" these days. They will only verify dates of employment and state if you are eligible for rehire or not, so if the new place calls the only place they probably won't say much about your experience with them, other than verify that you did work there.

Thank you for your support I'm trying to keep my head up and have even thought about getting out of nursing, I'm currently an LPN and don't even want to further my career, sad huh? I thought about just getting out of nursing for a few months and get myself back into a positive perspective, but i fear that I feel the way I do because of the facility I was at and I don't want to just give up[/quote']

Sometimes you have to step back and do a thurough assement and know that there are better places to work, dont lose hope!!!;-)

Specializes in Pediatrics.

SuzieVN, the order was placed into my med sheets by the charge nurse, she said do what we usually do and borrow the med from another resident, so I did what my charge nurse told me... long story short apparently everyone was borrowing from another resident because the med she said she ordered for the resident never was because she never got a doctors order

Specializes in Pediatrics.

I certainly do not want to look incompetent or run the facility down by any means that just is not professional in my eyes. But I also don't want to look like a liar or seem like I am hiding something as well and have it come back to haunt me... I was there over a year never called out was always 15 minutes early and never even used a day of vacation time or personal time, not to mention the doubles i worked and stayed late because i knew what the next shift was in for... I know at this point its irrelevant, and I am hoping for the best. I thank everyone for their insight it's much appreciated :)

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