Termination

[nursetweety]

Have been an LPN for over 30 years. Work has been getting more difficult and I have been struggling. I try my best but can't seem to get everything done. I am working as hard as I can. I should have tried to find another job but I didn't. Just recently I was fired for poor work performance. I have signed up for unemployment but not sure if I can get it. I am feeling depressed and like a failure. I'm not sure if I can find another job because of the termination and poor economy. Any words of wisdom or encouragement would be appreciated.

[Birdsofprey, BSN]

Nursetweety - I am just curious, what setting did you work in for most of your career? Were you in Geriatrics the whole time? I work in NYC and I know a lot of clinics also hire LPNs and that does not involve changing and positioning immobile patients.

[Mintezia]

I'm really sorry to hear that. I was let go during orientation at a nursing home I worked at. The ratio was 1:40. I think that too many facilities try to overwork all their nurses, even the new ones. Unless you can find a new place with a ratio of 15 or less, I would just skip the facility.

I second home health. I have worked mainly in PEDs because I don't have the strength to deal with adult patients. In some PEDS cases there is no lifting. In the ones where you do lift, the lifting isn't as strenuous. Many of the Peds cases I've covered the clients weren't heavy.

For NOC shifts there is a lot of downtime. Day shifts may be more active but I have not worked dayshifts often so I can't attest.