Should I leave nursing and move on?

Is it over for me professionally? I feel like the last 7 years I spent in college were a complete waste and the thought of starting over again and moving into another career seems overwhelming at this point.

I'd appreciate any advice someone might have. I need to get on with my life one way or the other.

The hospital is trying to gain magnet status and the manager is under tremendous pressure to run a tight ship.

That's the only thing that I can think of, short of the fact that she thought that med charting errors, especially where a narcotic med was involved, were serious enough to warrent immediate termination.

Honestly, I'm still floored by the whole thing.

I have bipolar disorder. My supervisor was aware of the fact. A few months ago, my doc made a change in my meds because they were not working well and I was having uncomfortable side-effects. Things went from bad to worse. I made some charting errors, particularly not charting meds that were given.

I had never had any problems at work before. I was never made aware of any charting problems. Apparently, they only pull Omnicell reports once a month. She noticed a discrepancy on the monthly report, audited my charts, suspended me for 2 days, then fired me the following Monday.

I'm guessing my goose is cooked. I'm terribly sad and disappointed.

I'm a fairly new nurse. May 2004 graduate. Top of my class. School was so easy for me I totally assumed the job would be do-able for me.

I took my first and only nursing job on a floor that I wasn't suited for. I tried so hard to make it work though.

Anyway, the stress was too much. I had what lay people like to call a nervous breakdown. Stupidly enough, I continued to work in spite of my doctor's advice to take a leave of absense.

My manager found a medication error that I had made then audited some of my charts. Mainly meds not charted at all or meds charted in nursing notes instead of on MAR. Since some of the meds were controlled substances, she terminated me immediately. No one ever accused me of using, diverting, stealing or any of that business.

I've tried to find other jobs but hospitals won't even interview me when the recruiter finds out I was terminated. I got one interview but they never called back after the reference check.

Is it over for me professionally? I feel like the last 7 years I spent in college were a complete waste and the thought of starting over again and moving into another career seems overwhelming at this point.

I'd appreciate any advice someone might have. I need to get on with my life one way or the other.