I posted several weeks ago. I am a new LNA and managed to get a job on a critical care floor working nights. I was called, interviewed and hired despite having no experience. When I went in to start work my Nurse Educator expected that I would be available days to orientate; I was not and had made HR aware of this. Apparently, the message never got through. So I orientated 3rd shift-my normal shift.
Well the floor has been very quiet and the Nurse Educator is concerned that I will not be able to cope when it gets super busy. I caved and agreed to orientate some days this week so that (in her words) I could do things like a "bed bath". I am kind of surprised as I do not expect to be doing too many bed baths between 11pm and 7am, but I digress.
At first the complaint was that I did vitals too slowly. I managed to speed those up.Then I was speaking in too soft a voice for the patients (Sorry but I do not believe in yelling unless someone is hard of hearing) I have done everything asked of me with a smile on my face but I have to admit that I am getting irritated. Either these folks want me or they don't want me. I want to be a nurse and am now feeling like a loser....I mean, if I can't cut it as an LNA then can I make it as a nurse?
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I'm going to agree with your educator and say that this is a legitimate concern.
There are no guarantees that 3rd shift will always be "quiet". As a former noc shifter, I know for a fact that people do NOT always sleep all night.
As a member of the Team, they may need you to cover a 1st or 2nd shift at some point in time, and you need to be able to cut the mustard.
I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that they are trying to get rid of you, but rather, I would presume that they are trying to provide you with opportunities to make yourself an asset to the team.
How you choose to respond to this reflects upon your work ethic.
I agree with this. Someone may never say to you "you are darn lucky to have this job" but the truth is, you are. Your educator knows there is a large quantity of people who would jump at the chance to do it. It seems to me that flat refusing to orient on the day shift (already a huge concession on their part), would cost you the job most places. Your description of I "caved" makes it sound like you are doing them a big favor by reluctantly agreeing to the policy everyone else figured out a way to adhere to.
When they told you to speak up more, you seemed to be justifying yourself to them instead of saying, "OK, thanks for telling me, I'll need to work on that" or something like it.
I mention these things only because they may be picking up the wrong message about your commitment to the team. It has nothing to do at all with whether or not you can make it as a nurse. I'm sure you can!!! I don't know if they are trying to get rid of you, but it will be less likely to happen if you go the extra mile to impress on them your willingness to pitch in and adapt to their expectations. Best wishes!:)
Well the floor has been very quiet and the Nurse Educator is concerned that I will not be able to cope when it gets super busy. I caved and agreed to orientate some days this week so that (in her words) I could do things like a "bed bath". I am kind of surprised as I do not expect to be doing too many bed baths between 11pm and 7am, but I digress.
At first the complaint was that I did vitals too slowly. I managed to speed those up.Then I was speaking in too soft a voice for the patients (Sorry but I do not believe in yelling unless someone is hard of hearing) I have done everything asked of me with a smile on my face but I have to admit that I am getting irritated. Either these folks want me or they don't want me. I want to be a nurse and am now feeling like a loser....I mean, if I can't cut it as an LNA then can I make it as a nurse?
there may well have been a patient complaint, not all HOH persons are like myself and willingly and very quickly will tell you that i cant hear you!
I would not assume they are trying to get rid of you. I believe they are trying to help you gain experience. When I started my job I oriented 3 1/2 weeks on days before moving to nights. Hang in there and keep a positive attitude!:)
"...One day on a really busy day he told me I was the worst waitress ever. But I took every thing he told me and never took it personal, but made myself better..."
I'm not sure also that they are trying to get rid of you. I don't know of any job where you don't orient on days first - no matter what shift you are going to work. It give you the chance to see more, do more and get a well rounded orientation. There are things that happen on the day shift all the time that you might get once in a blue moon on the other shifts. I just spent 8 weeks on days and am finally moving to nights for orientation on my new job.
Just keep your head up and your mind open. It will take awhile for you to learn what is good advice and what isn't. I just keep thanking people when they gave me advice and stored it all. When I came off orientation I used what I needed.
"I also felt she was jealous of my looks (I'm quite attractive)"
:lol2::lol2::lol2: :lol2: :lol2::lol2::lol2:
Your looks have nothing to do with your attractiveness at this point..............
believe it or not things mentioned before happend...I know that it is hard to believe but there are many people who are envious of others for many different reasons...people are so quick to judge others like for an example "if she is pretty or he is handsome they must be stuck up or dumb", "all blonds are dumb", "all brunettes are mean",just in general people love stereotyping...I have heard stories in my school where the nursing instructor failed a student because he was a male and failed another students cause she was very pretty and drawn a lot of attention from doctors during clinicals.
Nevertheless I'm not saying my looks were a major part of why my preceptor disliked me but I think it was a part of a whole..I have a good intuition btw.
BTW Kashia you are very right..honestly my preceptor though she was still in high school and I felt like at times she was competing with me and was trying to show off..she also talk about high school a lot--go figure~~
On our critical units bed baths ARE done largely at night. Like others have said previously I don't think they're trying to get rid of you but give you a chance to improve and succeed. I know in my area they won't hire CNA's in the hospital without experience. Patients in critical care are usually pretty anxious and sick and they should be given the common courtesy of explanation of what you're doing when you come in their room. Imagine yourself in their shoes perhaps.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
I learned that a lot of people are envious of new grads..my preceptor made a comment once that I was very lucky to get a job in such a prestigious hospital with having only associate degree (she graduated with BSN) I also felt she was jealous of my looks (I'm quite attractive)..
Oh no you di'int!
Now I've heard it all.
Why on earth would seasoned nurses be jealous of new grads? Less experience, less confidence and less money. Um...no thanks.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
And I just have to say, I have never met so much " everyone hates me, they're all out to get me, they're just jealous, it's not my fault but all the nurses and my unit manager all want me fired for some strange reason" until I started posting here regularly. It's truly amazing how many students and new grads are fired or let go through absolutely no fault of their own, but because their supervisors and coworkers are bitter with chips on their shoulders.
I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I would bet dollars to donuts that 90% of the time, the stories we hear here are only 1/10 of the actual situation.
And I just have to say, I have never met so much " everyone hates me, they're all out to get me, they're just jealous, it's not my fault but all the nurses and my unit manager all want me fired for some strange reason" until I started posting here regularly. It's truly amazing how many students and new grads are fired or let go through absolutely no fault of their own, but because their supervisors and coworkers are bitter with chips on their shoulders.
I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I would bet dollars to donuts that 90% of the time, the stories we hear here are only 1/10 of the actual situation.
:lol2:
metal_m0nk, BSN, RN
920 Posts
/popcorn