Bad CNA job, does that mean I will never get a nursing job?

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

Hi.

Okay, I am a senior in nursing school. Last year, I had a nursing assistant job. I wasn't the best at it, but I do not think I was the worst at it. I did have a patient fall, a family did not want me as their nursing assistant again because I was "mousey" (that's what my boss told me...meaning I was too quiet), and I had time management problems. But, there were some patients that really liked me and thought I was attentive to them. I also made sure my patients were turned and offered help to others when they needed it (with and without asking). But, there was a particular nurse that hated me on the floor. One day when I was eating lunch and she was also at lunch, she made it a point to make sure I knew that "it isn't only what patients say about you that can get you fired, but it's what your co-workers say about you." Those exact words. She had gone to my boss several times complaining about me, anywhere from little things to anything major. When she told me that, that was the point I decided to quit because I knew it wouldn't stop until I got fired and that would be worse than quitting. When I was doing my last two weeks after my two weeks notice, people had asked if it was anything anyone said to me. I wanted to keep the peace and didn't want to be a trouble maker, after all I was not the best at my job, so I told them it was just more of a conflict in my school schedule. I regret it know because even finding a job that is PRN is not working. I think I am "ineligible for rehire". I know I have to put this job down on my applications because I had the job. But, does that mean I will never get another job, especially as a nurse? My clinical preceptors say I have great assessment skills, etc. and I do well with my patients, but I am afraid that one job will hurt my chances. I am actually so worried about it, I have considered quitting nursing school even though I really love it and I really care about my patients. What do I do about this? Is it a good idea to ask my former boss about what all I did wrong to see why I am not eligible for rehire? I am actually wanting to know what all I did wrong so I don't do it anymore, but I think it would also tell me why I can't be rehired. I am just really scared, worried, and just about in tears.

EDIT: I didn't know during my two weeks that I was going to ineligible for rehire. This is part of the reason why I wanted to talk to my former boss.

[AKA_Glamour_Pearl]

You're ineligible for rehire but you don't know why? That's odd. You need to find out why you're ineligible. Did you realize that when you were working your 2week notice? You had one patient fall. What else did you do that was wrong?

Safety first. You had a patient fall. What other violations did you have?

We all make mistakes, but it just depends on the types of mistakes that you make and also the frequency....

[AKA_Glamour_Pearl]

I also have to add that my friend finished nursing school a year before I did. I have NO clue what's going on with her and I got bits and pieces to the story, but NO ONE will hire her. She has applied at all of our local hospitals, multiple times.

I know that her performance at one facility wasn't so great. She gave me some details of what occured. My best guess is that when she applies at other places, her current employer tells them about her performance. She's an RN but she's still working as an aide. They never promoted her and told her that they never would. She is still an aide and I know this for a fact, although I thought that an RN could not work below their license. Apparently, that's not true in our state.

Not to sound like gloom and doom. If you didn't make any major mistakes, then don't worry about it. Continue your studies. Make sure that you speak with your professors. They generally are affiliated with the hospitals where you have clinicals and they may be willing to write letters of recommendation for you. If you're doing well in school and you have people that can help you into a position, then don't even worry about that one facility. :)

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

Honestly, though, I applied for jobs before I ever had this one job and I never could get one until this one job. I hadn't done anything wrong...I am not trying to be rude, and I do mean this with all due respect, but maybe your friend didn't do anything wrong. I don't know about her situation, but I do know before this one job (that I admit I was not perfect) no one would hire me and I did nothing wrong.

[rockstar11]

I was a CNA at a nursing home and it started off okay. At the beginning (it was summer), we were adequately staffed and had patients with low acuities. I had an "okay" orientation, but all in all, the staff worked together good.

After about 5 months, many coworkers left (fired, moved, found other jobs, switched to private duty) - most of them leaving because the job burned them out so much.

So what fell back on me? I'd land with 12-13 patients and honestly could not get anything done. I was written up for not having someone in bed on time, and even once for inadequate documentation (I was never trained on the type of documentation that I was required to fill out, imagine that). I had 3 write-ups and decided to quit - as when you have 4, it is a termination. At the end, many nurses literally yelled at me - in front of other staff, and residents - and threatened to/ did write me up. That was the time when I knew I had to leave. I got burned out and experienced lateral violence.

[eta - one of the incidents that i was written up for, due to incomplete documentation, resulted HUGE violation and fines for the facility. What ended up happening, is that I spoke up about what I know actually happened, pointed out a very unsafe flaw in the "system," and saved my job. For a month or two, the DON and ADON had a ton of respect for me because I chose to stand up and make a positive change, even though I was bottom of the rung. I've landed many jobs by talking about this.]

I went to HR and explained the situation, to which they turned it back on me. I insisted that I sign my resignation papers. After they were signed, the tried to apologize and sincerely regret the experience I had, and promised it changed. I think I am eligible for rehire, but would never consider working there again.

I'm graduating with my BSN this fall. I don't think it will have a negative impact - in fact, I actually got hired at my current job because of answering a question during a job interview about how I handle my work, and what to do if a problem arose. Because, at the end of the day, my job is worth a heck of a lot more than the $12/hr I got paid. It was worth many others' lives, and I never forgot that. To the place of employment, I was a hassle and worth $12/hr. Unfortunate.

I do have one pointer. It does sound like the RN wasn't too kind, and for that, I sympathize and can tell you that I've been there. At the company that I work at currently (a fortune 100 company) - their philosophy is that coworkers come first (after the product), then customers. Because once you take care of the coworkers, everything else falls into place. And it is, surprisingly, very true. It will make your job a lot easier/more enjoyable when you treat employees the way that you wish to be treated, and sometimes go the extra mile to make sure they know that they are appreciated.

Good luck :)

[Trekfan]

my job will not rehire ANYONE "unless they had a loyer " that they have fired , that they have layed off , that has ever been written up does not matter what , and so on so you may not have done anything but that just may be what they do .

this is what I dealing with now do I quit with 2 weeks notus and leave it open if I ever lose my mind and whant to return ! or let them fire me and get unemploment "maybe" ?????

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

Rockstar, this is pretty much what happened to me. I would ask several CNAs and nurses to help me with patients up with two or pulling them up in bed, or if it was a rather large patient to hold them over so I could clean them and I got a lot of "I am busy right now" from CNAs or "that's not my job" from nurses. I once waited 20 minutes for someone to assist me with an up with 2 patient and I had called 4 people to help me. I told my boss and she didn't care. I didn't matter and it was only what my co-workers said about me.

I want to be 100% honest with employers because 1) it is against the law to lie about not having a job when you did and 2) I want my employer to realize what I need help with and perhaps maybe suggest ways to help. Also, I don't think it is fair for an employer not to know all the facts about previous jobs concerning this field. I hope that makes sense.

I am just a very honest person and I just do not want to withhold info. But, apparently no one wants me because I made a mistake. Even though I admit it.

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

Trekfan, my advice to you is put in a two week notice and quit. That was what I was up against. That one nurse was dead set on getting me fired and would have succeeded. But, if you are terminated by the employer it looks terrible. Yes, you can get unemployment and I was tempted to have that happen, but is it really worth what it looks like to another employer? Quitting looks better than fired.

[Trekfan]

Trekfan, my advice to you is put in a two week notice and quit. That was what I was up against. That one nurse was dead set on getting me fired and would have succeeded. But, if you are terminated by the employer it looks terrible. Yes, you can get unemployment and I was tempted to have that happen, but is it really worth what it looks like to another employer? Quitting looks better than fired.

I forgot about opt#3 if i beg I may be able to take a $5.00 pay:eek: cut move to another job and work 10plues more hours a week with no benefits :yeah:

[MN-Nurse, ASN, RN]

Safety first. You had a patient fall. What other violations did you have?

We all make mistakes, but it just depends on the types of mistakes that you make and also the frequency....

A patient falling is not necessarily a violation or a mistake. There's 12 of them and one of us..they are gonna fall.

I would advise the OP to try a different facility.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

Are you sure that you are on an "ineligible for re-hire list?" Right now in my area, census has been down for most of the summer, so a lot of hospitals simply aren't hiring much this time of year. It will soon pick up. What I mean is, maybe you can't get a job simply because there aren't that many jobs out there. I think you are taking this way too seriously. From the tone of your letter, it sounds like you think you are at fault some way. Get your self-esteem back up, finish school, and yes, you will get a job. And BTW, patients do fall, that happens to the best of us. Don't get into all of this with any future employer, simply say the job conflicted with your school schedule at that time. Good luck.