Can't ever really leave nursing, can I?

Published

Specializes in Long Term Care, Pediatrics.

Hello Everyone,

I've worked in LTC and pediatric home health. I was fired from pediatric home health because the family didn't think I knew what I was doing. I was trying to give the family a sense of control by asking them about their preferences in patient care, but I guess they perceived it as being unconfident, maybe I was...I have an anxiety disorder and the family NEVER talked unless asking me to do something. This made me really anxious then it was hard to focus on what needed to be done. Anyways, the up side is they should have an increased sense of control knowing that they can choose which nurses work with their baby. The company told me that if the family was uncomfortable with me, they were too and needed to let me go. This really hurts.

I hate LTC; I think it's criminal the way we treat our elders and I can't change it, so I want no part of it.

Having no other experience, I have decided to leave nursing and stay home with my kids and be a housewife, never to think of nursing again. But I can't really escape it, can I?

On Monday my husband's best friend called because he was having chest pain; he wanted me to take him to the ER, but refused to call 911. I called 911 because he can always refuse the ambulance and I can't help him with no resources and while driving. I headed over there and arrived before the ambulance. I had his vitals and had given him asprin before the ambulance arrived. They said I did a good job, and when the portable EKG came back with signs of MI, he did take the ambulance. He's doing just fine. :)

Tonight, at a meeting, a lady was in extreme pain from fibromyalgia, I used my non-pharmacutical interventions for pain. My favorites: guided deep breathing, hand massage and guided imagery. She left feeling better; her face was no longer contorted with pain. It would be silly to think that I helped her for more than a few minutes, but if I weren't a nurse, I wouldn't have known any way to help her. :nurse:

I feel hopeless, like I will never land a job that I can keep, I'm a loser I guess, but I still love helping people. I will never be able to find a job after being fired, but I guess I will never lose somethings. Hopefully someday I can come to terms with not being a nurse.

Thanks for listening, just want to randomly talk into the internet world.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Keep trying other areas of nursing if you can. There's far more to nursing than pediatric home health and long-term care. I do not have any firsthand pediatric HH experience, but I have worked in nursing homes and LTC facilities for five years and this area of nursing can be depleting to the soul if you are in a poor environment.

Hospice might be a good fit for you if you like supporting the patient, keeping pain and symptoms under control, maintaining the dignity of a person with a terminal prognosis, providing comfort and education, and being there for the family. With a year of experience in LTC and pedi HH, there are hospices that would take you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

dont take it personal!!! its just business, unfortunately health care has become a business.

I've had 9 jobs in 8 years of nursing, out of which 3 i was fired from, im still a RN with a great job! dont let anyone put you down, you cant be soft in nursing, too many ppl trying to push you down.

as well as there is plenty of ppl ready to help you. hope it makes you feel better!!! good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Phooey on the ped HH. It just wasn't a good fit. God bless those that work peds. Not only do you have the child, but you have a set of very emotional parents as well.

I think the hospice sounds like good idea. You have a caring heart and common sense.

You will find your niche. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Don't take this a bad way but you are where you're supposed to be! I agree with the comment above, that HH was not a good fit and it DOES NOT mean that you are a bad or incompetent nurse that doesn't know what she's doing! Things happen for a reason and although we might not agree with them and even feel absolutely terrible after them, there is always another door that opens. Just because you were fired from one job doesn't mean you'll never get another. I've known nurses that were fired more than once from different jobs and still have a good job now. So keep your head up and pursue what you want! Don't stop after one bad experience. Nursing has lots of ups and downs and you can only go up from here. Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

As a peds private duty nurse, I'm going to say shame on the company for just letting you go like that. I have worked with maybe 1 "normal" family ever. A good agency will take into account your perspective and perhaps place you elsewhere to see how you do. I always take the family's preferences into account with my patients. The hardest part of this field is navigating the different family dynamics. Clearly you are better off since that company didn't back you up.

Sounds like you have a real gift for nursing. It can take time to find the right field. Don't give up!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Your agency did not treat you the way most do. I've know many excellent nurses who for whatever reason, were not asked back to a home. Never has a nurse been let go for that one reason alone as people have some pretty unusual impressions about things. They do not normally let a nurse go for one such misfit. Don't take it too personally.

As far as always thinking like a nurse -- yeah. I was a stay-at-home mom for a while, too. You can't "unring the bell" once you start to think like a nurse. I think you did exactly the right thing with the chest pain guy. I do not ever assume a professional risk unless it would be very dire, such as bleeding or proximity to a fire or something that will rise to that level. Even when I talk to friends and family I say very general things and then tell them to seek professional advice as I don't have the authority to diagnose.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Long Term Care, Pediatrics.

Thanks everyone,

I really needed to hear some kind words. I'm probably not leaving nursing, but having the summer off sounds very pleasant. So...beach days for me! :smokin:

I have thought about Hospice, because in LTC, that's where I really shined. I dream of ER nursing, but probably shouldn't and can't. But maybe ten years from now.

Anyways, thanks again for the kind words.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nurse.

You are completely right - in home care the family is the one that makes or breaks your case. I was lucky and my first case was WONDERFUL. The last one (several years and a couple cases later) was the sh*ts - the dad played Halo all day with the 3, 5 and 10 year old, the child I was taking care of was great, but I was more than happy when I got the call that I wasn't needed there anymore.

I also was one who worked 8 or 10 jobs in my first 10 years of nursing - med/surg, psych, oncology, visiting nurse, home care, office yada yada. I spent about 4 years in home care, and have been doing school nursing for 6. If you love your summers off and love pediatrics, look into school nursing. Every state has a school nurse organization that can give you some insight into what is required - some places want BSN only, but others have ADN nurses too.

Good luck - one thing about nursing is that if you don't like one specialty, you probably will find one out there that appeals to you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I think it would be hard to leave nursing after putting so much effort into becomming a nurse. I have worked LTC and peds private duty. My peds private duty job only lasted 2 weeks because I found a job in LTC that I really wanted. As a new grad I dont think private duty was for me because I didn't feel like I knew enough to take care of a sick child. I wanted to work in a nursing home because I knew I would probably not find a job in med/surg as a new LPN. I have learned a ton of useful information at the nursing home in only 2 months. If you ever work LTC again I recommend checking the medicare rating of the nursing home before taking a job there. The nursing home I work at is rated 5 stars and is privatly owned. The nursing home that my grandmother was in was rated 3 stars, owned by a corporation and the level of care was much lower. I would only work there if I were desprate for a job. I love the nursing home I work at. The level of care is well above average from what I have seen in other nursing homes. I guess what I am getting at is not to rule out LTC completly, because there are some nice ones out there :-) I hope you find what you are meant to do! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion