Continue home health or not after being fired from nursing internship?

Published

Hello folks,

I need some advice. I received my license on February 2017 and my internship on June and was let go from the med-surg floor after the internship due to performance issue like prioritization and time management. I am working on my RN-BSN right now and I have 4 classes left. I have moved on and I currently work in a sandwich shop. I applied for a pediatric home health and started training this week. I have 2 days of training and the 2nd will be next week. The family and the kid were very nice people, but there is that nagging feeling that I don't feel confident about this. I felt rushed and the company wanted me to start asap after the 2 day training. Paper charting was a mess and I fear for my license. However, having experience is better than none? Is that true?

I was thinking of leaving the home health care and working at the sandwich shop and finish my BSN program. Also I was planning to volunteer at a church based clinic so I don't lose all of the skills that I learned from my internship. I'm applying to all different positions in my state and I had a phone interview and face to face interview but 2 weeks have gone by and no call back. I did tell them that I was let go from my internship and I'm guessing that is the reason, but I have hope! So, should I quit home health or stick out?

Any advice would be awesome! Thank you so much!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
However, having experience is better than none? Is that true?

There are definitely ways for things to get worse than they are now, and I would think that attempting a position where you've had little to no orientation and will have little to no real opportunity for collaboration (or validation/correction of your thought processes, decision-making, and assessment skills) is one such situation.

It sounds like they need someone to pick up this case and aren't too interested in other particulars. In my mind it all kind of hinges on whether that is true or not. My inclination would be to try to negotiate more of an orientation (like whether they would agree to let you tag along on a lot more cases, not just this particular one) and also get a better sense of what the support will be. If what is proposed is really all they can offer in the way of training and support then I would probably pass.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Do not quit and work at the sandwich shop. It would be better to work at the job you have now (one on the hand is worth two in the bush) but if you quit, you need to work another nursing job. Otherwise, you will have a heck of a time explaining why you took a break from nursing in your next interview.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case manager, float pool, and more.

If your gut is already telling you to fear for your license that is something to think about. Can you negotiate more training w/ the home health? If not, I might pass. Maybe working in a LTC facility part time along with the sandwich shop till you find something might be an option? You would have better support than home health. Are there other home health or hospice options where you live? Clinics? You'll have to weigh out the burdens versus benefits of different scenarios according to what is best for you and your goals and availability in your area.

Best of luck to you and congrats on being close to your BSN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you for responding! I have applied to what I can. I had an interview a few weeks ago with an LTACH facility, but no call back. I had a phone interview with a small facility for a med-surg floor a few days and I'm just waiting to see if they'll call back. I've applied to outpatient dialysis facilities, med-surg positions, and clinics and no calls. I have not tried hospice, so I'll try that next. I'll think about it some more if I should quit the pediatric home health job. Thanks again!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

So I should continue with the pediatric home health and ask for more training?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion