Published Oct 8, 2015
Alongroadtorn
8 Posts
I've recently started working at a skilled nursing facility. Previous to that I worked in long-term care for five months this is my second career and my last job was my first nursing job.
On my first day I was assigned to work with A mixture of rehab and long-term care. I oriented with someone who had me a strictly observe first day.During the day the educator for the nursing department stopped by I mentioned that I should go ahead and pull some meds. While I didn't have a problem with this is the nurse training me did not offer me to pull any meds. On day two and I was asked to pull meds. of course I am slow due to the unfamiliarity The MAR The residents. I also charted on a few residents and did some assessments on some rehab. I also asked questions as to make sure I wouldn't leave anything out of my assessment as I may not have had all the diagnosis for that resident written down. In report since the nurses were familiar with these residents not all diagnosis are stated mostly just any problems, I may have written down some of the information pertinent to these people the previous day but I had since shredded it and could not recall all information about the residents. I know in very short time i would know The diagnosis, the residents just for the fact of having dealt with them repeatedly and having to write the nursing notes which I would state the reason for being at the facility.
Anyway I was told I was not a good fit by the educator I was told I did not jump in and try to help and and because I was asking questions about the assessments that I did not seem to know what I was doing as if I were A brand-new nurse or a student.
I was told I could talk to Don which I did and I was allowed another chance to come back and prove myself. I was also told that I could smile when I was learning because we could still have fun. Now I try to smile at the residence and at the other employees but I'm not smiling 24 seven I'm concentrating I'm trying to pay attention and I don't see how that makes me a bad person. Perhaps I just was not aware when I did not smile at someone because I was concentrating. My previous job which I gave up for this one so now I'll be jobless they loved me, the assistant DON who Hired me said it was a shame that I was leaving that I had taken a hard assignment and did very well with it. I'm the kind of person who is very timid when I first come into a new environment I like to feel things out I'll try to learn as much as I can and get to know people A little bit before I open up and feel more at home. Working rehab everyone says is much different. I'm supposed to have all rehab if I stay there.
Anyway I need advice. Is this a place that I would want to work? Can anyone give me any advice or pointers for my (probably)last day? )Please hurry) Not sure if they were expecting me to take the cart run away with it on day one. I don't want to tell the trainer how to do their job but I could have pulled some meds myself on day one. I also know how time restrictions can come into play when training. You've got to get everyone done in time. It's very overwhelming to try to get to know 30 new faces and diagnoses and new paperwork new people. I think I could do this job, I know it will be hard and stressful. Right now I'm like a fish out of water just because of the fact that everything is new. Yet it is similar. please give me some advice I could use some honest thoughts on this situation not even sure if I really want to go back because I feel like they're expecting a lot more and I didn't even realize that this was a problem while I was there.
icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN
1,970 Posts
How weird. This "not a good fit" is just their way of saying that your trainer dislikes you, even though you followed her lead. I would only go back if I was provided another trainer.
I didn't think of getting a new trainer and I'm scheduled with same person. Sigh.
You have to be assertive and defend your honor. I would go in early and ask the educator for another trainer because she's not a good communicator (and not a good fit). Don't be a big jerk about it but I would fire her I truly would.
If they refuse to provide another trainer, say nicely let me know if you can find someone else and leave.
KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN
1 Article; 2,675 Posts
You have to be assertive and defend your honor. I would go in early and ask the educator for another trainer because she's not a good communicator (and not a good fit). Don't be a big jerk about it but I would fire her I truly would. If they refuse to provide another trainer, say nicely let me know if you can find someone else and leave.
Absolutely. Right.
After only two days, It is noy YOU who "should be given one more chance", it is THEM.
So, if YOU feel like it, give them that chance and ask for another preceptor, right away. If not...well, looks like you won't even have to mention this joke of job in your resume as you never got paid there
TheCommuter, BSN, RN
102 Articles; 27,612 Posts
If the managers at a new workplace have already determined you're a poor fit, it is time to start looking for another place of employment. The negative first impression has already been cast, regardless of its accuracy.
So currently still employed but still not getting the best feedback. I got to work a few more days, with someone else who defiantly has some issues, I won't go into details now but before I was set up with her I got an unfriendly welcome by her in the hall, not knowing who she was, then I was dreading being set up with her. Anyway was told the concern about me is that I may not be able to keep up becasue its so busy there. I agree it's busy there but so was my last job I just need some time. Also I was told that I need to relax, smile that pretty smile and be myself. I find this hard to do when I feel like I'm under a microscope and was almost thrown out without a fair shot. One other thing I was told is that I'm resistant to being told how to do things. I was shocked that I was found to be unwelcoming of constructive criticism. I had no idea. I called up my former trainer and asked her what she made of all this. She says it sounded like I ended up lucky enough to get some really nice bitter coworkers. She is also a nurse at a prison and has that straight up I'll tell you like it is personality and said she couldn't find any of what I was saying to fit me as she knows me from having been my preceptor. Anyway maybe The Commuter is right, I'm probably doomed if I stay no matter what. Any more advice for me? I'm going to be with a new person I'm praying they have a heart and don't mind being with me. It's really hard being so worried about this situation. I love my old job. . Everyone was much nicer. But it's already gone.
If anyone's interested I did lose that job. The first negative stone being cast was indeed a deal breaker. I feel I should have made the next move and left but I thought if given enough time I could show them I could do it. Perhaps I gained too much confidence at my previous job because there I had picked up speed and get the job done And i was liked. I don't care if I'm not liked I just wanted to work and get better and gain confidence. Anyway they let me go for not being able to preform assigned duties. What I couldn't preform was getting the med pass and charting done in the scheduled timeframe. I would be clocking out late. I think even though I've done it before it would take me more time to gain speed there. I'm actually relived though becasue the stress and feeling of failure I had was overwhelming me. I felt sick to my stomach daily when going in and I felt like a failure when I was finishing passing meds at 11:15-11:30. Then I still had to chart. I'm my defense they changed my wing and my shift a few times so it was hard to get it together. I doubt I can be an agency nurse, too much to get used to at different facility's.
No Stars In My Eyes
5,226 Posts
If anyone's interested I did lose that job. The first negative stone being cast was indeed a deal breaker. I feel I should have made the next move and left but I thought if given enough time I could show them I could do it. Perhaps I gained too much confidence at my previous job because there I had picked up speed and get the job done And i was liked. I don't care if I'm not liked I just wanted to work and get better and gain confidence. Anyway they let me go for not being able to preform assigned duties. What I couldn't preform was getting the med pass and charting done in the scheduled time frame. I would be clocking out late. I think even though I've done it before it would take me more time to gain speed there. I'm actually relived though because the stress and feeling of failure I had was overwhelming me. I felt sick to my stomach daily when going in and I felt like a failure when I was finishing passing meds at 11:15-11:30. Then I still had to chart. I'm my defense they changed my wing and my shift a few times so it was hard to get it together.
This is practically the same exact thing that happened to me, except for the time element. I was an idiot and tried and tried and tried.... for 6 months!
I, too had trouble getting all the MAR pages and pages of meds passed on time. I'd no sooner get through one pass than I had to start the next.
Then there were all the dressing changes and all the other treatments, blood sugars to check, insulin to give, and all the blood work that had been done that morning had to be phoned to the Docs for new Coumadin orders, constantly going to the supply room for the portable replacement O2 tanks for the aides, who were not allowed in the supply room.There were MANY pt's requiring portable O2. I also had a cordless phone on the med cart, and had to deal with too darn many phone calls.
It was absolutely ridiculous, everything I was expected to do, and do QUICKLY. Yuh, right.
I, too, ended up staying over, sometimes up to 2 hours, for charting and finishing up transcribing Dr's orders. The charting was still all paper and also redundant.
I honestly don't know how the other nurses had time to sit at the nurse's station chatting, but they sure did. What did they know that I didn't? I suspected there were shortcuts taken, somewhere, somehow.
The next place I worked had med nurses whose only job was passing meds. There were signs on three sides of their med carts: "Please do not distract or interrupt the nurse giving meds." WOW!