Demoted, now what to do
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I recently started a month long 7P-7A contract at an HCA facility. As is their policy, I had no orientation except for a computer course. On my 7th shift there, and still not up to speed on their computer system, and how they do things, I had a horrible night, running all night long and getting behind. The morning I left I forgot to do my chart checks, and actually got all the way home before I remembered. I phoned the nurse to whom I had given report to tell her I was coming back to the hospital and wanted to make sure she double-checked anything I might have missed, until I could get there. She said it was ok and not to return. She actually said that it was no problem. She'd check it.
I worked two more nights with another horrific night on my 9th shift there. (I call it "dumping" when the contract nurses get the worse patients but I've learned to accept this).
On both of these nights, I have to admit I was overwhelmed but received no help from my fellow nurses and scant from the Charge. I clocked out late (a big NO NO) on both of these mornings.
The following day I received a call from my agency saying that due to the fact that I missed the chart check where a procedure was not scheduled that should have been and had not acknowledged something on the computer (that I didn't know had to be done), and that a patient's wife complained that I didn't address her husband when I came into the room, that I was not up to snuff. The "powers that be" stated that I could no longer work on the Tele unit but could finish out my contract on med-surg...(which, by the way, has 2 more patients than I'm used to having.)
I wrote a response explaining the medical problems my patients had on both of these nights that sent me into overtime, etc. I am confused about the patient complaint but the wife was demanding, the patient non-verbal and confused. I went into that room at least 20 times due to the problems he was having and in the morning he had improved and I felt I had done a good job keeping him from harm. (I do try to be quiet when I go into patient rooms in the middle of the night...but I must have been too quiet).
Also, I recalled that the nurse before me (one of their staff), had signed off of the scheduling of the "missed" procedure. (The patient did get his procedure as the AM nurse was alerted by my call to check. This patient was on the list, but it was not acknowledged by me).
Anyway, I am so down about all of this. No matter the circumstances, I do my very best to take care of my patients, had some horrific nights with no help (other nurses were playing computer while I ran amoung rooms), and have felt pride in my work. But I feel so depressed. No only do I not get recognized for working my A_ _ off those nights, I get slammed. If they wanted perfection, they could have given me some orientation or at least, something to read about procedures! Hell, I admit I made mistakes but I can't help feeling that the reaction was too punative and non-construtive. And leave a bad taste in my mouth.
I don't know what to do. If I go now to the Med-surg floor, I may well not be able to keep up. If I don't, I'm letting myself open to a bad reference.
Advice? Encouragement? Alternative career?