fired... where can a bad nurse go to find a job?

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Just got fired. Right now I just want to quit nursing and get a job waitressing, but that might not be practical for my family.

So, where do I go. I'm a crappy nurse. I've been a nurse for eight years and have never been good at it. Should I go back to psych?

This is a completely serious post. :crying2:

Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

Card,

First of all: :kissHere is a hug from me to you. Your situation totally sucks right now.

Secondly, realize that it is totally normal for you to be feeling like a complete failure right now. (In fact, if you had posted something about being totally amazed that you, Super Nurse Extraordinaire, was fired because everything was everyone else's fault, and they were just 'out to get you', I would worry.) Nothing we say on this forum will make your situation better...you just have to heal from this awful experience in your own way. We CAN however, encourage you to look forward and to help you decide which area of nursing might be the right fit for you.

You aren't stupid. Go ahead and flush that thought down the toilet where it belongs. That is just is bunch of malarky, and doesn't do you one iota of good. You couldn't have gotten to where you are now if you were stupid. Stop believing that, and above all, quit saying it! What would you tell a friend that found themselves in the same situation that you are? "Hey girl, you gave it all ya got, but let's face it, you're just stupid, stupid, stupid." OF COURSE YOU WOULDN'T! So why are you telling yourself that?!? Honestly, NC, you must dispense with this mindset completely. Beating yourself up serves no purpose to you or to your family. Rise above this thought pattern and re-group.

It might take you a couple of days to let the emotional hemorrhage tamponade, but please listen to the part of your brain that is whispering, "Psssst! You can't give up. You are better than that. Get up, get going, and let's get back on track."

You mentioned going back to psych. Is this an area of nursing that you excelled in? Could you go back to this job?

Until you decide what to do, go ahead and file for unemployment benefits. http://unemp.govbenefitsonline.org/

This will help you get the ball rolling to provide some financial stability until you can land another job. It would be best if you could do this as soon as possible so that you will at least have this task underway while deciding what you want to do. It would at least take some amount of stress off of your shoulders, and your heart.

Right now isn't the time to give you advice about introspection and self reflection. However, in a few days when you heal from the initial shock, come back here and give us an update on what your mindset is. It would be an absolute shame for you to walk away from nursing altogether. You have much invested in this career, and I encourage you to weigh the pros and cons of leaving the profession. Write it down, leave it for a day or two and then re-evaluate.

Sending love and positive energy your way, honey.

Canes

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Specializes in hospice, HH, LTC, ER,OR.

HUGS! Now pick your self up off the ground. Find out what your weakness is and make it an asset. YOU ARE NOT DUMB! You pass the boards and you have been successful at obtaining several jobs so you have to interview well. I was told to jump about in nursing until I find the specialty that I like. Go to the bookstore and read up or ask on allnurses about the skills you are lacking. Then go out and find that job that you will kick butt in!

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Specializes in Mental Health, Medical Research, Periop.

IDK if someone has already suggested this, but have you thought about chart review and coding? It would be an office based job. Some people love it and some people hate it. Keep your options open. Nursing can be very hard (so no need to call yourself stupid), and maybe you just havent found your niche. Please don't let the type of nursing you're doing now continue to crush your self-esteem. I wish you much luck in your future endeavors!!!

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Specializes in med/surg, emergency room.

Can I ask..Did you go into nursing for the money or because you really wanted to be a nurse and care about people. It seems that there are so many people that only want to be a nurse because of the salaries and less school and they really aren't good for the job. If it is something you love it is not hard to be good at it. If you're there for the paycheck, that's another story. I hope you find something that makes you happy AND can support your family. best wishes

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.

Psych needs good nurses too.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Can I ask..Did you go into nursing for the money or because you really wanted to be a nurse and care about people. It seems that there are so many people that only want to be a nurse because of the salaries and less school and they really aren't good for the job. If it is something you love it is not hard to be good at it. If you're there for the paycheck, that's another story. I hope you find something that makes you happy AND can support your family. best wishes

This really is not true, and does nothing more than promote out-dated attitudes about nursing. People can definitely go into a career for financial reasons and do well. You can go into a career because you felt "called" to it and be incompetent.

Nursing can be very hard, even if you love it.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
Of course she can find another career. How ridiculous! And you have no idea what you're talking about when it comes to waitressing. I worked in food service before I went to nursing school. That was decades ago, and people were demanding and nasty then. I can hardly imagine what it's like now.

So funny that you should say that, OCNRN. I worked as a waitress while I was an undergrad, and it proved to be PERFECT training for nursing. Multi-tasking while under huge stress, chefs reaming you out for not getting food out in a timely manner, patrons demanding a lemon slice with their water while you are under the gun trying to get out entrees for an 8 top, expediters running your food to the wrong tables, and having to keep a smile on your face while serving guests is WONDERFUL training.

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Please don't write yourself off as stupid. You may be a good nurse, you may be a bad nurse, but please don't define yourself by your job.

Sometimes I think nursing is like an abusive relationship. It gets bad, you adjust, it gets worse, you adapt, it gets horrifying, you cry, tell yourself to grow up, and grind through....and on and on until you make so many personal accomodations and adjustments, that in the end, you see your inability to deal with stuff as your failing, when in reality it is just the reaction of a completely sane person to a completely f****d up situation.

It doesn't have to be that way, but that's the way things are evolving in health care. It's really sad.

We just get ourselves so turned around sometimes with this job. But it is just a job.

You sound completely over it and there is nothing wrong with that. There is nothing wrong in admitting that you're ready to move on. As for your mistakes, we all make mistakes. I have done some pretty bone-headed things that to this day I don't understand what I was thinking, other than that maybe a part of me that I wasn't paying attention to was demanding to be acknowledged.

Sometimes it takes our brains a while to catch up with what our heart is telling us.

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Specializes in ltc, rehab, home health.

I don't think your stupid, just stressed!!! I been there, like others said try a different field. Nursing is hard work!!! There are few jobs out there so if you can get one keep it until you can figure out your next move. Take a week or two and RELAX!!!! Keep your head up, things happen for a reason when one door closes another one opens up!!!

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There's always the lab. :)

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I wouldn't call yourself stupid. No one is ever completely stupid- we all have something we are good at doing.

But on being a nurse, if at this time, you believe that you are not as equipped as you'd like to be, then perhaps you should give it a rest for now.

I say this with no malice, but it's other people's loved ones that you're holding in your hands when you go on duty and with the way you are feeling now, it's not very safe.

I read how you love your family ad want to hold on to nursing because of them so pls consider the patients' families too.

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Specializes in Oncology, radiology, ICU.

I want to start off by saying you are NOT stupid. You made some mistakes, so have I and just about everyone else. Luckily nursing is a career that can take you down many paths. I agree that bedside nursing may not be your strong point but don't stop looking at other jobs outside the hospital. My story goes like this:

Graduate NS December 2006

1st job in Oncology- I liked the patients and my co-workers, I was physically attacked by a patient after asking to be taken off his case for 3 days. The third day he snapped and beat the crap out of me, I put in my 2 weeks shortly after. My first year of nursing and I was thinking I made a huge mistake.

2nd job in Telemetry/ICU stepdown- Not my strongest area of interest, actually my least favorite. I took a pay cut to work this job. I lasted 2 years thinking of how much I hated nursing. I had very snobby nurses that I worked with. The doctors were all on the God complex trip daily. I never left that job with dry eyes and usually cried myself to sleep at night.

3rd job and my current- Interventional Radiology. I truly like what I do but I'm having a hard time right now with the hours and on-call time required. I leave for work around 6 am and most of the time don't get home until 6 or later 5 days a week. I miss my kids, I miss my life.

I am currently in the process of being hired by a Children's psychiatric hospital and unlike the rest of my jobs this time it feels right. I don't 100% have the job and the wait is killing me.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that sometimes it takes longer for some of us to find our home. I'd hate to see you give up something you worked so hard to get.

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