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

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2011

No, it is very serious. See, this is why I don't post here anymore; because there are so many trolls that it is hard to weed out the serious posts. I've been a member of this site since 2003.
I got fired for obtaining a critical value at 4 am and not reporting it until 6:30. I was already on my DON's _hit list. I know what I did was wrong.
I've been a nurse eight years and have had five jobs. The last two, and the first job were write-up city for me. The second two jobs went, eh, okay, but I had my reason for leaving them.
I'm ready to quit nursing. It has not been a good field for me. I'm my family's breadwinner. I don't see good times ahead for the four of us.

I just came back to this thread.

My apologies NurseCard. I should have noticed the join date of 2003. I too am my families breadwinner and should not have been so quick with my answer.

Be honest with yourself. Are you truly a bad nurse or have you just made a string of bad choices that make you feel that way? Making mistakes does not = incompetent. Being fired does not = bad nurse. Is it possible that because you're under so much pressure as the breadwinner that you feel you have no options? Feeling trapped can make you hate the place where you are. These are questions only you can answer. Give yourself some time. I bet more than one of us here have felt exactly as you do.

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2011

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.

. :yeah: :yeah::yeah:Wish I'd have thought of it.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2011

I just came back to this thread.
My apologies NurseCard. I should have noticed the join date of 2003. I too am my families breadwinner and should not have been so quick with my answer.
Be honest with yourself. Are you truly a bad nurse or have you just made a string of bad choices that make you feel that way? Making mistakes does not = incompetent. Being fired does not = bad nurse. Is it possible that because you're under so much pressure as the breadwinner that you feel you have no options? Feeling trapped can make you hate the place where you are. These are questions only you can answer. Give yourself some time. I bet more than one of us here have felt exactly as you do.

Kudos to you, Trouble for making this apology. Good advice given as well.:redbeathe

cokeforbreakfast · Aug 3, 2011

What about something like Protime nurse in a Coumadin clinic? It is very repetitive, and when you get good at it you likely will have a feeling of satisfaction in your role. You build lasting patient relationships because some of them have to come every week. There is a patient teaching component. I found it difficult to get the hang of for the first month or so, but then as routine as phlebotomy once the adjustments became second nature. Just a thought!

TNgirl2010 · Aug 3, 2011

So sorry to hear that you are in this situation. I think you need to get away from hospital nursing, it's definitely not for everyone. Look into your local health department, clinics, physician offices, coding/insurance companies, psych, case management, dialysis clinics, infusion clinics, school nursing, etc. It is also a good time to apply with seasonal flu shot companies as a side job. I doubt that you are dumb or a bad nurse, you just haven't been able to reach your full potential because you are not in the right environment. Good luck to you and keep us posted! I really think there are better days ahead for you! :heartbeat

Merlyn · Aug 3, 2011

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.

If you like Psych go back to Psych. If you hate Nursing get out of it now. Don't make yourself crazy. Try job training. I know here in Jersey, the state will train you. I've been fired from more jobs then I have teeth. It is no fun. Try to take some time to find yourself. Ask yourself what am I good at then go after it. Good Luck!

RW23RN, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2011

I would consider myself a decent nurse and for some reason at this new job of mine I've found myself getting wrote up over very small nitpicky things, nonetheless, its completely discouraging to find myself in this boat and I totally understand the wanting to quit feeling. I'd say, see if you can find another area to work in-wound care, clinics, home health, etc... That's the beauty of nursing is that there are so many options, surely you can find one that will fit!

RNMNC · Aug 25, 2011

I understand how you feel. I've only worked a couple months and have never felt so stupid myself. But like some users have posted, don't feel that way. You were able to get through nursing school and have worked for 8 years as a nurse, you have proven your self as "not stupid" Like others have said, you just haven't found, "the right fit" yet, whether it be nursing-related or not.

Reading all these supportive posts is very therapeutic for me as well. Bedside nursing is very stressful and so emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausting.

pedicurn, LPN, RN · Aug 25, 2011

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.

Agree nursing is like an 'abusive relationship'.

It can seep in and slowly erode self-esteem. Lots of nurses have this problem.

I find it helpful to recognise the dysfunctional dynamics.

Here's one dysfunctional dynamic.

- I bet you did lots of great things that shift and none of your good work was noted ( bar the occasional touching moment when the p't says a very special thankyou ... however how infrequent is it????)

- You messed up and did one thing wrong ( ok it was quite a big mess up but see my point)

You may have averted disaster on several occasions that shift and also performed great deeds in improving your p'ts outcome.

Did you get any thanks for that? Did your pay reflect your increased output? did you get a bonus? did your manager say anything about your great deeds?

Ofcourse not.

The mess up defined you as a 'bad nurse'

Shame on nursing

Why was the rest of you not recognised ???

When a surgeon screws up, what happens?

We place it in context .... one bad action amongst very very many good actions.

We say he/she is a good surgeon but he/she messed up with this one .... doesn't get thrown on the scrap heap

blondy2061h, MSN, RN · Aug 25, 2011

If you think you're crappy, you're probably not. Every crappy nurse I've known thinks they're God's Gift to Nursing .

blondy2061h, MSN, RN · Aug 25, 2011

Also, you said perhaps go back to psych in your post. Did you do psych before? Did you enjoy it? While psych is no doubt nursing, I'm of the opinion that it requires a totally different set of skills than med/surg or the like. Perhaps you would do better there?

nightengalegoddess · Aug 25, 2011

How can you just be "stupid" with 8 years under your belt, and training, school, etc? A dumb person cannot do all that! I think maybe you do not LIKE hospital work, and calling yourself "stupid" is an excuse. How bout some soul searching? As others have said, lots of different types of work for nurses out there. The "stupid" nurses I've seen, really aren't stupid. They just have low standards of care, and just don't care. Not reporting a value is a 'not caring thing'. You know the protocol, it is easy to follow it. I think you are sabotaging yourself. Maybe you really hate bedside nursing? I don't mean to be rude, but really, an RN can't be stupid. It takes brains just to get the license, I think. But I could be totally wrong. I DO hope you find your place in the world. I get sick of work sometimes too. : )