Fired from my first job today......Feeling like a failure.

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I was let go from my first new grad job this morning on a busy Med/Surg unit. I was on week 5 of my 12 week orientation and had 4 patients. Most nurses have a normal load of anywhere from 5-6. My manager took me into her office and told me that I am not efficient enough :( My preceptor even told them that I refused to do a PICC line dressing on a patient. That is NOT true. I had never done one to begin with, and I had asked my preceptor if I could watch the first time and next time I would do it. She said that would not be a problem. I told me manager this and she would not give me a response.

I had also written on my Facebook status that I was stressed out at work trying to get into the swing of things, learning how to organize and pace myself. My manager had a PRINT OUT of this and told me that saying this was unacceptable. I was in no way rude or derogatory. I had even written on there that I was using days off to practice prioritizing my work days.

I tried to tell my manager this and she would in no way listen to me. She told me that I may be a good nurse somewhere else but not there. I dont know what to feel :(

I honestly feel like I will never be a good nurse. Is it normal to feel this way? Back to the drawing board of applying for jobs. I am guessing I wouldnt even use them for a reference since I wasnt there long enough.

Bad bad day for this new nurse :crying2:

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I'm so sorry you are going thru this.

Take some time to reflect on what happened and how you can fix things or do things differently.

The FB comment I can see - its not cool to post ANYTHING at all about work on FB. Just a caution.

It will get better for you. Take care.

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You are not a failure, and you've learned something. Sorry that you had to learn a hard, hard lesson. Facebook is NOT the place to talk about work. Period. It can, and WILL be used against you. Is it right? No. But that's the way it is.

If you can, I would get very specific feedback from the manager about exactly it is you are not doing well so you can learn. A blanket statement like "You're not efficient enough" is of no use to you unless there are specific examples for you.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.

I think they fired you because of facebook. The vague statements and the specific examples they used were just a cover. I think that they would have given you a chance as a new nurse on that floor if it was not for the facebook comment. Before applying somewhere else, take down your facebook page.

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Although you feel down now, things will get better. It was a learning experience, now you have the opportunity begin again, this time focus more on the areas where you think you had problems. You're a new graduate, its possible that your former facility did not have the proper support system to support a new graduate in their first year. Also, if you don't like bed-side nursing, try working at a clinic, or homecare, you have a lot of opportunities. Its best not to use that job as a reference, because you don't know what they will say. Keep applying to other facilities and re-evalutate your performance at that previous job so that when you begin again, you are more prepared.

Don't give up, all of us new graduates face many hurdles, this is just another one of them, dont allow it to define you or deter you. Either way you are a success, because you've finished nursing school and got your license, something that so many are striving to achieve!!!!;)

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Although you feel down now, things will get better. It was a learning experience, now you have the opportunity begin again, this time focus more on the areas where you think you had problems. You're a new graduate, its possible that your former facility did not have the proper support system to support a new graduate in their first year. Also, if you don't like bed-side nursing, try working at a clinic, or homecare, you have a lot of opportunities. Its best not to use that job as a reference, because you don't know what they will say. Keep applying to other facilities and re-evalutate your performance at that previous job so that when you begin again, you are more prepared.

Don't give up, all of us new graduates face many hurdles, this is just another one of them, dont allow it to define you or deter you. Either way you are a success, because you've finished nursing school and got your license, something that so many are striving to achieve!!!!;)

Thank you so much. Tomorrow I am beginning fresh: sending out more resumes and applications. I will find the right thing for me and you are right, if I could survive nursing school and NCLEX, I can do so much more!:redbeathe

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I'm sorry! That has to be hard. My other question is do you not have your FB privacy settings adjusted? Mine is set so NO ONE who I'm not "Friends" with can see ANYTHING of mine. If you plan to keep your FB I would suggest making it private...and of course, only vent to people face to face...or here :D

I am starting my first job on a tele floor in mid-Feb and I am petrified.

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Aside from the FB stuff- do you feel comfortable actually working in this setting? When I am orienting a new nurse, there are limited opportunities in orientation for he/she to practice as many skills as possible. That being said; if my orient was uncomfortable performing something as simple as a PICC dressing change; I would be concerned. It is generally not a good idea to turn down opportunities to practice skills. Instead you ask for an experienced nurse/preceptor to watch or even talk you through. The nurse (like many non-confrontational people) was most likely not forward enough to tell you this at the time. Were you able to practice other skills in this time?

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I am so sorry this happened to you. I was fired last week from my first nursing job also. I was 2 months in and on my 7th day off of orientation. I feel really bad too and like a failure but I have been trying to look on the bright side. Maybe it was meant to be and you will find a job that is everything you wanted and everyone will be more supportive of a new nurse that is still learning.

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Jeez, this post is scary! I'm sorry to hear about this but I wish you better luck in the future.

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From what I gather she had not performed a PICC dressing change before. To the contrary, if she were my orient I wouldn't be the least bit concerned if she were uncomfortable! New nurses have every right to be uncomfortable performing skills for the first time. I would be glad to demonstrate the dressing change for her, and suggest she has an experienced nurse watch her first solo PICC dressing change. It's all about providing excellent and safe patient care.

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From what I gather she had not performed a PICC dressing change before. To the contrary, if she were my orient I wouldn't be the least bit concerned if she were uncomfortable! New nurses have every right to be uncomfortable performing skills for the first time. I would be glad to demonstrate the dressing change for her, and suggest she has an experienced nurse watch her first solo PICC dressing change. It's all about providing excellent and safe patient care.

No I hadnt performed a PICC dressing change before...that is why I wanted to watch how it was done the first time.

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