First Nursing job, and I drowned!

Nurses New Nurse

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Hello everyone,

I am so stressed, I finally was hired as a new nurse, and fired after only 3 months :crying2:

I have been through hell, I went thru a divorce while in nursing school, chemo & radiation for cancer, and now I am feeling totally worthless, and am not sure if I am cut out to be a nurse?

Here was my situation, please point out where I slipped?

I was hired at a skilled nursing facility/nursing home, and was given 3 days out of an 8 day orientation period and put on the floor early due to shortage. I worked second shift, and had to come in a half an hour early for the weekly mandatory meeting. I was supposed to be on the floor by two, after report, and be ready to pass meds by 2:30. I worked the skilled until dealing with pt's the facility had never taken on before; there were 3 tube feeding, wounds, pt's on rounds the clock narc's, ect ... pt's that needed a lot of time sensitive care.

Our meeting went 3 hrs late, I wasn't allowed to start my shift until 5:30, all my feeding were behind, and when I was finally able to get out on the floor I was told I was the only nurse on both wings, with no med aide, and to top it off I had two new admits! I was very stressed, this was a huge load. I asked the ADON for help, and she said no she had to go pick out her wedding music.

I pulled out both meds carts, and passed meds priority first instead of one hall after another. I know this probably wasn't the best way to handle the shift, but I had tube feeding, and time sensitive meds that were already late, and as a new new nurse w/o experience that's what seemed right to do? I also had skin skeets that had to be done asap on our new admits & they both were on coumadin & covered head to toe with bruises!

Long story short I made a few med errors, and was devastated with myself. I was drowning with out a life boat to save me! I look back at the situation, and did the best I could, but still feel terrible. I was fired for med errors, but the DON said to still use her as a reference, that I was a very compassionate nurse, and every one liked me.

I need to get my confidence back and start applying for new jobs,My question is what to put on my applications now? I only worked there 3 months?

Thank you for listening.....

J

this was beyond dangerous and stupid on their part. Lucky you got out while you could still work with a license

Who has even heard of a weekly meeting running THREE HOURS late? If my med pass/shift started at 2:30 I would have gotten up, excused myself, and got out on the floor.

That place sounds insane.

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Who has even heard of a weekly meeting running THREE HOURS late? If my med pass/shift started at 2:30 I would have gotten up, excused myself, and got out on the floor.

That place sounds insane.

Actually ours have. When they were to be 30 min to 1 hour, end up being quite a bit longer( cough 2 hours or more sometimes), but we generally HAVE someone out of the floor passing meds or taking care of people/pts till the meeting is over. :yeah:

Specializes in Critical Care.

I hope I don't offend anyone, but you asked to point out your mistake.

I'd have to say that your mistake is taking a position at a LTC.

You didn't mention if you're an RN or LPN. If you're an LPN, I can understand why you took a job at a LTC, many hospitals no longer utilize LPNs. :( But if you're an RN, I would say to stay away from LTC. I wouldn't risk my license working in LTC because of the situation you explained in your post. Over worked, under staffed, too many errors start to happen, and in my opinion, its just not quality care. I know that the nurses that work in LTC provide the best care they can, so if I offend anyone who works in LTC, I'm sorry i'm not trying to. In my opinion, LTC facilities are greedy. They take as many patients as they can, and use as little trained staff as possible.

I think you should be happy that you are no longer in that situation, and that you made it out with your license. Don't worry, you'll find a new job and quickly realize how bad of a situation you were in.

Specializes in Home Care.
I hope I don't offend anyone, but you asked to point out your mistake.

I'd have to say that your mistake is taking a position at a LTC.

Not all LTCs are understaffed nor do all LTCs provide inadequate care.

Try finding a job as a new grad RN or LPN in this economy. We have little choice in where we can find a job. We take what we can get to pay the bills and hope for the best.

LTC experience is better than no experience.

Its a matter of finding the right LTC to work in.

Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

Oh honey-were you ever SUCKER PUNCHED! This is NOT your fault. This facility is unsafe, and they took full advantage of your being new and wanting to please. Go to a teaching hospital or even a local hospital so that you can get a proper orientation into the nursing world. THIS WAS NOT YOUR FAULT. Any interviews that you have with a nurse manager will show that you were in a lose-lose situation. They will be mortified on your behalf!

Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.
Do NOT consider this a failure on your part. It is a massive failure on the part of the facility.

Whatever you do or don't do, remember that a new nurse should never be placed in the situation that you were placed in. Heck, alot of experienced nurses (myself included) would have drowned after a shift like that!

I am a 25 year LTC nurse.. I WOULD HAVE DROWN in the situation you describe. You never...EVER stood a chance! Do not beat yourself up & shame on them.

LTC is tough business, even in the best of circumstances, but some are just awful & it seems you found the worst of the worst.

Specializes in Hospice.

(((((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))))))) You went wrong by working in that insane situation. Be glad your out of there with your license intact. Im really sorry you got such a bummer of a first job.

Specializes in Cardiac Care.

Please don't let this experience sour you on nursing as a career.

There just wasn't any way you were going to succeed that day. As someone previously pointed out... you were sucker punched.

I'm happy you're out of that with your sanity and license intact.

Much luck to you.

The facility didnt support you from start, be glad your gone and look at as a new begining, not an end!

Specializes in CVICU, Obs/Gyn, Derm, NICU.

What a horrible facility ...you were treated very poorly.

Bad situation for the residents too. How is it possible that an experienced nurse could give good care ...never mind a brand new one ? This is not about care ...only about money. Pure, irresponsible greed.

It's this type of facility that deserves to be outed to the media and authorities....and it's owners need to be strung up

Best wishes to you...hoping you find a new job soon

Specializes in Psych/CD/Medical/Emp Hlth/Staff ED.

Sometimes getting fired is not a completely bad thing, make the best of the opportunity to start over some place worth working at.

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