Forced to resign, new grad with only 1 year of experinece.

[Elan84]

I find myself today some how discourage and with a low spirit, I would like to know the opinion and hear experiences from either new grads or more experience nurses about my story.

I was hired exactly one year ago as a New Grad at the ER in a local hospital. We all new grads were hired with a $5000 contract for 3 years. This contract involved educational training for New Grad ER nurses, This will include a preceptors and a Regional ER course. Well at the time and as a New grad looking for a new experience and any job that came across the ER sounded great, and 3 years contract really did not felt like much.

Well my journey started, I was trying to get use to be called the orientee, because this was the way all our coworkers were referring to us.

Well one day after a couple of week of orientations and lots of CE courses online required by the hospital, our manager said to us the ER course will start next week, but we have to make an addendum to your contract, is not going to be $5000 anymore now is $7500, I was forced to sign it at that point. We all sign it . The ER regional course was 4 or 5 weeks and it was useless, poor teachers nothing ER related really broad and vague. It was like assisting to one of those fast track NCLEX courses, basic stuff but nothing that I didn't knew already from nursing school. I really felt robbed, but again I needed a job and I was still excited about ER. We were suppose to have a ONE preceptor to follow through what you were learning, not many and who ever was willing to take you that day. This is what happened, I had multiple preceptors, some good, some hate to have an orientee and some just care less about teaching you. I completed my 6 month review with clean record :-) I even call dad , I am good I passed my probation period clean with clean record. that was a huge relieve, up to that point all my managers and directors were being some how nice to me. Well things change, once you are on your own with no preceptor, I was oriented during day shift for 3 months and now I was sent to nights. That was a major change for me, keeping in mind I had never ever work a night shift in my life, but that was my agreement and I was willing to fulfill it.

I was hired in March and I managed to keep up my new grad record clean, until season started, most of the techs were either fired or left, I see many nurses leave but I really didn't get involved, I was there to earn my living not to gossip around.

December 31th I was called for the first time to my managers office, I had gave another patient papers mixed with the packet the doctor handled me to discharge this patient, and I mislabeled a blood tube. I was being written up for the first time, my manager didn't look or acted as nice as before, she was rough, mean and really not understanding. I assumed my fault, but I accept my personality is sometimes talkative and I said I am not sure I gave those papers to the patient, because this is the case many times where the charge nurses give discharges or doctors do and then you have to sign on them, and ER is really busy things like this are hard to remember. But I guess I should just assume my fault and leave that office. Well I managed to just say I am sorry I will pay more attention to detail, this was what they counsel me about, attention to detail. Well after that I felt they were watching me, I was so sad and anxious not to make any mistakes that I feel the more careful I was the more clumsy I was becoming. I was called one more time to the office, A Retired Nurse who came to my ER almost at change of shift placed a complaint that she was never place in the monitor, and also I had place a urine sample in the same bag with the tubes, this according to the lab contaminates specimen and she made me withdraw the labs again. I gained a second write up. I appeal the monitor case because it was charted, but manager said patient was a reliable source and eve though I had patient for less than 30 minutes and even if I gave bedside report and it was documented in my chart, it wasn't valid and I had to keep the write up. I did not appeal this write up not until I received the 3rd write up.

The third write up happened last week march, we are talking of 3 write ups in a matter of 3 months. The last write up that caused me a suspension was about my biggest fault, I entered the medication list of one of my patients into another patients chart. They found out when the patient went to the floor and the nurse wrote me up, I have no excuse the ER has been to explosion level and my anxiety because I knew this was going to happened, my charge nurses being of no help, no techs in the ER , many normal factors of the ER.. no Excuse I am making stupid mistakes. I was told by my managers who were very aggressive in front of the ER director in this write up appeal meeting, We are seeing a pattern here you are not having attention to detail and also you don't accept your blames. They also told me that one more error and I will be fired. What should I do? Is this a good time to resign and take a deep breath before making more mistakes? Is my manager going to give bad references about me once I start looking for a job? I really feel stupid for making all this rookie mistakes :-(, mostly because my manager has told me I don't belong in the hospital world.

I am scared of resigning, but I am more afraid of being fired, how to handle this and leave with my head up ?

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Another thought as I re-read, are you the same poster who complained that you were being bullied, in reference to these write ups?

Is your manager saying you have to resign or be fired?

[UnbrokenRN09, BSN]

Giving a patient the wrong discharge instructions, mislabeling blood tubes, and entering the wrong medications in a chart are pretty serious errors actually if they aren't caught. It can happen to anyone, and everyone has probably done one of these at least once, because some days are just nuts and we're all human. Just check everything twice and even 3 times to make sure you have the right patient's chart open, right papers/lables, etc. It sounds like they have been a bit harsh on punishment.....my facility is more non punitive when it comes to things like this....they just talk to you and educate you on how to prevent the mistake from happening again rather than telling you things like "you don't belong in the hospoital world". That's not professional and makes you so afraid to make another mistake that it's inevitable you'll make one. I would look to transfer somewhere else within the facility. Sounds like you just need a fresh start in a less chaotic environment.

[empatheticRN]

I'm sorry for what has been happening to you. I am a new nurse also and I've had my issues . My boss counseled me once and said '' we can only go forward right?" I've been chastised by many older /more experienced nurses. Things like: I've failed to give pt education, failure to set up scds or one outright told me my report is poor. I felt really bad and going home I'd be on the brink of tears. But I've taken the criticisms and I'm learning from them. I pay close attention to my patients and their care. Think about it this way, if you needed a nurse for you or your family, wouldn't you want the best? As nurses we always have to reflect and find ways to be better. Accept the criticisms and learn from your mistakes. Maybe you are just not cut out to be an ED nurse. I think you should resign because at this point you are walking on eggshells and it sounds very stressful.

[JMCP]

No offense but all those are legitimate reasons to get written up. I don't know but at our hospital we don't allow our managers to write us up without our union rep being present.

my pointers from just reading your OP:

1. the hospital needs to have a way for you to be re-educated so that the same problem doesn't continue to happen.

2. you need to learn how to communicate better. its tough but as an ER nurse, you are the first one to see the patient and the first one to gather information. from analyzing you OP, i gather that english is not your first language and maybe, just maybe, you are missing things due to poor communication. Maybe a transfer to a med surg?

[Angeljho, MSN, NP]

I'm going to be blunt with you..

Perhaps ER just isn't for you. Based on your post, you seem to have a hard time focusing. You haven't made huge errors; but by the way things are looking, it appears you won't make a huge error until you make a huge error. I see a lot of "mix up" type errors, so I'm sure management is wondering, "How long before she gives a patient the wrong medication?" The ER is a very busy environment and you may just need to work somewhere with a slower pace.

Also, you refer to yourself as a new grad but you have a year of experience. You are no longer a new grad. The reason I am making this distinction is because new grads have zero or very little experience and you seem to find some comfort in placing yourself in that category. Management DOES NOT see you as a new grad, and after a year you shouldn't either; this may be the reason why you're not accepting blame. You probably have an attitude that comes off as, "Well, I'm a new grad so don't expect me to function at the next level just yet." However, you're at the mark where you should be at the next level.

If you choose to stay, learn to focus and pay attention to what you're doing. You have to focus on self development and you have to take responsibility for your mistakes so that you can learn from them. If you choose to leave, you still have to work on the same areas I mentioned above. Good luck.

[SierraBravo]

I had gave another patient papers mixed with the packet the doctor handled me to discharge this patient, and I mislabeled a blood tube.

A Retired Nurse who came to my ER almost at change of shift placed a complaint that she was never place in the monitor, and also I had place a urine sample in the same bag with the tubes, this according to the lab contaminates specimen and she made me withdraw the labs again. I gained a second write up. I appeal the monitor case because it was charted, but manager said patient was a reliable source and eve though I had patient for less than 30 minutes and even if I gave bedside report and it was documented in my chart, it wasn't valid and I had to keep the write up.

First of all, if you worked at my hospital the mislabeling of a tube would have got you an automatic suspension. So be thankful that you still have a job.

Regarding the patient that was supposed to be on the monitor, did you actually put the patient on the monitor? Because you said that you charted it, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it was actually done. Something isn't adding up here...

I don't know if it is the fact that you could have some language barriers or the busy pace of the ED environment, but either way, this job is not a good fit for you right now. Here's the honest truth, if you keep making these types of mistakes you are gaining a great foothold on getting yourself fired. Your actions are likely already being watched by management. Here's the other truth - hospital nursing, and ED nursing in particular, is not for everyone. You might benefit from a unit with a slower pace and more support.

[SierraBravo]

Also, you refer to yourself as a new grad but you have a year of experience. You are no longer a new grad.

THIS! I can't comprehend how the OP thinks that she is a new grad despite having 1 year of nursing experience. A novice nurse? Yes. A new grad? Absolutely not.

[#NurseB]

I also see a pattern of you not accepting blame- just from what you've written. The mistakes, themselves, are not so huge...

I would try to find another job. It doesn't look like this one will end well. Listen to what they're telling you, though. Maybe it will benefit you at the next place. Best of luck...

I don't see a pattern. I see a fairly new nurse with very little experience and instruction.

I am in the ER OP and I can relate. It gets busy and you are still new and learning. No 2 patients are the same. I was told it would take several years before we would feel like we weren't new anymore. And that was directly from our ER directors mouth. I'm sorry you are having a hard time.

[#NurseB]

THIS! I can't comprehend how the OP thinks that she is a new grad despite having 1 year of nursing experience. A novice nurse? Yes. A new grad? Absolutely not.

I have to disagree. I believe in the ER, a year is still a new grad.

[Angeljho, MSN, NP]

I have to disagree. I believe in the ER, a year is still a new grad.

A new grad is just as it is termed - a new graduate. After a year, the OP is at least a novice or an advanced beginner. New grads and novices still have little experience but they are NOT at the same skill level. The OP is expected to function as a novice at this point with more skill, not someone who's fresh out of school with no experience.

[Glutton-4-Trauma, BSN, RN]

I have to disagree. I believe in the ER, a year is still a new grad.

If you are still functioning at the level of a new grad after one year of ER experience you should strongly consider switching specialty areas. Also, the words of YOUR ER director aren't gold. That is the individual perspective of one person. Most directors will expect for you to be a fully functioning and independent nurse by the time you have hit the one year mark, as opposed to a new grad who requires constant supervision and direction during his or her shift. It is expected that you will have become comfortable with the "basics" and are able to manage your patient load and turnover your rooms without having to be constantly prompted to do so. These are things that are not expected of a newly licensed nurse. You should still have questions and you will most certainly need to request help as you are still learning and encountering things you have yet to see. However, for the most part, you should be flying solo successfully after a year of experience, which is something a new graduate nurse isn't capable of doing.

[greenerpastures]

If you have a contract, ask if you can transfer departments. If not, it's probably best to make them fire you as that usually terminates any repayment you'd have to make because it was THEIR choice to end the agreement.