Been working as a nurse for almost 2 years. So far hating it, just looking for good pay. My first job lasted the longest at a Med Surg Tele unit, but had problems keeping up, I quit and applied and got a job at a better hospital. But got fired during orientation for swearing once.
Went into long term care, but quit those because staffing was always unsafe or no equip.
Went on travel, but screwed up a prep order and got fired from there. Now looks like my 3rd fire for not keeping up at an Ortho unit. I would work long term again, but afraid the same issues will pop up.
I don't know what to do. I don't want 4yrs of my life to go to waste.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
On 6/28/2021 at 5:53 PM, Mcl1980 said:
Been working as a nurse for almost 2 years. So far hating it, just looking for good pay. My first job lasted the longest at a Med Surg Tele unit, but had problems keeping up, I quit and applied and got a job at a better hospital. But got fired during orientation for swearing once.
Went into long term care, but quit those because staffing was always unsafe or no equip.
Went on travel, but screwed up a prep order and got fired from there. Now looks like my 3rd fire for not keeping up at an Ortho unit. I would work long term again, but afraid the same issues will pop up.
I don't know what to do. I don't want 4yrs of my life to go to waste.
It sounds like you have some areas in professionalism that need work. Mark Twain said, "Find a job you enjoy and you will never work a day in your life." Of course he was speaking of writing which I have had marginal success at, but the crux is that you have to find a way to like if not love what you do. I have found my nich in Psych and honestly can't imagine doing any other nursing job (And I work with adolescents). I am by no means perfect, I can work like a mule, curse like a sailor, and have taken the art of bull doody to a higher art form. I also have a fairly rich life outside of nursing which includes my family, my pets, my garden and my forays into disaster preparedness, and outdoor living that keep me whole.
Since you have already identified what the issues are you can start looking for patterns in how they arise. Once you recognize patterns you will be better able to steer clear when problems arise. Don't aim to be perfect but do aim to be the best nurse you can be. Yes the industry can be a "*** hole" (Moderators please pardon my language.) But there is beauty and value for the person who can master the unique balance of ruthlessness and empathy that nursing requires. I think the hardest part is that the people in non-nursing profession do not understand what we do in the slightest. We often encounter our patients and their families on the worst day of their lives when they should not be expected to be on their best behavior. Our Hospital administrations have to bow to regulatory compliance to get paid and stay open. This does not excuse some of the ways nurses can be used and abused by administration, it is a universal axiom that you cannot be abused unless you allow it. I have been able to parlay most situations to my financial advantage and while I resent being the star player in the annual dog and pony show that is know as survey I recognize that the hospital would not put me out front if I wasn't good at it.
At the facility where I work I function as a charge nurse, mentor to new RNs and a defacto parent to my charges. While I would never recommend terminating a nurse for just one mistake often times it's a series of small mistakes that come prior to that "One" mistake a person sees as the reason they were let go.
It's my one day off this week so I am off to get my hair done and putter in my garden.
True, don't let that education and experience go to waste. I agree with suggestions regarding private duty nursing, psych nursing, and drug rep positions. ALSO, I'd recommend looking into home health nursing because you have a lot more time with each patient and can hone your skills and confidence. Also, it's a very flexible type of scheduling. You do have to be willing to chart the way they want you to--same goes for any job. If you think you have patience for kids and teens, school nursing could be another avenue for you. Please, whatever job you take, don't think of yourself as a leech because money for treatments can supposedly be spent elsewhere. The doctor and patient make their decisions ,and you're there to be the nurse (educate appropriately.) The job you (or anyone) does today cannot logically be refused because some time in the future there may be other therapies, like the stem cell therapy you referred to. You're there to be a nurse, not a scientist. I'll be you have a lot of great qualities that can be used in certain specialties within nursing. As for not knowing where to look for jobs, **try**--it is hard when you're confidence is low, but use Google, indeed, and other job search sites. When you have names of specific facilities or companies, then look those companies up online. If there are any people from school or old jobs, touch base with them and ask if they know anyone who is looking for more nurses or have ideas. Don't give up, and NEVER ask a boss if you should clear out your locker--that probably sounds to them like they should not invest effort in you. No need to shoot yourself in the foot when you're low. Hang in there. Search specialties online on allnurses, Youtube, Google to learn about specific areas. If you were smart and skilled enough to get through nursing school, then you can do it. Also keep in mind that going into any new area, you'll need to be doing a bit of learning on the side. Maybe look into stress management activities like sports, yoga, breathing techniques and nourish your body with healthy food and sleep to help support yourself. I wish you luck.
Having been terminated no fewer than four times in my career, five, if you want to count a "lateral move" out the door from an administrative position, I can commiserate, mcl.
Every termination was a result of the higher ups putting personalities before principles. However, I did work at my last position for 17 years before being terminated. I primarily believe success came when I learned the fine art of playing the game.
To a point. I refuse to jeopardize my integrity.
Perhaps an endeavor to learn how to function adequately while superficially appearing to observe the house rules worked to my last position's longevity.
Good luck, mcl!
Would you mind sharing what nursing jobs you worked after the ones that didn't work out?
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
On 6/28/2021 at 6:12 PM, Mcl1980 said:
I would, but have no idea where in FL to apply. Plus I would feel like a leech in many cases since money spent on me, could be spent on effective stem cell therapy in many cases. I have read several on reversing MS symptoms. Something I was hoping for my future that nursing could fund.
Your point here is a little confusing, but private duty covers a vast range of cases I would call "complex chronic", which includes dx like multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy, people with permanent trauma injuries, and some premature infants discharged to home care after spending months in NICU.
These are situations in which no treatment at the present time is likely to reverse their status, and nurses can really help patients and families deal with that difficult reality.
I had lots of wrong notions about private duty, and expected the job to be temporary. There are rewards there, and as mentioned, the stress is nothing like a job where constantly hurrying to keep up is a permanent challenge, rather than an occasional staffing crunch.
Hope you're able to find something that works for you though, whether within nursing or not.
That's why you have a PRN on the side at all times. In nursing school, you will see the worst of the female gender in the nursing instructors. Catty, petty and back-stabbing. That is the most tell tale scenario of the nursing profession these days.
Spot on. It's kinda related to my issues. I think I'll go into psych nursing where they actually need people. You hear about nursing shortages, but if that were true, you wouldn't see so much nit picking, and more actual coaching vs gossip.
The whole profession has gotten so bogged down with trivialities, mind-numbing charting, absurd government mandates, that I recommend that no one pursue nursing as a career anymore.
Spot on! Administrators sit in their offices, know nothing about nursing and how working in the floor with chaotic patients is like, yet they are the ones telling us how to do our jobs. They sell this idea that there will be perfect results, give nurses no support to achieve these delusional golden results. They put all the responsibility on the back of the nurses. No wonder everyone is burned out to a crisp. How long can this go on?
And I've come to find I hate all jobs, and I wanted something recession proof. But the charting is insane, 90% based on insurance collection.
And this documentation is 90% about CYA. There could be a patient injury that you don't know anything about and admin is breathing down your neck about something you didn't do. No thanks. I'll happily not work at a s*** show like that.
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
13 hours ago, Electric Barbarella said:
Would you mind sharing what nursing jobs you worked after the ones that didn't work out?
I wouldn't mind at all, EC, however "didn't work out" is a little bit of a misnomer. I worked at the jobs where I was terminated anywhere from one to seventeen years, so for a time, the jobs did work out.
The only job that I had in my career that truly didn't work out was in OR at the second hospital I ever worked at, as I quit the job before I was through orientation. I didn't like them and they didn't like me.
After leaving that job, I worked at a state hospital for about a year and a half before quitting that job.
Corrections and psych has been what I found to be easier in terms of nursing for me. Hospitals pay more than corrections and surprisingly all the psych jobs I had paid more than the hospital. You just have to find your niche. I've been fired from jobs and I've quit jobs. The ones I been fired from or quit early I didn't bother put on my resume. In the year and 6 months I've been a nurse I definitely would be considered a job hopper. I think I've had a total of 8 jobs in nursing but have only put 3 down on the resume and that's because I stayed there longer than 6 month. Honestly the rule of staying at least a year at a place doesn't seem to hold true, at least not that I've seen. If they need a nurse badly enough a pulse and a license will do, I also live in Florida. If you don't mind me asking what part of Florida do you live in?
And this documentation is 90% about CYA. There could be a patient injury that you don't know anything about and admin is breathing down your neck about something you didn't do. No thanks. I'll happily not work at a s*** show like that.
One of the solutions for this health care nightmare we have today, would be if nurses and doctors would be paid by having ownership share of the business. And nurses and doctors would employ administration. Instead, healthcare is owned by private corporations what don't know and have nothing to do with health care and simply exploit this source of revenue as if it was just another commodity like sugar, grains, gasoline or whatever. They exploit nurses and doctors as if they were factory workers, applying all the tricks of the trade in terms of extracting every drop of energy out of their "employees". This is insane.
hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I
4 Articles; 5,212 Posts
It sounds like you have some areas in professionalism that need work. Mark Twain said, "Find a job you enjoy and you will never work a day in your life." Of course he was speaking of writing which I have had marginal success at, but the crux is that you have to find a way to like if not love what you do. I have found my nich in Psych and honestly can't imagine doing any other nursing job (And I work with adolescents). I am by no means perfect, I can work like a mule, curse like a sailor, and have taken the art of bull doody to a higher art form. I also have a fairly rich life outside of nursing which includes my family, my pets, my garden and my forays into disaster preparedness, and outdoor living that keep me whole.
Since you have already identified what the issues are you can start looking for patterns in how they arise. Once you recognize patterns you will be better able to steer clear when problems arise. Don't aim to be perfect but do aim to be the best nurse you can be. Yes the industry can be a "*** hole" (Moderators please pardon my language.) But there is beauty and value for the person who can master the unique balance of ruthlessness and empathy that nursing requires. I think the hardest part is that the people in non-nursing profession do not understand what we do in the slightest. We often encounter our patients and their families on the worst day of their lives when they should not be expected to be on their best behavior. Our Hospital administrations have to bow to regulatory compliance to get paid and stay open. This does not excuse some of the ways nurses can be used and abused by administration, it is a universal axiom that you cannot be abused unless you allow it. I have been able to parlay most situations to my financial advantage and while I resent being the star player in the annual dog and pony show that is know as survey I recognize that the hospital would not put me out front if I wasn't good at it.
At the facility where I work I function as a charge nurse, mentor to new RNs and a defacto parent to my charges. While I would never recommend terminating a nurse for just one mistake often times it's a series of small mistakes that come prior to that "One" mistake a person sees as the reason they were let go.
It's my one day off this week so I am off to get my hair done and putter in my garden.
Hppy