Honesty on resume, now no job.

dennis8, ADN, BSN, CNA, RN · Feb 26, 2019

I'm going to have to agree with several of the people on this thread. Stress and time management are things that are to be expected in most nursing jobs. Research nursing is one of those areas that most nurses look into when they are seasoned and have many years of experience under their belt. As a new grad, your options of "comfortable" jobs are limited. I suggest going to LTAC and do that for a year or AT LEAST 6 months and start looking into hospitals. Probably leave out the job you were fired from on your resume. If all else fails relocating to a different area may be necessary. I wish you well in your career!

Workitinurfava, BSN, RN · Feb 26, 2019

On 2/25/2019 at 4:36 PM, Been there,done that said:
How long did you hold the second position?

Exactly!

Workitinurfava, BSN, RN · Feb 26, 2019

Long term care jobs my be slower paced but if you work at a slower pace in these enviornments, you will never leave on time, due to the many patients you have to care for. She may get worn out by speed or working too many hours. She could try a basic clinic job. Another option is psych, I have seen a lot of older nurses working in this setting.

Trauma Columnist · Feb 27, 2019

Moved to career forum. Personally, I think honesty is the best policy. Will the facility that you got fired from just provide dates of employment? If so you could then just say that it wasn't a good fit.

Best wishes...keep applying....

Lemon Bars · Feb 27, 2019

I feel your pain from personal experience. I'm over 40 as well. Working in a fast-paced environment that is understaffed is a horrible way to learn a complex new career. I failed at my first two jobs as a new grad RN. One was a SNF and one was in a hospital. I have a job interview in two weeks at a rural critical access hospital and clinic which I've been lead to believe has a slower pace. If that doesn't work out I may apply to clinics, or try public health or school nursing.

I work hard and hustle, but I really think employers are making unreasonable demands on the number of patients, the number of admits and discharges, the lack of nursing aides and back up nurses, etc. The hospital I worked at is short staffed every day, with patients held in the emergency room because they cannot be admitted into the hospital due to lack of RN staffing. But they won't change their work practices, even if it means leaving many patient rooms empty throughout the hospital.

Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN · Feb 27, 2019

No one gets their ideal job right away there are dues to pay,seniority,transfer lists,it seems like you just want to use a job in these areas as a stepping stone to a research position. Where is your love for nursing,what made you decide on a second career? Fast paced floors are rough as there is good advice here on how older nurses are affected.Try an agency sometimes they have the odd ball job that might lead to something else.

I am grateful I had the opportunity.

Career Columnist / Author · Feb 27, 2019

At this point, you're into damage control, unfortunately.

The solution is not to leave your short tenure job off your resume- it is risky to falsify information, and you'd then have to explain a gap in employment, not much better.

Right now you are considered a high risk hire. To change that, you must establish a 1-2 yr work history as @Ruby Vee said. Take the nursing home position and learn everything you can.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Feb 27, 2019

Just put aside all of the angst, guilt, anger, etc. and take a job. Yeah, it's easier said than done, but do it and move on with your life. All of the crying and bemoaning in the world won't change anything, although I know you need a little time to mourn.

Those who say your chances are terrible of getting a new job are wrong. You just have to hunt. If you are hungry and have bills to pay and a family or even just yourself to support, you will keep looking until you find a job. Grab it and go, full steam ahead. This time, don't quit or mess it up. A lot of us have been where you are and we are still keeping our heads above H2O.

Good luck. Let us know what happens.

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Feb 27, 2019

The only concern I'd have about an LTACH or SNF position is that it could be very fast-paced and high-stress in it's own way, simply because you have dozens of patients you're responsible for. The patients may not be as sick, but there are a ton of them.

I'd look at it this way: your first year of nursing is going to be rough, no matter how old you are or whether or not it's a second career. There are people on this site all. the. time. talking about how they're second-guessing their career choice during their first year. The only way it gets better is to stick with it and get experience. The only way that you'll get experience is to stop quitting jobs. Your first year of nursing will suck sometimes, but as you hang in there and continue to move forward, it will get easier. Everybody who is in this profession has been there, and the majority are still going strong.

As others have said, take what you can get, but this time do everything in your power not to quit. Even if it sucks. Even if you hate it. Stick it out for six months to a year. Your situation isn't going to get better until you get some experience.

Second-career nurses who have grown and become accomplished in their first careers sometimes struggle with being a new grad because you have to be ok with feeling totally incompetent all over again. You're probably used to feeling like you have your act together, and for a while you just won't have that sense of security. However, it's a totally normal feeling and it will get better. You just have to ride it out and accept the feeling of insecurity instead of running from it. It's an unpleasant feeling (especially for the Type A folks who usually end up in nursing), but it's the reality of being a new grad nurse. The only way to feel more experienced is to get more experience.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Feb 27, 2019

Just now, adventure_rn said:
The only concern I'd have about an LTACH or SNF position is that it could be very fast-paced and high-stress in it's own way, simply because you have dozens of patients you're responsible for. The patients may not be as sick, but there are a ton of them.
I'd look at it this way: your first year of nursing is going to be rough, no matter how old you are or whether or not it's a second career. There are people on this site all. the. time. talking about how they're second-guessing their career choice during their first year. The only way it gets better is to stick with it and get experience. The only way that you'll get experience is to stop quitting jobs. Your first year of nursing will suck sometimes, but as you hang in there and continue to move forward, it will get easier. Everybody who is in this profession has been there, and the majority are still going strong.
As others have said, take what you can get, but this time do everything in your power not to quit. Even if it sucks. Even if you hate it. Stick it out for six months to a year. Your situation isn't going to get better until you get some experience.

At least a year. At least.

Have you looked at working for a medical school? A university where there is a school of Medicine and lots of research is happening?

subee, MSN, CRNA · Feb 27, 2019

I had a job as a research nurse and both of the RN's had tons of experience behind them. Not a job for a new grad. The first year of nursing is miserable for every.single.new.grad. If you're not miserable, you're doing something wrong. If you don't have experience, you won't be much use in IT either. It's hard to start out on one's 40's but you can do it. You'll just be a little more miserable than someone starting out in their 20's but lots of people do it. Good luck to you.

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It'sYaGirlK, CNA, LPN · Feb 27, 2019

You may actually find that you like the nursing home slower pace than the hospital and you’re seeing the same patients so you’ll develop your own pace..I wish you the best