I've Been Employed at 7 Facilities as a New Grad RN

[Shookclays]

Short version (tl;dr) been an RN since January 2019. Over 6 jobs. Finally accepted my dream job and can't find myself to get excited as I should due to fear of something bad happening. Also received my BSN very recently.

Long story:

This sounds bad I know.

First job: I worked, it was because of me not feeling as though I was getting adequate training (ICU) .

Second job: (One of the largest Healthcare organizations in my state with almost a building for every specialty.) (Ortho/neuro med surg unit) Totally my fault, even though I was hired for night shift, no one told me that I had to work days for 5 weeks before we going to nights. I hate days with a passion plus I was back in school for RN-BSN, so I never went back after the first day,i really did like it but I just couldn't do days.

Third job: (Freestanding psych facility) The guy instructor was too touchy Feely on me and after telling him to stop, he threatened me and said that he'd flunk me from orientation, it didn't go past Orientation because I left after one week (didn't even get to work the floor).

Fourth job: My first time at a nursing home, doing only treatment nursing( didn't have any advanced skills/ guidance or for someone to slap some sense into me and tell me that I wasn't as nearly ready for treatments (over 100+ residents) which included wounds and changing trachs/drains etc... but just because nurses are scarce in my area especially rns, they threw me to the wolves!!!) Left after one month.

Fifth job: LOOOOVED IT! It was long term care working nights(first 8 hr shift nursing job, working 4 on 2 off ??) . No problems whatsoever, and was the longest I had ever been on an RN job(almost 3 months) . I even told my parents that this was going to be the job I keep until I'm done with grad school. Welppp, one day an influx of residents from another facility come in(we had zero knowledge about and had only found this out an hour before arrival even though the administrators knew weeks prior) and my residents were having panic attacks and calling family members because they room were being used with people who were incompatible, the outside residents were very sick from a long ride and some hadn't even had their insulin or oxygen and were being given food during triage without knowledge of their diet or allergies. I was trying to tell the managing staff including, the DON, administrator and regional person(the boss I guess?‍♂️) because I have always been an advocate for my patients. I guess they took this as me being belligerent and not wanting to care for the extra 30+ people on top of my 35+ regular residents. I stood up for what I thought was right , and didn't back down. Well it cost me my job. I was fired for "insubordination" aka arguing about safety to the DON/NFA/and the Region Director of Operations(the head of everything ?‍⚖️) after simply stating that these people are sick and we need more staff(we were told that they would bring their own staff, but of course THEY DID NOT!)

It took me weeks to finally sit and analyze if nursing was for me, I really believed that that the last nursing home would've been where I planted myself at and flourished. Sadly mistaken. I even went as far as to tell my mom that it seems as though to make it in Nursing nowadays, you can't have a caring and compassionate spirit towards people.

I take 100% full responsibility of my previous actions with other jobs and I also believe that the last job could've been handled differently on both sides but after talking to my awesome elderly LPN's and RNs, I knew that everything was going to be better and there were quite a few who went through this in there first year of nursing

............. but in the back of my head, I still felt like if I'm speaking up for those who can't speak for themselves I'd get kicked in the butt and it makes me my not want to speak up for anyone anymore. Even though nursing isn't a passion for me, I have a naturally caring, compassionate, motherly soul (team cancer ♋). My feelings can go from 0-100 QUICK.

Anywho, I've received yet another interview, but it's from the organization's, that I've been trying soooo long to get into since clinical which was 1-2 years ago. I'm excited but I'm still timid because it seems as though something is jinxing me, or someone has sent negative energy my way(In my culture I wholeheartedly believe that otherworldly energies are real such as /voodoo/obeah/santeria etc...

Anyone out there that's experienced this or know anyone who has? Advice, ideas?....

[MamaCrow86]

Davey said it best. But you're gonna run out of places to work and fast. LTC will be short staffed, that's how it is... 65 residents is NOT that many for an RN (I assume charge with aides and at least an LPN, or at least a few aides to assist you). 7 jobs in 8 months is not a good look. Next job you take, stick with it at least 6 months even if its terrible. You'll learn a lot more than you think.

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

If you have only been a new grad since Jan 19 what were you doing working in med surg in the middle of 2018?

[Salisburysteak, BSN, RN]

3 hours ago, Pixie.RN said:

This sounds very familiar. Did you post about this situation recently? You refused the assignment of extra residents and they told you to leave? I am having deja vu! Lol

I agree! I remember reading about a situation very similar to this.

OP, I have no wise words for you, but I do agree that It seems you live in constant chaos. It may not seem like chaos to you, but it is. Give your jobs a chance. I have seen so many nurses over the years quit jobs for such petty reasons. It will come back to bite you. Many do not realize how small the nursing community is. I live in a major metropolitan area and I have seen nurses unable to get jobs because they have sabotaged their own career. Be careful!

[Rnis, BSN, DNP, APRN, NP]

Hoping this is a joke/troll. I am predicting you make it 6 months with this job before you don't get a full 30 minute break and stomp off the floor. But on the off chance you are being for real and enrolling in Grad school as your post implies..................maybe have a job for more than 1 year before going into to debt. Nursing is hard. It's stressful..... we all want to walk off the job at some point.........but nurses don't do that. Doing that once would make me raise and eyebrow but give you the benefit of the doubt, but 6 jobs in 6 months indicates it's a you problem.

[Bearcat-RN]

On 8/10/2019 at 7:23 PM, Shookclays said:

Second job: (one of the largest Healthcare organizations in my state with almost a building for every specialty. ) (Ortho/neuro med surg unit) Totally my fault, even though I was hired for nightshift, no one told me that I had to work days for 5 weeks before we going to nights. I hate days with a passion plus I was back in school for RN-BSN, so I never went back after the first day,i really did like it but I just couldn't do days.

Is this a joke? The only thing "jinxing" you is your lack of work ethic. Not saying that you deserved the s*** show at the nursing home or the creepy preceptor at the psych facility, but leaving after the first day because you have to orient on days? Ridiculous. At some point you have to look in the mirror and determine if you are the problem, not everyone else.

[RNBSN]

Do the profession of nursing a favor and just grow up a little bit. You sound immature and spoiled.

[Workitinurfava, BSN, RN]

Well, I feel you will have to find some sort of peace with something or you won't hold a nurse position for long going forwards. I also think you may want to look into another career as a back up. Try to work your way out of nursing if you can, the sooner the better. It is probably the conditions that you have an issue with and the conditions will never totally go away no matter what job you work. This is a serving field that over time will ask more and more of nurses so work as a nurse and try to get something going on the side, or save money so you can do something else. It is totally ok. Why put yourself through all of the job bouncing and headache?

[jlpeace2]

Hello!

You are already learning some of the things they do not tell you in nursing school. No nursing job is perfect but you have to settle for a happy medium for at least your first year or so.

Nursing runs in small circles. Your behavior & what u say can sink you. Even what u say online in an forum such this can have an impact if ci- workers figure out who you are. As u can see u have received dive4se comments on your post.

Try sticking with the job u currently have just to put time in. Job hopping looks bad on a resume. Best of luck!

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Quote

Second job: (one of the largest Healthcare organizations in my state with almost a building for every specialty. ) (Ortho/neuro med surg unit) Totally my fault, even though I was hired for nightshift, no one told me that I had to work days for 5 weeks before we going to nights. I hate days with a passion plus I was back in school for RN-BSN, so I never went back after the first day,i really did like it but I just couldn't do days.

Did you inform your supervisor, or did you just not show up the next day?

If I were involved with hiring, I would pass on your application in a heartbeat. This much job hopping would be a huge red flag to me, especially the example above. You couldn't have endured this for 5 weeks while on orientation, knowing that you would eventually be moved to your desired shift??? Most jobs would require at least some daytime orientation.

Your posts make me wonder if there actually is any job you won't tire of relatively quickly.

But remember, "wherever you go, there you are."

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

Well a couple of those I really can't blame you for leaving but... ICU as a first job is difficult for sure but instead of quitting right away over what you felt was inadequate training why didn't you approach your manager about additional training or possibly transferring to lower acuity floor first?

The second job that you left because you "couldn't do days" well, that is a ridiculous reason to attend one day of work and then just disappear. Most facilities have a general orientation that is days for all staff, you seriously didn't expect that or couldn't find a way to work around it for a measly 5 weeks? Regardless of the circumstances leaving and never coming back after the first day was certainly not the way to handle things.

Third job is one I can't blame you for leaving, though if your preceptor was threatening your job as well as being clearly appropriate it would have been nice if you had reported him as well as leaving. Maybe you did I hope?

Fourth job as a treatment nurse sounds like a full load for your first foray into LTC but again, not impossible and I hope you at least gave a proper notice this time instead of just bailing on the job without warning.

Fifth job I would've been unhappy with a sudden influx of unexpected residents as well but by your own admission you didn't handle that very well since you threw such a fit you were fired on the spot. Again, there are pretty obviously better ways to handle things.

Not to be super nit-picky here but that's only five jobs and your original post said you had seven as a new grad. What were the circumstances behind leaving the other two jobs?

[DahliaDaisy, RN]

I'm a new nurse as well, graduated in Dec. 2018 and started in March at our local state psych facility. I'm a bit older and went into NS knowing I wanted to do psych. I think my "favorite" part is wearing blue tooth head phones on the job lol. First day, I was charge nurse of my floor of 23 patients. By the end of the second week, I was doing both meds and charge on weekends. Between the phone calls, the staff I have to manage, the other disciplines in and out asking questions, AND my needy patients, I can barely find time to pee or eat more than one bite of food at a time, I can't imagine having the luxury of not being "all ears" at all times! Ooh, and I forgot all about the alarms!

[Xance]

I think OP ran off due to the criticism. Some job-hopping is ok, but 7 in less than a year, with several walk-offs? Unacceptable. Eventually the OP will run out of places to apply to, having left/fired from all of the others. The OP should seriously consider what the problem is with them. It's not with the world, it's not the units either. In all of those cases (save the touchy feely one) it was the OP fault for leaving by handling each case badly, with the ICU one being the worst. Leaving due to having to spend a measly 5 weeks on orientation? Did they honestly expect facility orientation as night when few managers work? The OP acts as if they can find a job by pulling them endlessly out of a hat, but they will soon find out that eventually the hat will run out of names and then they will be screwed.