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?....
On 8/17/2019 at 3:04 PM, TitaniumPlates said:
Gonna wade in--not to denegrate and horsewhip OP---because I really couldn't give a rat's rump how many jobs this poster had--I control me and OP controls themselves. If they end up at a facility with me--chances are good, historically--they won't last more than a few weeks anyway.
I'm addressing this assertion that "background checks" mean anything. A background check can get an employer a few things--a credit check, a Work Number report, a nursing (and other licensure if you admit to it) check thru nursys, and criminal databases (depending on who the facility is using).
This idea that if I don't put a 3 week stint at the LTC on my resume that a future employer will find out? Wrong. Many expensive things have to happen before you, my future employer, can find out everything about my employment history.
My credit reports ( all 3) state that I work for a hospital that I left in 1997and am currently employed in my former profession. I have zero intention of correcting this.
My Work Number report has 3 employers---all as a nurse and nothing from my former career of 18 years. I have one contract company that reported to Equifax and none of the other travel companies did this. I am employed through them--not the hospitals. In other words, I look like I've held exactly 3 jobs and have been a nurse since last year, according to Equifax. I have no intention of correcting this.
My criminal database search will enlighten you only to any federal charges as a whole---and state charges if I admit to which states I've resided in. I have a compact license--so I can work in 26 states freely. I don't change my driver's license every single time I take a contract. If I choose to "lose" a contract that didn't turn out well---there is no one the wiser. Especially if it was a short week long thing where I walked in, saw the s#itshow and walked out. I've done that, and so have many other travelers. No one is the wiser and there is NO WAY anyone can find that information.
If you think Social Security will cough up that information on someone? Wrong again. The only person that can get a SS report is the person to whom it pertains.
Try it---managers---seriously....go and do a background check on yourselves through the main (cheapest) resources that most employers use and you will be surprised.
I had Sterling do a check on me about a year ago---it was laughable. I didn't even bother correcting anything because what's the point? More information that they can sell or use in some way I don't approve?
I think OP is not telling the truth about 7 jobs in less than a year. Orientations and interviews and such---nah. This was someone most likely testing to see what the reaction is to someone who does job hop and is wondering how to erase this or what their consequences will be if they're honest about the 3 jobs in a year they actually had.
The sad thing is---unless you've done something where the BONs have you in their crosshairs or you're on some state/federal database for criminal activity---employers cannot and do not spend the time, money or effort to investigate every single employee's every iota of information.
Since becoming a nurse, when applying for jobs, I have kept all of my former job history prior to nursing off of my resume. ALL OF IT. 18 years of it. I was certified and licensed in 4 states for my former profession.
When I resigned my position as a nurse a few months ago--and returned to my former profession--I explained what I was doing and where I was going.
Want to know the reaction? Wow. Nobody knew you were a certified X and that you had 18 years in medicine before becoming a nurse. That was from HR and my nurse manager.
It's expensive and extremely prohibitive to do any type of state by state, facility by facility search to find out if someone worked there at some point. Unless the applicant provides this information, chances are almost certain that the employer never knows. HR and managers often will pick up the phone and call facilities (it's illegal) and try to glean from colleagues or the resume that was placed with a former employer---if there are discrepancies. This is a common tactic and it's been done to me several times.
Which I why I keep my employment history to myself and my references are always 100% trusted to give what information I approve and nothing else. I am a good nurse. My deleting a crap travel job at horrifyingly bad hospital isn't going to change that. You don't get to judge me because I walked out of a dangerous situation to save my license.
I was Wendy for kids' parties at the fast food restaurant for 2 years when I was putting myself through college the first time---I've never told anybody that I lived in Ohio and there is no reason anyone would ever think to look there---and how would they find this information unless I volunteered it? They can't and no one ever has known about it.
The Work Number is not even accurate--and they're the biggest source of information for employers now to find out background. Castlebranch does okay but it still was laughable what they came up with for me. I've had Sterling try it and I've had the government try it. I don't correct inaccuracies unless they are harmful. I pass background checks because I don't break the law, I color within the lines at work and I am a fairly boring person---hiring me doesn't give you the right to know every second of my life unless it would negatively impact your business.
If OP is being truthful--there was no huge financial investment in them for the length of time they were employed. The statistics that say it takes $50K to hire a new employee is including training/doubling up on manpower to do so, providing certification and education, etc. This OP didn't spend enough time on any job (according to OP) to cost anybody anything other than a pain in the orifice for having the OP there in the first place.
I'm NOT advocating for this OP and the crazy job hopping---what I AM saying is that this intense fear of deleting a month long mistake at a s#itshow facility is not going to be career ending. Travelers do this all of the time---delete jobs that were crap, run ins with managers or staff at crap facilities, bad travel companies---and there is no way to check every single travel company to see if a traveler worked for them.
HR has a time and budget constraint and little 'ol new grad isn't worth spending $20K to find out that she was Wendy at kids' parties 10 years ago.
I love your reply. I don't advocate leaving as many jobs as you did but try to stay at this position at least a year or two and find nurses who can mentor you. I have worked regular and travel nursing assignments in my last 13 years and I have been criticized for my military reserve training and traveling assignments during interviews and jobs. I don't list all of my of my employers that would be way too long. Some of my employers were private facilities and most have closed up shop so its impossible to get a hold of them. I have relished the opportunity to work in different settings traveling. I have always finished my contracts except for one when it threatened my license and I was very upfront with the agency about it. While my resume recently does not reflect a long stint with one employer I have great relationships with leaving and would work for them again.
I have geared my nursing to my lifestyle and my health. I can't handle much stress theses days it really affects my body and I make a point to care extremely well for myself.
I agree with others when they say that maybe you should not look to go back to school unless you really want to get out of floor nursing. If that's the case go back to school full-time. Nursing is a big field there is plenty of things to do without being a floor nurse. It is one of the toughest jobs and you have to maintain self-control even when things are wrong. Every nurse has been a situation that is out of our control but please step back and know it is our response to the situation and NOT OUR REACTION THAT SETS US APART!
BTW I recently had a verification for my employment in the military for an on-call position and they wanted me to submit tax records OR PAY STUBS from 2001??? REALLY? This too much! Legally I don't think that they can request this. BEST OF LUCK.
Specializes in Psychiatric RN & Retired Psychiatric CNA.
Update: Here is why I feel as though I could not stay on a job. The specialties was not for me. I was infatuated with having a certain title and living up to the standards of certain specialties (medical/critical care) and the bragging rights that I THOUGHT, came along with it.
Now after sitting down and saying *blank* how the medical world views the hierarchy of nurses, I'm going to do what I KNOW my purpose is. And just as I did during clinical here, I still love it as a nurse.
dij
4 Posts
I love your reply. I don't advocate leaving as many jobs as you did but try to stay at this position at least a year or two and find nurses who can mentor you. I have worked regular and travel nursing assignments in my last 13 years and I have been criticized for my military reserve training and traveling assignments during interviews and jobs. I don't list all of my of my employers that would be way too long. Some of my employers were private facilities and most have closed up shop so its impossible to get a hold of them. I have relished the opportunity to work in different settings traveling. I have always finished my contracts except for one when it threatened my license and I was very upfront with the agency about it. While my resume recently does not reflect a long stint with one employer I have great relationships with leaving and would work for them again.
I have geared my nursing to my lifestyle and my health. I can't handle much stress theses days it really affects my body and I make a point to care extremely well for myself.
I agree with others when they say that maybe you should not look to go back to school unless you really want to get out of floor nursing. If that's the case go back to school full-time. Nursing is a big field there is plenty of things to do without being a floor nurse. It is one of the toughest jobs and you have to maintain self-control even when things are wrong. Every nurse has been a situation that is out of our control but please step back and know it is our response to the situation and NOT OUR REACTION THAT SETS US APART!
BTW I recently had a verification for my employment in the military for an on-call position and they wanted me to submit tax records OR PAY STUBS from 2001??? REALLY? This too much! Legally I don't think that they can request this. BEST OF LUCK.