Let go after three days? Seriously?!?!

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I have a thread going in MDS about being burned out and going back to the floor, so I got a job at a LTC home in my area. During the interview the DNS stated she was very impressed with my experience and offered me the job on the spot.

I was told I would get 5 days of orientation, with more if needed and today was to be day 4. I was fully prepared to take the cart and do the med. pass alone, asking for help as needed, since I had most of it down, except for being a bit slow passing the meds. since it has been awhile since I worked a med. cart.

Anyway, the DNS called me at home and told me she didn't think I was going to work out :confused: When I asked why she said that the nurse I had been with the past two evenings told her I was a bit slow with the med. pass and that she didn't think I would last since I had been an "office nurse" for so long.

So I said to the DNS, "You're only giving me three days after you promised a full week, and even said I could have more if needed? You knew I had been a MDS Nurse for years and are only giving me 3 days to become acclimated to the med. cart?" She pretty much said they need someone who can take right over so they didn't think it was the job for me.

I had the paperwork/computer charting down pat and all I needed was to get to know the residents. I was going to be assigned to the rehab. side and would have loved it since there are so many acutely ill rehab. patients with a plethora of "issues." Right up my alley. I am a darn good nurse and have experience in many, many aspects of patient care. The patients loved me and told the DNS they specifically wanted me taking care of them after only three days.

What did I do wrong? Can someone shed some light on this for me? I need a job desperately... :(

Specializes in Clinical Documentation Specialist, LTC.
I am sorry this happened to you. I am thinking there may be some things going on behind the scene that you are not privey to, such as the friend wanting the job ect.

You dust yourself off and move on. There is a reason you are no longer there and bigger and better things await you! Best of luck!

Thank you so much for the encouragement. I have an interview for PRN shifts at another LTC home on Monday morning and am submitting my resume' all over the place. I love working with the elderly and would like to continue to go in that direction, but will do my homework before I commit to anything from now on.

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So... you know by now that you wouldn't want to work for a joint that treats people like that, and good riddance to them. Small bump in the road and congratulations for finding out now, so the gap in your resume is minuscule (or nonexistent) and you can go right out and find something else. Imagine if they'd pulled this foolishness on you in, say, three months. ::Threaded small hardware often used on wood pieces:: 'em.

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Specializes in LTC and School Health.

I'm so sorry. I know what it feels like to be fired for absoutely no reason! This is ridiculous. Stay strong, keep looking. Sounds like you dodged a bullet. Sending prayers and hugs your way.

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Specializes in Clinical Documentation Specialist, LTC.
So... you know by now that you wouldn't want to work for a joint that treats people like that, and good riddance to them. Small bump in the road and congratulations for finding out now, so the gap in your resume is minuscule (or nonexistent) and you can go right out and find something else. Imagine if they'd pulled this foolishness on you in, say, three months. ::Threaded small hardware often used on wood pieces:: 'em.

I'm so sorry. I know what it feels like to be fired for absoutely no reason! This is ridiculous. Stay strong, keep looking. Sounds like you dodged a bullet. Sending prayers and hugs your way.

I agree it's best to find out during orientation. I'm at peace with it now and know God has other plans for me. I will not put them on the application at my job interview on Monday. Was advised by the DON where I will be interviewing not to as well.

Thanks for the prayers and hugs OnlybyHisgraceRN :)

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Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

When I was hired at a state psych hospital, I had only ever given pharmacist-prepared unit dose meds to my

patients. That included prefilled syringes, for the most part. When I interviewed, the DON mentioned that

their meds all "came in big bottles." My mental reaction was simply "Okaaaay! I'll adjust."

Fast foreward to my first week. The smallest bottle held 500 and the rest held 1000 pills! EEK! There was

a "meds record book" that I swear went back to Clara Barton's day that had pt. names and meds names, dose

size, and times ordered, and I had to pour and set 'em up just as they had done a generation before. The liquid meds bottles were amber glass and were HEAVY.

I bombed big time! I gave the word slow a whole new meaning! The supervisor let me know in no uncertain

terms that I was a disgrace to nurses everywhere.:cry: I was transferred to a different building on the grounds and, was precepted properly and given a chance to learn, and did fine! It just took time.

I'm so sorry you were used, but everything happens for a reason. You would not have been happy there.

Could you work for an agency or do private duty while you find sonething you really want? Hugs!

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Specializes in Clinical Documentation Specialist, LTC.

That sounds like a terrible experience sharpeimom! Isn't it amazing the things managers expect us to do? Unreal!! I'm so sorry you went through that but thank God you had the chance to be properly trained and came out just fine :)

I do have an interview on Monday for some PRN work at another LTC home and was told by the DNS that the PRN nurses end up going full time pretty quickly, plus they work a Mon-Fri. schedule so that's a plus.

I have submitted resume's to various places from office nurse to LTC jobs. Something will come along quickly. I have Faith :)

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This is terrible!! I agree with other posters that you dodged a bullet. I have been let go from a position a couple of years ago. It took some time for the emotional hurt to go away, but now I don't even think about it anymore. Good luck to you, sounds like you have so much experience and skills to offer an employer.

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Specializes in Clinical Documentation Specialist, LTC.
This is terrible!! I agree with other posters that you dodged a bullet. I have been let go from a position a couple of years ago. It took some time for the emotional hurt to go away, but now I don't even think about it anymore. Good luck to you, sounds like you have so much experience and skills to offer an employer.

Thank you. It still stings a bit but I know it will pass.

I do have quite a bit of experience to offer and when given a chance, am a very good, loyal employee. I will go above and beyond and have always believed in team work. Sometimes I just want to give up nursing all together, then I remember why I went into this field in the first place. I am determined to push through and not let this defeat me. Something great will come along soon. I have to keep the faith.

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Specializes in Correctional, QA, Geriatrics.

Please make sure that you get a firm commitment from the DON regarding training at the facility with the PRN position. It has been my experience that it is not uncommon for the orientation for PRN folks to not be as extensive as it is for full time staff....just saying. In addition regardless of where you work or what shift the logistics of med passes are pretty much the same but learning the residents always takes some time. Why? because learning about them involves more than faces linked to names but all their little ways about meds (in food, tepid liquids, only after eating, wants each pill spooned into their mouth, etc.) Lack of knowledge about that stuff can really bog a person down and make one very slow with having to backtrack. Also please get in the habit of making a list of accuchecks, supplements, insulins, nebs and inhalers & overflow meds so you can double check your cart for adequate supplies before you begin. Again having to backtrack to get supplies, meds etc can slow a person down.

OP you have the skills to work the floor if you can handle MDS all those years because that is a nerve wracking (at times) very precise very deadline focused job so those skillsets translate over to doing med passes and all the other duties of being a floor nurse in LTC.

Best of luck! Let us know how the job hunt goes.

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Specializes in Clinical Documentation Specialist, LTC.

Thank you txredhead. That is very sound, useful advice!

Looks like I will be on Baylor shift Sat. & Sun. 7am-11pm. Turns out one of the baylor LPNs is going on maternity leave the first week of October and I will be taking her place while she is off. Rumor has it though that she may not come back so if she doesn't, I will take the Baylor shift permanently. Also, they do hire LPNs for MDS positions there so I am next in line for a MDS position. I go to an orientation class next Monday, then orientate on the floor next Saturday and Sunday with the nurse I will be taking the place of. God always works things out for our good :)

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Specializes in Clinical Documentation Specialist, LTC.

This in unbelievable!! I was supposed to start orientation for the new job on Monday. I had the option of either taking the Baylor or doing PRN, so I decided to take the PRN route since I don't feel I can handle two 16 hour shifts back to back and would end up miserable. That was all fine and dandy, everybody seemed happy. Well...a few minutes ago I got a call from HR telling me that the DNS has decided that particular nursing home is not the place for me. I asked what made her come to that conclusion and she said the DNS didn't give details, just to call me and tell me not to bother showing up for orientation.

I have a feeling it's because I haven't worked the floor in so long. I need a job badly and nobody wants to hire me because I have been an office nurse too long, but I have the skills to do the job if someone would give me the chance! They only gave me three days at the last place to get orientated before letting me go because I wasn't fast enough giving meds. to 30 acute rehab patients after three days. What happened to giving a person a chance to prove themselves? I understand training costs the home money but to retain good nurses, owners and managers of these homes need to understand that it takes more than 2-3 days to get into a routine.

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Specializes in Clinical Documentation Specialist, LTC.

I have an interview next Tuesday with a Staffing Agency for a float pool in a hospital, and I put in an application at a small country nursing home I used to work in years ago and loved. I was honest with the Administrator and explained that nobody seems to want to take a chance on me because I have been an "office nurse" for so long.

She remembered me from all those years ago and said she will go over my app. and hopefully call me for an interview next week. They were bought by a management company years ago but after I left. I put I have never worked for the company before because well...I haven't. I've worked in the *facility* before but not for the company. Was it appropriate for me to put I had never worked for the company?

As for the float pool thing, what are the basic duties of a LPN in a hospital float pool? I know I would go to where I was needed, but don't know what I would be doing. They know I have no hospital or clinic experience, but said they are willing to train me. Oh, and the pay sucks but it would be good experience right? That's what I'm telling myself anyway :)

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