Nervous about the new job...always afraid I will get fired...

[flashpoint]

Some of you know I was fired from my job at the begining of December. Some of the reason for being fired was my fault...some of it was political.

I started a new job at begining of January and I am really nervous about messing up and getting fired again. I always feel like I am walking on eggshells.

A few examples of things I have done wrong...

I was talking to one of the NPs...I told her how much I really like one of the doctors in another clinic and she somehow took it to mean that I trusted him more than I trust her. That is not what I meant at all and that is not what I said, but since that is what she perceived...I appologized. There still seems to be some tension between us, but things are pretty good with her.

I was called in last week and told that I sigh too much. Some of the providers think that everytime they ask me to do something, I am mad about it. The doctor that owns the clinic thinks I lack enthusiasm. So...I am making sure I don't sigh about anything and am smiling and trying to show how excited I am to do everything.

I had a patient call and ask some questions about a procedure he was scheduled for. I misunderstood what he was asking so I referred him to the department that does the procedure...the question he had could have been answered by me, so he called back and ended up taking to one of the other nurses who felt like I was just trying to puch off work on her.

I feel like I am really slow at getting people called when they have questions, getting appointments scheduled, calling back results from labs, etc. I'm not wasting time and I really don't know what I can do to move faster, but I still feel like I am always behind. I've been told that I chart too much and that when patients call complaining of sore throats or whatever, I ask too many question..."Just find out that they have a sore throat and call it good...you don't need to ask about their cough, fever, earache and everything else."

Every time the doctor who owns the clinic talks to me, I get nervous. I really don't think I have done anything to warrant being fired, but I am still really scared that it is going to happen. The doctor is really big on attitude and customer service and showing a "love" for everything that you do. I'm trying to live up to his expectations, but still have a lot of anxiety about everything. I feel like I am not measuring up and that I am failing in getting things done.

Any words of wisdom on how I can speed things up and do a better job???

[SmilingBluEyes]

Hmmmm maybe this is just me, but, sounds like a lot of "mind over matter" is needed here. You are learning----you will make mistakes. None of the above will truly harm or kill anyone. Learn what works and what does not and go easy on yourself. You are being way too hard on yourself,from what I see here.

Consider, that this may not be the job for you----if you are this stressed out, maybe there is something that is a better fit? Meantime....

Good luck and hang in there. Keep trying and if this feeling continues, consider your options.

[SharonH, RN]

I must agree with Deb here. You are second-guessing yourself way too much and I'm thinking that the people you work for are picking up on it. Once people know you are sensitive to criticism they will give you as much of it as you will take. Honestly, the day that someone calls me on the carpet for sighing too much is the day that I will look for a new job. Who in the heck notices something like that? What are you supposed to do, walk around with a silly grin on your face to show your "excitement" for the job? What do they want, Stepford nurse?

[flashpoint]

I must agree with Deb here. You are second-guessing yourself way too much and I'm thinking that the people you work for are picking up on it. Once people know you are sensitive to criticism they will give you as much of it as you will take. Honestly, the day that someone calls me on the carpet for sighing too much is the day that I will look for a new job. Who in the heck notices something like that? What are you supposed to do, walk around with a silly grin on your face to show your "excitement" for the job? What do they want, Stepford nurse?

:) It all looks a little silly after I read it on the screen...

"I'm a lucky nurse, I'm a lucky nurse, I'm a lucky nurse..."

[TazziRN, RN]

Hi Mac. You need to relax. The more nervous you get, the more likely that you will screw up. As for charting too much and asking too many questions, that's the ER nurse in you. And I don't think that's a problem......would they rather that you chart too little??? No such thing as charting too much!!!!

I agree that if you're this stressed out, maybe this isn't the job for you. You need to relax, be able to see the whole picture, and then decide if this is the place for you or not.

[flashpoint]

I know I need to relax...it's really hard though. I like this job and I really like the hours.

The whole being fired from the hospital thing really freaked me out...just a few days before they fired me, I was told what a model employee I am, how the newer nurses like having such a good resource to go to when they have questions, and how much the doctors appreciate my knowledge and common sense.

When I was fired, my manger told me that she always felt like I was the "negative force" against her and any changes she made. I honestly don't remember EVER saying anything negative about her. More oftne than not, I was defending her and the decisions she made. The morning before she fired me, I even chewed out a paramedic student for calling her a *****! I told the paramedic student that she had made a lot of very positive changes and that she was the best manager I had ever worked for.

I've been told that the people in this clinic will talk to you about every little thing that you do wrong...it's not just me that they are talking to about things, but it still frustrates me. I know I just need to get my confidence back and try to make sure the providers and the patients are happy.

Anyone have any beer??? :)

[ljds]

Honestly, the day that someone calls me on the carpet for sighing too much is the day that I will look for a new job. Who in the heck notices something like that? What are you supposed to do, walk around with a silly grin on your face to show your "excitement" for the job? What do they want, Stepford nurse?

Oh, it SOUNDS funny, but I actually work with a nurse who signs everytime you ask her to do anything, everytime you call to tell her a pt needs something, everytime you tell her new orders have been written...pretty much every interaction. It is grating and it *does* make you feel like she thinks you (or the pts) are asking too much of her. It is very draining to work with her. This is one of just 10000 issues she has, though....

Sorry to totally hijack here....this nurse just popped into my head (thanks alot! lol) when Sharon posted.

To the OP: you think too much!!! Ithink it is great you are trying to be so positive and enthusiastic. Your office sounds very political. I would never "chew someone out" for anything, yet it sounds like that comes left and right. Maybe that isn't such a healthy environment for you right now.

Or, I wonder if there is some training that would help you out-I see CEUs offered all the time for time management, facilitating a positive working environement, etc. Maybe attending some of those would serve a couple of purposes. A) It might give you some ideas on how to improve your interactions with others in your work environment B) It might give you some confidence in how you interact with others (as in, if you go, and you realize, hey, I do alot of this stuff already! then you might realize that you are doing a good job and the problem doesn't necessarily lie within) C) It will show your employers that you have a committment to self-improvement AND to making their work environment a positive place.

Good luck!!