New Grad Fired Before Orientation is up? Will I be able to find employment now?

[chocolateskye]

Ok I finally was able to find a nursing job right? So I show up on time and stay out of the way. I was placed with a very smart and knowledgable seasoned nurse. Three weeks into this new position I messed up on some paper work. Oh boy did my preceptor come out of a bag on me! And the ***** never went back in either! Nothing I did was good enough or fast enough. She would belittle me in front of patients, and they wouldnt want me taking care of them. Then from there my confidence went way down, and I did make more mistakes. My preceptor, and my nurse manager used to work the floor together and they have both been there for over 10 years. The charge nurse and my preceptor hang out together after work and they are all good friends. There were a few situations were they let me know that nothing was private. Things that I said to my manager didnt stay there and my preceptor only got worse. I had gotten to the point that I wanted to quit, but I didnt. I kept going back until they fired me. They said that they thought the unit was to fast for a new grad, and that I should seek employment on a med surg unit in the future. I had high patient satisfaction and I got great comments on my patient care yet I was not progessing enough to allow me to grow on the night shift? How will this play out for me? Will they tarnish me for life? How long will it stay in my hospital file?

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

We had a new grad assigned with a preceptor who was knowledgeable, but socially challenged. She'd never look you in the eye, and had difficulty expressing her thoughts. Bad, bad choice for a preceptor, with good intentions. This new grad took it all in stride, kept complimenting her preceptor to everyone around, and at times she'd pull another RN aside and ask if they could go over this or that with her so she could just "get it clear so I fully understand." No problem. So the new grad made a lot of friends by consistently being positive about a bad situation, and got TONS of support during and after orientation. If she had challenged her preceptor it would have been a poor move politically, and the preceptor wouldn't have been able to work constructively for the rest of the orientation period. If the preceptor was someone who wanted to lash back she could have BURIED the new grad, and had her fired. In spite of her trouble communicating she was incredibly detail oriented, knowledgeable, and a patient advocate. No one would have doubted her word if she said the newbie was a poor nurse.

Sucking up- not palateable, but very wise until you establish your reputation and know the politics of the unit.

[chocolateskye]

Thank you so much JJJoy. That is exactly how I felt. In my mind I was thinking to hold it because I was told it mainly effects a patients pressure. When I took my reasoning to my preceptor she just ate me alive. She asked me why did I think the way I did and I explained it to her and then she questioned where I attended school? But you are right I just thought that I was on the right track and according to her I was no where near it. But all I can do is take from this experience and learn from it. Put it behind me and continue to move forward. Thank you all for your insight it all has been theraputic.

[shoegalRN, RN]

It's never good to talk negative about your preceptor to other people. I had to request a change in preceptors because my preceptor thought it was ok to talk negatively about me to my coworkers in the breakroom and I overheard her. She was complaining about me asking questions she deemed were "stupid". I said nothing and went to the educator, explained what happened and asked for a new preceptor.

After it was said and done, people would asked me (and still do) what happened to such and such, why are you not with such and such anymore and I would smile and say "I dont want to discuss that and where I am is now is a better fit for me" and left it at that.

My previous preceptor was a good nurse, but she wasnt patient with me. She would not allow me to do things on my own, instead she would "do it all" and then attempt to explain things to me. I'm a hands on learner, and I can't learn by someone "telling" me what to do. I learn by repetition and doing things. I attempted to explain this to her time and time again, she would not listen or get it.

The preceptor I have now is tough on me and she does push me because she states she knows I can handle it. I respect her opinion and I think she's a damn good teacher. She encourging and she allows me to develop my own nursing judgment. I constantly bounce ideas off her and when she is not available, I ask the more senior nurses on the unit. My current preceptor leaves me to care for my patients and jumps in when I'm drowning. Day by day, she does less and less so I can be prepared to be on my own. Now, she is there to offer assistance when asked. And this works well for me.

The lesson I've learned is to just say "ok thanks for the info" or "thanks for teaching me that" even if you know it or not just until you get through your orientation. You will have to take things with a smile and keep it moving until you get past orientation or you won't make it through.

Good luck to you!