and I am not sure how to move forward with looking for a job. Do I add it to my resume? Is anyone going to hire me after getting terminated? Ive never been fired before and I am so disheartened that I got fired in my nursing career - if you can call it a career after 2 months. Do I just start over fresh like I have had no experience?
It was mostly related to skills, and my DON who fired me suggested I look online and review my skills, etc. so when I do start looking (which I need to do soon) I can say what happened, and that I have been reviewing my skills to make myself better.
Sometimes I got the feeling that they expected more from me as a brand new nurse than I was able to give. I was always there on time, asked questions, jumped in and tried new things, was willing to help - but its almost like they forgot what it was like to be a new nurse and took forgranted that I was a brand new nurse just learning the ropes. Regardless, my license wont be affected - just my bruised ego. I am especially concerned that since LTC seems to be the only place hiring "inexperienced" (less than a year experience) nurses and that is the field I was in that I am not going to find anyone that is understanding in another branch of nursing to take me in and give me another chance.
II am open to suggestions. This is fairly recent so I am still dusting myself off - but I would love to know if any other brand new nurses went thru this and how they coped with it. Thanks so much for the support.
How did you graduate if your clinical skills suck? Go into psych or something..
Way to go encouraging the new nurse.
I began in a SNF. The "training" I received was sub-par at best. Just a month short of a year's employment, I was hired at my dream job, small rural /hospital. Their training consisted of 6 shifts - which I then asked for 2 more, and was basically a unit orientation. I made many mistakes d/t LACK OF PROPER TRAINING. I am now 3 years post passing my NCLEX, and working in hospice. I have found my niche, AND I have received all the training and support I wished I received in my first 2 jobs. Unfortunately, nursing has no expected standard for training from each employer, as my experience demonstrated. You were knocked off your feet - but that is all. You passed nursing school, a huge accomplishment. Now, get up, start again, and remind yourself how you have already accomplished a great deal with your schooling and testing. You can and will succeed.
LTC is not a great place to start. I would suggest going to a teaching hospital on a med surg floor for at least 1-2 years. They usually have great orientation for new nurses. Good luck!! Being a new nurse is super difficult, especially if you graduated from a bachelors program where you get very little clinical time (as I did) but if you really want this, you can do it.
Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.
It's never easy being fired. I've been working since I was 13 and I recently got fired for basically no reason except I wouldn't play the kiss a** game with the administrator. Took the facility from 2 stars to 5 stars...had 1 survey with 2 tags after they had gotten a survey with 15 tags including 2 Gtags...and then I had 2 perfect surveys. It's not always what you know...it's who you know and not be be indelicate, but who you do. Since I was fired, that building has gone down hill quickly. It's a rotten business these days...cut throat with everyone fighting for the same few 'good' rehab patients and taking anyone with a payer source. I've been in long term care most of my career and I used to love it. Now I'm counting the days until I can retire. I feel sorry for new nurses
Are there any positions in your area that are a nurse residency? This is a position especially for nurses with under a year experience. I entered into the RN field this way because I was struggling getting into a position. Experience, experience, experience was what I was told over and over. How does one get experience as a new nurse if they aren't willing to invest and teach???!!!!????
LTC is not a great place to start. I would suggest going to a teaching hospital on a med surg floor for at least 1-2 years. They usually have great orientation for new nurses. Good luck!! Being a new nurse is super difficult, especially if you graduated from a bachelors program where you get very little clinical time (as I did) but if you really want this, you can do it.
Is there a reason why LTC is not a good place to start? Just asking out of curiosity as I am expecting to graduate this May and wanted to look at all my options.
Take heart, it does happen. Nursing skills can be learned. The place that fired you were looking for an experienced nurse (they all are). Pick yourself up, dust yourself off. Do some studying, review your skills and find a new job. LTC is not the worst place to start out. It has a slower pace most days and skill requirements are not as intense (note I did not say important) although case loads are higher. LTC teaches a lot about time management, nursing supervision and yourself. It is probably one of the hardest specialties of nursing. SO many people avoid it because it is a hard job. I have watched experienced acute care nurses, fall because they could not get the high patient load thing down
Resumes are the face the you want people to see. You can put on it what you want. Unless it is a blatant lie (say you have experience, when you don't) you do not need to put it on the resume or cover letter. Application yes, resume no. When you get to the interview, you can explain the situation, but you need to get the interview. Make sure the the reason you give for the termination has a positive spin to it. "I was told that my nursing skill were not what they need in that position at this time" and "I have done this, that and this to remedy the situation.
There are lots of nursing jobs out there (well at least in my area) Nurses are constantly changing where I work. Have faith in yourself. You made it through nursing school, you can do this.
needluck
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Truer words were never spoken!