I desperately need some advice

Nurses Career Support

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I started a job 3 months ago at a local hospital. I thought that everything was going really well until yesterday when I was brought into the office by our supervisors. I was basically told that I was in major trouble and that things were not working out for me. They were upset because I charted something that they felt was a diagnosis. They also felt that I don't give good reports. I have been crying all day. I worked so hard to get to this point and it is hard to be rejected by my peers. They are complaining about me to these supervisors trying to get me fired. Not everyone feels that way but some apparently do. If they sincerely cared about me, they would come to me and tell me what problems they had.

Does anyone know of a resource where I can learn more about these two topics so that I can understand why these things are a problem and how to avoid them in the future? Thanks so much!

When I met with my supervisors, I had no idea that they were displeased. The first words out of their mouths were that I was not meeting their expectations and that they were going to have me go back on orientation for 5 more weeks. The implication was that this was my last chance.

I forgot to comment on this last night. If they are willing to give you more orientation, they must see something worthwhile in you. Be encouraged by that and go in there and dive it your best shot. :up:

Specializes in Intermediate care.

Talk to your manager and try turning it into a learning experience to figure out what you can do better. Instead of getting defensive, take it as "Ok, what would you like me to say? Are their guidelines i can follow when giving report?"

ask what you can do better next time so you can learn from this.

Specializes in Emergency.

This is all just further proof that where you get hired on for your first job is the biggest thing in the absolute world.

I gave in my 1st month a med a wrong route (nothing serious, just gave IV something ordered IM, thank god it wasn't a big and bad drug and was just a muscle relaxer and an NSAID), and what happened to me was a sit down and basically a 'hey buddy, lets actually pay attention next time and not get complacent'.

If they sat you down and talked to you, I personally would have been nervous beforehand and less nervous now. You have some set things that you need to work on now, so make sure that there is a system in place to evaluate you in the future on those certain tasks. Make sure that you make improvements.

Ask questions or you get left behind. Don't ever sit around and do nothing. Always be asking if there is something you can do for someone else (someone always needs vitals, someone always needs their pain reassessed, etc). Unfortunately one of the hardest tasks sometimes is getting your coworkers to have your back. Find a way to become part of the group (not by gossiping..) and see how things turn out.

You stated something about the preceptor being your friend and confidant. Be careful there. Don't be so quick to trust and to spill your guts or overtalk. You would be surprised how many people are totally caught off guard when they find out that the person they thought they could confide in, their preceptor (or other coworker), turned around and put it to them. Remember that the preceptor will be asked to evaluate you and it is business, not a gloss over among "friends".

Specializes in Pediatrics.

I wanted to thank all of you who responded to me. I did finally pass the probationary period. I was exonerated and all is well. I hope some of you see this, but I could use some more advice and it does involve this initial problem.

I eventually decided that the bottom line problem that this hospital had with me involved charting. I think they were willing to overlook everything were it not for that. I was under the impression that precise charting in detail was important. Turns out that less is better. Apparently, the hospitals only want us checking the blanks and very little progress note type charting. So that seemed to make them happy and all is well....

Well that is with the exception of one thing. You know how when people retell a story from their perspective, they want to believe it's true even if it isn't true. Thus, they are going to keep you under the microscope until they are proven right. Well, in the mix of things a fallacious story was told about me that wasn't wholly true.

To begin with, there is one nurse that is a bully. She is from another country and this behavior is excused because people from her country are just that way. :p This hospital has gone to great lengths to stop this kind of behavior from happening, but it doesn't work. If this woman were American, there would be zero tolerance for her behavior. Because this nurse was so horrible to me one evening over nothing and totally rude, I mentioned it to one of the superiors. I don't know if this was taken seriously. I was told that I wasn't the only person that had mentioned this and that she would be spoken to. After that, my head nurse became rather cool toward me.

So in light of that, this "story" involved holding a child for an IV start. I am fully capable of doing this. The story that was told was that I let go of the child before the IV nurse could get the IV. That isn't true. She had blown the vein and was pulling out. She had tried several times to thread the vein unsuccessfully. My head nurse was standing there waiting with a scale to weigh the child...and waiting....and waiting. After it was evident that this IV nurse didn't get the IV, I stood up and said I was getting conflicting signals. Did she want me to continue to help to start the IV or weigh the baby? My head nurse immediately started acting out in front of the parent. I did not get angry or lose my cool (thank God). The IV nurse wrote me up. It was really weird.

A few weeks ago, I talked to the IV nurse the other day that made the accusation and she said that she was still trying to get the IV when I let go and would have gotten it if I hadn't. What a little liar! That isn't true. I told her to her face that I thought she had missed. She said she just wanted me to listen to her instructions in the future and I assured her that I would. She had me follow her to a room to see how to hold properly. I didn't see anything remarkable about the way this nurse was holding this baby.

I know in time my abilities will be evident and I will be exonerated on these ridiculous accusations as well. But what bothers me is the way this bullying continues to happen within the hospital. Now, every time there is an IV to be started, one of my fellow nurses rushes in to hold or I'll go into one of my patient's rooms and find another nurse holding. It is hurting my feelings and to be honest, my husband doesn't understand at all. It is an insidious way of bullying someone. Now everyone has me labeled and it REALLY bothers me!! I didn't do what they said I did. I have started hundreds of IVs in the past on babies and children. I know how to hold.

I don't know what to do. Any thoughts on this? You guys were so helpful last time. So thank you in advance!!

Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/SNF-LTC/Supervisory.

I haven't ever worked w/children so I don't know about proper holding procedures.. BUT I do know about the type of "bullying" you're experiencing and all I can do is offer you my support through A.N. Hang in there, hold your head high, keep doing your best, document what you feel in your gut that you should re: issues like this (but truly don't expect anyone in management to give them credence), and don't take any crud from anyone. :hug:

The problem is that you are working with a bunch of children as co-workers. Holding. How silly that it causes that much trouble on your unit. So the kid was a wiggler, a tough stick. Happens! But it shouldn't be the thing that rocks the unit that day or any day.

Always remember that you are an adult. Nursing has a way of making you doubt that about yourself. I'll add this. Peds nurses can be wierd in their own way. IDK why, some of 'em remind me of how little preteens like to pretend they are "the very best-est" at babysitting. Something similar, I can't explain it that makes me think of it when you describe the "hurry and find someone who knows how to hold a child" thing. It's all about people who have never grown up. So many nurses and MDs for that matter never have grown up. They spend their days acting out and embarrassing themselves... and what I find I have learned about myself, is, that this is when I become the bully. I have to really hold back when confronted with adults behaving as children. I want to treat them as such.

Man, I hated working in a hospital.

Just hugs.

Specializes in Pediatrics.
Man, I hated working in a hospital.

Just hugs.

I agree. I wish I had another option. Thanks.

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