3. Assistant living facility: Fired after 3 months
My resume looks bad. I wanted to not include my last job but when recruiters ask what I did during those 3 months, i reallly don't know what to say. I really don't want to discuss why I got fired (you can view my post to see how bad of a nursing I am).
At at my Core, I love my job and feel that with all the lessons I've learned, I will be a great fit someone else if given the opportunity. I am working for an agency as a per diem nurse and my job was cancelled this morning. I am afraid of not being able to pay my bills.
I read your previous post when you initially posted it about being fired after charting early that you gave the med before you actually gave it and went back today after reading this post and read all your other ones. I can't say if nursing all-together isn't for you but I don't think the previous nursing positions you were in were the best fit for you. Passing medications in LTC and assisted living is a tedious job that many would find difficult. Obviously you had a pattern down, which was signing after you opened the med but before administering it to the resident, and unfortunately that method was problematic. I think your intentions of having a method you followed was good, unfortunately the method itself was problematic. It seems like your first job caused you self-doubt and drained your self confidence. When you went to your second job at the OBGYN clinic you didn't have enough confidence in yourself and that paired with the unfamiliar OBGYN environment (much different from geriatrics) you felt overwhelmed and scared so you left and returned to the more familiar, yet demanding environment of assist-living.
I think you haven't found your niche in nursing, and that doesn't mean you aren't cut out for being a nurse. If you like geriatrics, try looking into other positions that allow you to work with that population in a less demanding and overwhelming environment. I have great respect for nurses who work LTC/assisted living but admit that I don't think I could work in that area. Far too many residents, too many medications, and for me I think too much room for error.
I do agree with others that before you jump back into nursing, you need to focus on yourself. As nurses, we often put our own feelings, mental health, and well-being aside and that isn't fair or healthy. We've all done it. Take some time to get yourself feeling better, and then start looking for a new nursing position.
You are looking for a thank you? Nursing is a thankless job so what are you going to do? Stop living your life for thank yous. If the come they come, if they don't they dont. Life is too short for all of that mess. Just do good and good will come to you. Your bad attitude isn't good, your inability to accept responsibility isn't good. I am not saying you are a bad person because even good people have some faults (not that faults are bad always) Life isn't going to coddle you. Stop looking to be coddled. You are a grown up now, so put on those big girl undies and keep it moving. Wallowing does you no good. Be a WARRIOR NOT A WORRIER. Learn to take positive criticism and stop acting like a child please. You have it in you. I know you do. Don't just look at things so negatively. I challenge you to start saying positive things to yourself everyday (even if you don't believe it) Just make an effort to say positive things. For example if you are thinking " I am worthless" then say out loud " I am very worthy" every single day. If you start eventually what will happen is you start changing your narrative, you start changing your own mind, you will start believing in yourself and you will start noticing your life changing. Give it about a year and see what happens.
I feel like printing this out and putting it on my wall. Thank you
Yup that's exactly happened. I started the OBGYN job and felt insecure about how much I didn't know. I felt like I was not catching on fast enough and essentially gave up. Long term care is busy, but I feel like if I'm organized, it's doable.
All I keep reading in the OPs comments are "woe is me". It's time to pull your big girl panties up! I have not seen the OP take responsibility once. You are an adult, start acting like it.
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt
You must have difficulty reading as I have taken responsibility with all of my errors
From reading all the posts this is what I felt as well. Like you were seeking attention. If more than one person is saying the same thing, you should probably take a note on that. Are you here to seek advise or just to validate yourself and feelings. Although getting advise and feeling uplifted by others are good, you also need to have confidence in yourself or else its all for nothing. It really sounds to me like you aren't happy being you and if that's the case nothing we tell you will help (not even in another career) My first thought was why is everyone tell this person to change fields? That's not an option, but now I understand. Anything job in the medical field is very serious. We are talking about life or death here. Lack of organization, being overly nervous and feeling like you don't know what you are doing will cause errors for the mere fact that we are what we think. Our thoughts come into being always. So based on your replies I too will say do something else where you wont be at risk of killing anyone due to a mistake.
Get attention for what? Do I get a prize for getting so many comments? Get a grip. I came here to vent and whatever comment I get back is what it is. Nurses are notorious for eating their young
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Get attention for what? Do I get a prize for getting so many comments? Get a grip. I came here to vent and whatever comment I get back is what it is. Nurses are notorious for eating their young
No, no we aren't. It happens in EVERY profession. Trust. When I worked at the hospital I had a younger, newer nurse be rude to me. People are rude. If you work with people, then you have to deal with attitudes. End of story.
I feel like a jerk and just don't know what to do. Who knows if home health will work. Before I was a nurse, I was fired from every job. I've been on bad luck all my life. I don't expect people to understand.
If you've been fired from "every job" you've had, then the problem is YOU, not "bad luck." I think whoever told you that counseling wouldn't help is full of it. You absolutely need counseling to help you identify the behaviors/attitudes that are contributing to your inability to make strong connections, to keep a job, to stick with something, and succeed. If you got through nursing school, you clearly are not stupid. But something about your personality and coping skills is getting in the way. If you have clinical depression and anxiety, you need help with those from people who have dedicated years to learning about these conditions and have a track record of actually helping people overcome them.
I hope you can get a job that you find fulfilling, but remember, wherever you go, there you are.
"Do what you've always done and you'll get what you always got." If you tried counseling and it didn't help, you had the wrong counselor. Not necessarily a bad one, just not the right one for you. Keep looking for the better fit.
If you lash out at work like you have done here, it's no surprise why you have never been able to keep a job. It's unprofessional and will only lead to future firings if you don't take control of that.
Best wishes for getting a handle on your problems.
MinneNurse, BSN, RN
104 Posts
I read your previous post when you initially posted it about being fired after charting early that you gave the med before you actually gave it and went back today after reading this post and read all your other ones. I can't say if nursing all-together isn't for you but I don't think the previous nursing positions you were in were the best fit for you. Passing medications in LTC and assisted living is a tedious job that many would find difficult. Obviously you had a pattern down, which was signing after you opened the med but before administering it to the resident, and unfortunately that method was problematic. I think your intentions of having a method you followed was good, unfortunately the method itself was problematic. It seems like your first job caused you self-doubt and drained your self confidence. When you went to your second job at the OBGYN clinic you didn't have enough confidence in yourself and that paired with the unfamiliar OBGYN environment (much different from geriatrics) you felt overwhelmed and scared so you left and returned to the more familiar, yet demanding environment of assist-living.
I think you haven't found your niche in nursing, and that doesn't mean you aren't cut out for being a nurse. If you like geriatrics, try looking into other positions that allow you to work with that population in a less demanding and overwhelming environment. I have great respect for nurses who work LTC/assisted living but admit that I don't think I could work in that area. Far too many residents, too many medications, and for me I think too much room for error.
I do agree with others that before you jump back into nursing, you need to focus on yourself. As nurses, we often put our own feelings, mental health, and well-being aside and that isn't fair or healthy. We've all done it. Take some time to get yourself feeling better, and then start looking for a new nursing position.
Wishing you the very best!