benitarae

Congrat's on the interview. I recently had an interview there also. I have not heard yet. I was let go from a job 6 mos ago and am getting really down. I'm thinking perhaps telling the truth was not such a good idea. Any advise on to tell the real reason you were let go VS lie? Never been fired before in my 20 years of nursing.

Dear S.Gettes, Isn't that considered bad mouthing an employer?

Blood collections such as Apheresis, Plasma collections, Drug Reps, Visit Nuses, Case Managers......just start looking online. In my area there is an influx of nurses and not enough jobs. I accidentally applied to a dream job that turned out to be in another state-they called me for an interview the day after I'd applied! I am not in a position to move to another state at the moment, but if I do not get even an interview... (I've had only 6 in 5 months-1 offered 21.00 per hour as an RN, 2 were creepy facilities where no one smiled-I accepted one of them and quit after 11 days, 1 temp job which I took but really sporadic assignments not enough hours to eat on, 1 where they never called me back "I have alot of applicants to interview" and another one coming up. I am giving it until summer, then getting a temp license in another state, get my house situated, applying in other states and relocating if I get a job. It's not something I look forward to as I am in my late 50's. But if that's what it takes-moving away from family and friends feels lonely.

I was at my first nursing job for 6 months, gave notice and worked for another organization for 15 years when I wanted to do something different, gave notice to them and then quit the new job after 12 days of being made fun of, yelled at....by my preceptor no less. I then went back to my previous job and stayed for 1 year, was fired after 2 1/2 years (documentation error, no one was harmed and everything was ordered correctly, ect....) Accepted another job that I knew I shouldn't (listen to those little bells going off inside your head) and quit without notice after 11 shifts because I was afraid for my license to even stay another 2 weeks. Now I am back pounding virtual pavement. I do not list either job I quit without notice on my resume. However, unemployment says that I should not have quit "just because you did not agree with thier policies and procedures". If that were only it! (a revolving door for staff sort of place). I did write the facility a resignation listing all the things that were happening there and what I had done to try to correct them (my meager sudggestions were denied by the administrator-personally, I think she did not want too much documentation so the facility wouln't take the fall should a law suit arise) So I am fighting a loosing battle, it's the government. But the stress of worrying about my license is no longer there. After working there for 6 weeks, you are probably still on probation. Can you talk to a boss there? Explain the situation and if he/she wants a 2 week notice, stick it out just 2 more weeks? Please let me know how this ends up.

You can begin to see the the way through the "rubble" you have left behind as you keep working with a reputable recovery program. Do you have a recovery preceptor? Are you attending outpatient meetings? Are you in a program? I respect Jackstem's description of addiction. Like diabetes, addiction is not just something that goes away by itself. The individual has to work on it to control it. This takes time. There are good programs out there, wish there were more. Sounds like you are grieving, I know I would be. Like Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's 5 stages describing grief, one MUST complete the stages in order to move forward. You might move ahead 2 steps and back 3, but you must complete it. If you are not familiar with her books, I sudgest you look them up-the stages are applicable to all human emotions-any loss. But, please, keep going and seek help when you need it. I, too, have had times where everything is going all wrong-and I've felt like my life is over-everyone has. I know women who have an addiction they are trying to work on while the husband is divorcing them and taking custody of the kids, lost her job and her license, her home and then her mother dies. At the same time they have to deal with the government agencies to be able to stay in a recovery program and still eat. You have a role to play in this-like the diabetic, like the cancer victim, like the heart patient. It is your job to protect the person inside from harming the "vehicle", the "house" you live in. There is no magic answer to be able to set a day or time when you will see through the fog. You see it when you see it. Please seek the support you NEED to do this. (And thankyou, Jackstem, for your thread.) Keep on keeping on.

I thought all the responses gave good ideas. But from personal experience, I know elderly patients are the hardest to convince. And additionally if there are other factors, such as culture, language and the sex of the nurse. I am leaning towards getting the Charge Nurse to get a female CNA or nurse to attempt this. Also, giving the patient her own basin and trying to convey to her that she will get an infection if she does not bathe herself, especially in that area. I remember, I once had a patient who refused to remove herself from the toilet. She was elderly and had some dementia going on. I called the nurse administrator who came and talked with her to no avail, in the end, we had to forcibly remove her. The patient had been on the toilet for almost 2 hours! Her social worker was not at all happy. Perhaps we should have contacted her first!

I think the only thing that has made me go (yuk) are respiratory secretions. For some reason they make me feel like choking. I worked in a clinic on the other end of things and that did not bother me, Just think, we all have orifice's-if we are lucky! But a trach pt clearing his throat when the trach is out to be cleaned and you ask him not to clear secretions until the hole is covered but he does it anyway and you have mucus all over yourself-just don't know how to overcome this. What bothers me most are patients who do not wash! The stench is not unlike a decaying body or the stench of pig poop., rancid. I suppose there is a phobia the patient has, aversion to water maybe. But you still have to treat them with dignity, it's the ethical thing to do. These people must have a very limited social structure and I can only imagine the lonliness they must feel. So I guess what I'm saying is you have to find a way to walk a mile in the patient's shoes in all yukky stuff!

As I understand it, you were pretty much just "Plopped" into the position. Sounds like your co-worker had an attitude, probably not with you, but rather with the facility. Maybe she resents having to train you when she is not getting paid additionally for it. Who knows. Right now is not the time to beat yourself up. You can refer to the past for a reference towards the future,but don't stay there. I hope you have support, a buddy, to help overcome your past addictions. I am looking for the book Jackstem recommended, Stabotage. Maybe that place did you a favor-sounds like a looser organization.

This place sounds just like a facility I was at for 11 shifts! Half ass "training" (I followed an LPN around for 1 shift, no idea what she was doing because she didn't have time to explain because they were so short staffed) The scheduled staff on the posted schedule had staff scheduled-but no longer even worked there! I should have listened to that little bell going off inside my head when I was hired. I didn't know that the average staff stayed about 5 months. A revolving door! Some of the diabetic patients there reused thier lancet needles because of cost, as they had to buy thier own supplies. This grossed me out, but the patient is always right at that place. There were no wrist bands-privacy they said. Now I have to file an appeal with unemployment as they said that just because I didn't agree with the facilities policies was not a reason to quit. There were no written policies or procedures and no training and no job description and few nurse staff! Beware, listen to that little bell!

I remeber my first job. I was there for 6 months before I found another job. I was a float charge. On one of the floors the charge comitted herself for ATOH abuse and was out about 6 weeks. I was assigned as charge until she returned. When she came back she mostly refused to talk to me, and she looked at me with almost pure hatred. I was a new nurse, I didn't know what to do. So I just went about my business. Then I started getting called into the office regarding incidents I had not been aware of. They started calling in the aides without my knowing it. One of the nurse managers followed me on a couple of shifts because "It doesn't take the other nurse as long as you to pass out meds". (The other nurse would predraw her meds, sometimes not giving them until she had time, and sign them out for the correct time). I told the manager who was following me that I did not know what was going on, but I thought I should give my notice as I felt this was a no win situation. She told me that she did not know what was going on either, but that now administration was coming down on her! (She had always reported that was doing everything right.) I still do not know what all that was about. But I know I liked the new job better! I do agree with one of the posts above. You should speak with someone in administration and find out what's going on-NIP it in the bud. Also, be aware of the SAVIOR TYPE PERSONALITY. They are almost like MUNCHAUSERS'S (can't spell) SYNDROME people. They set you up so they look like the hero! They get noticed.

GO to DosageHelp.com for nursing math, it has everything!

Thankyou

I would say take the job if offered. It's tough out there right now. It looks better on a resume to have a job already when applying to other postings. I agree, you should continue trying to get anything in a hospital. Did you know that volunteering at the hospital could give you an edge getting a job there? I was told this by a hospital HR person.

I have been an RN for 18 years, but was unable to get into a hospital when I graduated. I worked in L/T care for 6 months but the pay, hours were not good. I accepted a job in Blood Collection Services for more money and better hours and stayed there for 15 years, moving around within the organization. I even had a part time job at an HIV center during this time. Then I saw a job posted with an HMO clinic that really sounded like it was something I would like to do-and I loved it for 2 1/2 years. Then I made a mistake in documentation and was fired for it. I was not walked out-my boss started crying when she fired me. I have recently learned (after 5 months of being unemployed) that another nurse had been reporting small things, true or untrue, to my boss-for several months. She had recently been demoted from Charge nurse back to staff. On the same day that I was fired another nurse was also fired-the former charge nurse had not made it a secret she was on this nurses tail. (I had told the former charge nurse previously that I thought it was wrong to persecute the other nurse, in the nicest way I knew how) Looks like she took this as a threat now. Another nurse who still works there is covering her back because it is happening to her! She says it's become a "write the other nurse up" atmosphere. I know I am human and I made a mistake. I also know that I am a good nurse. My reviews also attested to this fact! But my career, I think is ended. It's been 5 months and only 1 very crummy offer and 4 interviews. On the application I have written "would discuss upon interview" and in the 4 interviews I have had, I say "I loved my job, I made a mistake in documentation and I am moving on, keeping this as a learning tool. I know I am a good nurse and a reliable employee". I don't know what else to do! My boss even told me I could use her as a reference-I wonder if this is a mistake. I do have 4 other references which I use also. Any suggestions out there?

Thankyou for your reply. I had already decided to say something like "I really loved my job at ---and I was proud to work for an organization that has a good reputation. I know that I am a good nurse, but not perfect. I'm human. There was a recent change in management, I made a mistake regarding documentation and was let go for it and have taken steps to improve my skills in that area. I am keeping this as a learning experience and moving on." The first part is positive, the middle is in answer to the question and the ending is positive. Hopefully the interviewer has had similar experiences in her/his career.:heartbeat