studentjoy

This just happened to me! It was pretty tough, but I beleive there is a reason that this all happened. I was surprised because they had two nurses ready to give birth and two others were leaving??? It's like really, "am I THAT bad?" It feels so good to get support here! You will be fine, once you shrug this off (easier said than done). See my topic: Lost 1st job because "there are things they don't teach in Nursing School" Stay strong and carry on!

Thank you for the new perspective. I have some interviews in the next town, but this place has about 15 locations within 20 miles of my house so it stinks. I don't know enough to stand up to people. The support feels very welcome. It really made me incompetent and being new is enough for that. You are right that it IS my license and yes, I worked darn hard for it.

I graduated as an LPN about 3 months ago. I started a full time position in a LTC/Skilled facility. I was given different preceptors and four different units with 20+ on each unit. Had to figure out who had CBG's, insulin's, who slept after breakfast, whole, float, etc. Each preceptor wanted me to do things a different way (med pass). Couple this with having to learn 20 new faces/rooms, I likely looked as dumb as I felt. I noticed that there were "holes" in the MAR, sometimes 2 days in a row. Narc counts were off and then the nurse would go through and sign the med out to equal the count. I finally found an excellent preceptor on the skilled/rehab floor. I was getting good a the med pass, but I made a couple of small errors and was spoken to rather harshly. I could take this. Final day...someone had to go. Went to give insulin and roomate "Alice (not real name) was crying in her room complaining of cramping in the chest and that her shoulder hurt. I told the preceptor and she kind of rolled her eyes and said "she is always like that". I checked the MAR for pain PRN meds and she only had Tylenol. Very busy so I got back to work with med pass. Later that day ARNP saw Alice on the toilet and crying. They got her into bed. When I went down to do vitals, ARNP asked if I noticed anything different about her today. Said she was complaining about chest cramps and I spoke with "Rhonda" (not her real name), my preceptor. Rhonda came down and when the ARNP said "she was having pain or cramping in the chest area?" Rhonda looked at her then me and said "I didn't know that". I let it go not realizing the two errors I made. Admitting That pt had chest pain or not standing up for myself. Next day Unit Manager said he was going to give me my 30 day review where I got all needs improvement. Mainly: Not communicating with my preceptor, not doing the med pass without errors, and he had input from all my preceptors. It was at this point I stood up for myself and explained what happened. He said "you should have assessed her". Which is technically right. I went to the nursing station to tell preceptor which is where the Vital machine is anyway so I spoke to her and she brushed it off. Said I do not lie. So someone had to go? Yup, I gave notice after receiving a brutal review. My preceptor said to me "there are some things you don't learn from Nursing School"

My nurse trainor at my building came up to me at 9:00AM to tell me I had made "a couple errors" on Friday. She said she could not recall exactly what they were, but I was no longer allowed to pass medications (I should go back to observing) and that I would need to do a complete med pass with her observing me. I was shocked because I have been there a month and had made an error already by not giving a scheduled .25 of Ativan. The nurse I was with today said she beleived it was because I signed a med on a new admit but that the bingo tab had no pill missing so I did not give it to her. The initials (mine) are in a strange place and I DO NOT think I intitialed that. I recall that I did not have a med but cannot remember if I borrowed one (wrong, but the nurses I worked with did it) or talked to someone that I didn't have it or it it was even that patient. It seems like something happened and I guess it is my fault. Someone had to be going over the MAR very carefully to find an error like that. It is a very busy floor with end stage patients receiving pallative care (dosing every 1/2 hour). Behaviors are present and the usual CBG's that should be done early and certain people eating that you have to get before they go to sleep, etc. I find it difficult to schedule my day not knowing my patients schedules. They are all on multiple medications as they are somewhat long term care and somewhat Rehab. I have been there for 1 month and have been trained on 3 different hallways. I am unable to remember 20 diags, faces, schedules and following three different nurses. I am a BRAND NEW nurse. I was teary and confused and found it difficult with what the nurse trainer told me and went to find her to talk more with her. She was in a meeting and my DON was not in. I left a message with my nurse and said I needed to clear my head (I could not focus and felt blind-sided and stupid and humiliated to have to start over). Maybe I could not do this job safely? I went home and left messages for my DON and the nurse trainer. My question: Are they telling me to go? That is what I feel or am I being too sensitive?

I'm laughing so hard. I wanted to be a nurse since my early 20's. I graduated on July 25th as an LPN at the age of 50! First time I had the opportunity to pay for food and a roof over my head and no children to look after. I already have a job lined up from my huge life-time network in my city. Go for it...you only have 40 or 45 years left to work!

I was hoping someone could help. I offer no excuses for my behavior in the past. I have a record in another state that came up with my FBI fingerprint check. It didn't come up when I applied to Nursing School but another conviction for simple assault came up and I had the that one expunged. But the Board of Nursing does the FBI check and an arrest came up from another state that I moved to right after the divorce. I was going to approach this in complete honesty at my board hearing.. It was a terrible marriage with continuous cheating with the same woman (who he is with now over 10 years later). I behaved badly and have changed my life. I volunteer with the marginalized (elderly, sick, poor) with my Catholic Church. I don't drink, smoke, and happily remarried and haven't done nothing illegal for 10 years and won't. I just don't want to ever be that person again. Anyone have any luck by simply putting yourself out there? I have the Monsignoir at the Cathedral recommendation. I have another person in my volunteer committee who is a retired Nurse Practitioner writing a personal recommendation. My Deacon at the church and an Echo Apprentance from Notre Dame University in Theology writing a recommendation? Is this an appropriate action along with a sincere heartfelt explaination and appology?

Hi Motivated...if your record is expunged, my understanding is even the BON doesn't see it, conversely, it is illegal. I had my record expunged and it doesn't show. Get a copy from the FBI to double check but it shouldn't affect you. If it is expunged....you DONT HAVE a record! Hope this helps.

My thought oin the University making money is a little different. Lets just say you go to Joe's College of Nursing and get your ASN. You worked hard and took alot of courses. Now you want to get a degree at Prestige University. They are not going to take all your credits because you already took them. They want to make sure when you go out into the world sporting a Prestige U degree you are of a certain caliber and they cannot control the quality of their students if you only take a few classes there and walk off with a superior (sounding anyway) degree. They need to be sure you stand up to their name.

I'm starting my LPN now. They are disorganized with paperwork, but Manchester, Southern NH in general has few options without a very long waiting list or a year of prereqs. They will take you and if you put in the effort, it is a good school most of the students seem quite happy. Just my opinion. Some people don't have the time to take three years for Tech or good enough grades for Jt. Joes.