momofr&b

Thanks Tewdles, I needed the reminder about the thicker skin. I will let my supervisor know, but I am worried about looking like I am incompetent! I have never had a complaint about my nursing skills yet, and what I lack in skills, I hope I make up for in compassion. It just feels wrong when a family member is verbally abusive. Thanks for the reminder that I need to relax!

Hi, I have had 2 experiences in the past week where family members have been rude and arrogant to me. Last week I had the son of a family member tell me I needed to "do more research" on his father before I showed up at his house, and just today I had the daughter of a patient ask me if I actually do "hands on" nursing or just paperwork and that the nurse that would be there this evening would do the patient's tube feeding "right." I have done thousands of tube feeds and the daughter wanted me to do it her way, which is to stand there with the tube held high, letting gravity push the feeding in. I went to push it in with the plunger (slowly!) and she said, "do you know what you are doing??" I feel so defeated and offended and not sure what I am supposed to put up with. Most patients and their family members are so nice, but these 2 have really gotten to me! I try to be the best nurse I can, and I know what I am doing, but these people made me feel like an idiot. I feel the worst because today I did not defend myself because I do not want to lose my job, but do I have to take that? Does anyone else have any horror stories about patients/families? I need to feel better before I work again! Thanks all!:angryfire

That is so funny that you write that carebear because your story sounds exactly the same as mine! I have been a med surg nurse for 1 year, 8 months, and haaaaate it! The doctors are mean, the nurses hate each other, and the patients treat us like waitresses! I am starting home care next month per diem, and then will hopefully do it full time in the fall- I was afraid to make the jump into full time until I was sure I was doing the right thing. In the meantime, I will be pool on my floor, committing to one day a week. I know what you mean about getting sick before I have to work. I actually called out sick for the first time the other day because I had a migraine, and my nurse manager ignored me for the whole day when I came back! Am I in grade school again??! Good luck and let us know how it goes!

I agree that it is very frustrating looking for your first job. To be honest, I took a med surg job after swearing that I would never do med surg because that was what was available! And I did tell them that I had no other aspirations other than med surg- I wouldn't have gotten the job if I didn't! Hang in there, and someone will hire you. After you have a year's experience, you will be so much more marketable. Trust me, I got a job on a trauma floor after a year in med surg! Good Luck!

Not really. Nursing is not all roses and lillies. I just wanted to bring a little reality to the situation. It just seemed to me that when you lose one job and then lose another job with 3 separate preceptors thinking you may be unsafe, something may be off there. Has that ever happened to you? Me, either. Why not, do you think? It is a child's attitude to blame everyone else when something goes wrong. We need to step up to the plate and realize we may be partly at fault when something goes wrong. How will we learn otherwise? Everyone telling her how wonderful she is helps to a point, but none of us knows her personally. Maybe she was "unsafe". Who knows but her? I just don't believe that she doesn't know why she was fired or that no one told her specifically what she did to get fired. I am sure that this will anger some people, but I believe in telling it like it is, with respect that is....

Well I can't be so naive as to think it will never happen to me, and I am lucky to have had the experiences that I have had as an RN so far. Suesquatch, I hope you find the right fit for you, and I am sorry if I have offended you. Please know that I understand nursing is never easy, but soooo rewarding when you find what you are looking for. I hope you find that. There are too many types of nursing not to. Seek and ye shall find, right. Thanks for your input, gang.....

I am a nurse, too, so I do understand what you all are saying. I am a med surg nurse working in a large suburban hospital. My job is not easy, but it is rewarding, and I know that if I were to be fired from one job, you can be sure that I would take it as a learning experience and never let it happen again.

Sorry I mixed up my numbers. I meant to write 12 pages. I understand being supportive and I am all for it. But if we go to work with a bad attitude because we do not like what we are doing, and she did write that she did not, what is the patient gaining? And does it do the facility she was let go from any good to get rid of a good nurse? I don't think so. So don't you think that something sounds fishy when 3 different preceptors agreed that she could be unsafe? And that this is the second facility she was let go from? I am not trying to single out Sue, but we all need to remember (including me) that touting about how wonderful someone is when she may be the wrong one here isn't doing her any good. Every bad experience is an opportunity to gain some insight into how we can better ourselves, and everyone telling her how right she is and how wrong everyone else is is a mistake in my opinion. Thanks

I honestly can not believe that none of you believe that Suesquatch had any part in either of her dismissals. This criticism of everyone but her perpetuates the idea that nurses eat their young and that most hospitals are a terrible place to work for new nurses. I believe as much as th next person that we need to support each other, but does it need to be to a fault? No one but Suesquatch really knows the story of her jobs ending. Why are you all so quick to blame everyone else? 21 pages of support is getting a little ridiculous. I just wanted to bring a little reality to the situation.

This is what I meant. Thanks

I got the idea from your post that said you hated it from job one, day one.

no offense intended by previous message

Why are we all assuming that she did not do something that warranted her firing? If 3 preceptors agreed that she could be unsafe, maybe she is. No offense. Maybe you could put some thought into that. Were you giving attitude because you did not like what you were doing? Not all of nursing is fun, but we do what we need to do for the patients. That is just my opinion.

I just graduated from the LaSalle Acheive program on Mother's Day of this year. Aside from a little disorganization, I thought it was a great program. I had Meryle Gurmankin for Nurs 307, Bob Strayer for Pharm, and Sharon Beck as well. All were great instructors. Bob Strayer was a riot in class and extremely knowedgable, and the other 2 were great as well. The clinicals differ for each class. Mostly on the weekends, but every once in a while they offer a weekday clinical if you so desire. The clinicals were either every other weekend Saturday and Sunday for 6 hours each day, or for the shorter semester courses (peds and ob), they are 12 hours every Saturday OR Sunday. I did buy the textbooks for each class, and they were needed. Also, digital recorders vary by teacher, but most instructors allow them. They really come in handy for studying. I just got my first job as a floor nurse, and the BSN really makes a difference- any other questions, let me know! Thanks! Heathervet