beachlover

I find it appalling. I worked in an LTC when the pandemic hit. The "powers that be" decided that with new admissions, they would place them on 7 days "isolation". We had ample empty rooms. They placed new admissions in the same room with other new admissions and would not allow staff to use proper PPE in the "isolation" rooms. During a meeting, I advised them that since most patients are not in the hospital that long, they should place each new admission on a full 14 day isolation, and treat them as if they were COVID +. They stated they could always re-evaluate this issue as time went on, but stood strong on not using N95's, etc, with new admits. Luckily, I had already given my notice and was out of there before 45 of the 85 patients tested positive, and multiple patients passed. There should have been guidelines on both ends - test the patient prior to release from the hospital, keep them on isolation, test them again in 14 days if no symptoms, then they could come off iso. And, proper PPE for the staff. I heard of 2 different LTCs/SARs that refused to test patients that were having symptoms. They did not want to have to report cases to the state because they were afraid of getting shut down, or having the state show up. I know they got hit hard and fast. But there were ways they could have handled this with a better outcome. It's a shame.

I am having a real hard time with this. I had to step away from nursing in the beginning of March, and being a volunteer EMT, due to COVID because I am immunosuppressed, and per Drs orders. Now my Dr is saying, well, if you want to go back, you can - just protect yourself, be really careful, and, well, you have to go back to work sometime, right? I am So torn. The guilt that I felt staying home while everyone is on the frontline nearly killed me. But now, I am scared. For myself, but more so, for my 83 yo mother who lives with me. I have applied to a ton of jobs working from home, but nothing has come through. I have decided to wait it out until the end of June - and to see how things go. But if anyone has any ideas, please let me know!

Completely sounds like my first RN position. I had worked at the same hospital for 3 years prior as a unit secy and Er na. By the end of my first week, I had 4 patients, unsupervised. Then it got real- my preceptor didn't want to train me, was not available, however would constantly interrupt my shift reports, drawing up meds and phone calls to Drs with non- urgent, non- related things. It was baffling and stressful. I had one staff meeting and was told I was meeting expectations and doing great. Two days later, I was let go for being "disrespectful to my preceptor". No discussion, no answer as to how I was possibly disrespectful. Don't let this happen. Speak up for yourself. Ask your training staff and/or manager for a guideline on training- see if you are meeting goals. Don't whine, don't complain, just ask about your position. Speak to your preceptor! Go in a little early and say something like, I was hoping this morning you could shadow me closely so I know I am doing everything right for our patients. I feel that your experience will really help. ?! Good luck!

I too was terminated during probation on a Telemetry unit. My preceptor wanted me to do things that were completely unsafe and against regulations and I questioned her on these issues.(i.e., she gave meds to my pt but never clicked off on it and wanted me to, 2 hours late; she gave insulin to my pt being transferred to another unit without my knowledge or without them getting their meal and wanted me to give report saying I gave the insulin; asking me to leave a pts room while I was in the middle of drawing up a med so she could show me how to discharge a pt- just in case that came up today..... weird!) I never once lost my cool or said anything rude to her, just asked her how I should go about these things for future reference. Then I was terminated for "being disrespectful". There was no discussion or write up. I had worked as a nursing asst while in school for the same hospital for 3 1/2 years with No issues/writeups. So this, of course, goes on my resume. In this day of online applications, what do I write as my "reason for leaving" this job? I do know that I am eligible for rehire if anyone calls the hospital. I hate saying "I was let go, but am eligible for rehire". Since then I have been working as a Nursing Supervisor/unit nurse at a rehab/LTC center. But for future applications, can you advise me on any better way of explaining it online? Thanks!

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She showed me where to find the information for a discharge, in case we had one. (we didn't). It wasn't one incidence. It continued to happen. I listened to her the first time, walking out of the room with filled syringe and vial in hand, knowing I shouldn't do that. I am an "older" new RN, and believe me - I understand what you saying about maybe she wanted to stop me from doing something wrong? But she wasn't in the room with me to begin with, and had no idea what I was doing. Ever. I had one other preceptor and no problems with her at all. I almost feel that she told them I was disrespectful so that I wouldn't be a whistle blower on her. I was not going to be - I just want to do the right thing for me and my patients.

I understand what you are saying by my tuning her out, but would you ask your new preceptee to stop in the middle of drawing up heparin to come out of the room to show her something insignificant? (i.e., where to find discharge instructions just in case you have a discharge today?) How would you suggest I had handled it? All opinions are welcome since I hope to learn from this. :)

That is what is so bizarre and weird about the whole thing. This one preceptor made my life a living hell from day one. I would be drawing up meds for a patient, and she would want me to put everything down (needle and all) and come out to the hallway to her WOW so she could show me something that was insignificant. I tried my best to keep giving the meds, but she would interrupt me constantly. I never said anything bad - just that I was in the middle of giving meds, needed to focus on that and that I would be with her in a minute. She would continue to hound me until I couldn't focus - so I had to "tune her out". I never said anything, just did my job and then would go to her and say nicely - what did you want to show me? As for both instances I listed (not scanning the meds and giving the insulin) she took my WOW and completed them under my name, and gave the insulin, while berating me. Both of these issues are cause for firing in my hospital. As many of you have said, I am Ok with not working on that unit. I have thought A LOT about what happened, and I honestly would not change a thing because I felt I had my patients best interest in mind. I didn't argue, I just stated that i didn't feel comfortable doing certain things. If she had explained to me that it was acceptable to do these things because of X circumstance, I would have been fine with it. My main concern is that I worked at this hospital for 2 1/2 years - with 2 of them in the ER. I got a long with everyone, all the nurses loved me and said what a great nurse I would be. And then this happens. I am not necessarily looking to fight for my job back, as I don't need to work with nurses who aren't on the up and up? But I am concerned about (1) using them as a reference and what is says in my HR file and (2) this happening to other new nurses. I am certainly not looking to get a 20 year veteran at this hospital in trouble, as it would be her word against mine - and I know it would get no where. Thanks everyone for your posts. This does kind of haunt me, and I am trying to "get over it".

I worked at a hospital for 2 1/2 years as an NA with no issues/writeups/problems. Once I received my RN, I was hired on a floor. On the last day with one of my preceptors, I was told to do things that were unethical and illegal. (giving meds without scanning them or the patient, giving insulin coverage when the trays were not on the floor and pt was being downgraded/transported soon). I stated each time that I was not comfortable doing this since I was on probation, but was told "we all do it and its no big deal" and yelled at for questioning her. I went along with it, hoping to speak to someone the next work day about this (it was a weekend with no admin/nurse educators/management in, of course). First thing the following day I was let go due to my being"disrespectful" to my preceptor and telling her what to do, not asking. I am still stunned. I have no union recourse, as I was on probation. Any suggestions?