Shortest time you held a nursing job?

Agnus · Aug 22, 2003

one month. Management sucked, lied, you name it.

USA987, MSN, RN, NP · Aug 23, 2003

5 days...when I was an LVN...in a nursing home working as a med nurse...passing meds to 52 pts. (including getting their vitals) and doing all the treatments!!!!!!!!!!!

YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ShortFuse_LPN, LPN · Aug 23, 2003

One 8 hour shift.

My 1st job out of nursing school. I hadn't taken boards yet but was hired to work as an aide until I was licensed. It was the most awful nursing home I had ever seen!! The residents weren't washed, observed med nurse passing meds and saying,"She never takes this one." and throwing the pill away w/o even trying to get the res. to take it. I felt like crying the whole day.

After I clocked out at the end of the shift, I went to the DON and told her that I didn't think this was the job for me. She gave me a snooty look and had the nerve to say, "Well it DOES take a special person to care for the elderly." Which didn't sit well with me (and my big mouth ) So I shot back, "Yes it does, and I've never seen such a lack of thoses special people as I have here!" And walked out.

Cried all the way home. But was able to control myself long enough to make a call to the State!

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Aug 23, 2003

Originally posted by BelindaLPN
One 8 hour shift.
Cried all the way home. But was able to control myself long enough to make a call to the State!

BIG high-five to you, Hon!

My father died last year, after three weeks of receiving similar treatment in one of those hellholes. I'm not going to go into the gory details, for there is litigation pending against this facility.

And, as for your ex-DON, she had better start acting like a nurse..or get OUT of the business!

featherzRN, MSN · Aug 23, 2003

As an LVN: Two weeks. Same story as a few others here-was my first shot at an 'extended care' facility, and I ended up having to pass meds for 40-50 patients, all within one hour (the rules at this place). Plus I had to supervise a pile of nursing assistants - since most of them were 40-50 yo, and I was 18, this wasn't much fun. I had no experience with such things, and they ran right over me.

As an RN: Two months, just recently. Job in a rural hospital where the RN would often work alone (no aides, no nothing) . One night I got seven admissions including newborns, new moms, emergency appy, etc to add to my already fun six patients and that was the last straw.

bestblondRN · Aug 23, 2003

6 weeks. Was hired as Asst. mgr for a tele unit. No 3-11 staff, no weekend staff, many on LOAs, etc. Shoulda known better......told we couldn't use agency, so staff and management were working 16+ hours 6-7 days/week. Unsafe, unreal, and I can't believe I lasted as long as I did. What a pit.......

Town & Country · Aug 23, 2003

I must say I can relate to this thread.

I just turned down a job an a LTC facility, which was WHERE I wanted to work (or so I thought), and it was beautiful....on the outside.

I posted about it on here.

While I was orienting or interviewing or something, the ADON told me I would have thirty-plus residents, no med tech, and ONE CNA.

Experience is a great teacher and it said GET TO STEPPIN' IT, LOL!!!!

:eek:

mattsmom81 · Aug 23, 2003

One job I could only give a 1 week notice (also due to childcare issues) Because of this and the fact I was HONEST when I left (it was a hellhole) they Group One'd me for less than adequate notice...left a black mark on my record. Facilities can sure get vindictive when we tell them what we think of them. (which is why so many nurses choose to leave quietly vs enduring their wrath, and one reason these places stay operating)

Even bankruptcy goes away in 7 yrs but Group One follows you around forever. Group One background checks are used by healthcare HR folks to eliminate one from selection for interviews and hiring.

In Group One areas it is sooooo important to do your job research before landing somewhere bad and having to bail. Too many 'black marks' and a nurse finds herself blackballed. This is hard to prove, and one has little recourse unless federal law has been violated ie discrimination (I have talked to an attorney) but it has been going on for quite awhile now in my area.

Just another way our dysfunctional system tried to control nurses.

featherzRN, MSN · Aug 23, 2003

Wow I've never even heard of this 'group one' thing. What areas is it used in?

Heather

live4today, RN · Aug 24, 2003

One day....it wasn't for me, so I exercised my VOICE and stepped to the talk that I walked that day.

itsme · Aug 24, 2003

For me it was just under one month. Worked in a hospital about 35 minutes away and trained in with an nurse who didnt think LPN's should be breathing, let alone working there, and also the fact that i had LTC experience was enough to really pizz her off. What a rude old bitty!! Oh well, I got to learn some new things, like blood draws and starting IV's, so it wasnt a total flop!! Just a 95% flop!! Been at my present job so long I think there is a bed reserved for me when I get old!!:)

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Aug 24, 2003

Originally posted by mattsmom81
One job I could only give a 1 week notice (also due to childcare issues) Because of this and the fact I was HONEST when I left (it was a hellhole) they Group One'd me for less than adequate notice...left a black mark on my record. Facilities can sure get vindictive when we tell them what we think of them. (which is why so many nurses choose to leave quietly vs enduring their wrath, and one reason these places stay operating)

Even bankruptcy goes away in 7 yrs but Group One follows you around forever. Group One background checks are used by healthcare HR folks to eliminate one from selection for interviews and hiring.

In Group One areas it is sooooo important to do your job research before landing somewhere bad and having to bail. Too many 'black marks' and a nurse finds herself blackballed. This is hard to prove, and one has little recourse unless federal law has been violated ie discrimination (I have talked to an attorney) but it has been going on for quite awhile now in my area.

Just another way our dysfunctional system tried to control nurses.

I'm probably in that group, but I don't care. I walked out of another job after two months three years ago, after my salary was cut without my knowledge, and they were expecting me to complete 12-15 home care visits per day, in addition to being on call for any new admissions after hours. I would have given notice, except that the b---- who cut my salary refused to talk or even LOOK at me, when I confronted her about it. I completed my scheduled visits that weekend, then came in on Monday, turned in my visit notes, equipment and left. I know that I shouldn't have done that, but I was exhausted, angry and fed up, with (as you have aptly stated), with this dysfunctional setup.

Sometimes, you just get sick of being "raped" by this system, too...