I am trying to figure out what I should do. I started on a Med/Surge floor 4 months ago. This is my first hospital job. I am 45 years old and get pretty physically and mentally tired by the end of a busy 12 hour shift.
My probation period was supposed to end at 90 days. At that time the brought me in and said that they could not name anything I was doing wrong, but they wanted to be sure I could handle 5 patients on my own before ending my probation. I thought that was pretty reasonable since I had only been done precepting for a couple weeks.
So that time has gone by and I think I did pretty good. I am still learning a lot of course. So now they say they want me to have support person I can go to for the next two weeks with any questions I have, then work on my own two more weeks and then "we will re-visit where I am at."
I have made minor mistakes along the way, I am a new grad and still have tons to learn. My question is should I just look for another job or if I should ride this out and see where it goes. They say they want me to be successful and they think I can do it, but they keep extending my probation period. I am frustrated and overwhelmed by them not being able to say what I am doing wrong but they keep saying they "have some concerns".
This whole thing has been very stressful. Any advice you be greatly appreciated!
I suffered age discrimination at the beginning of my nursing career and ever since. It is only logical to think the employer has had second thoughts about having an older employee around, especially one that is a new grad. Two whammies in one.
Age discrimination at 43. Asked at a job interview why I had no nursing experience at my age, as well as other questions regarding my physical condition and age. I was very physically fit at 43, so no idea where the justification for that remark came from. The interviewer was in my same decade, so perplexed why she didn't think that someone in their 40's couldn't go up and down a set of stairs to reach their residents on both floors.
This happened to me. I truly believe that those of us who start out as older nurses have certain "issues". First, we don't (at least I) never had that confident, kick ass attitude I notice younger nurses have. We've seen more in life and we're not really just "starting out". It feels like we've taken a huge risk changing careers in middle age. I think this actually works against us. We're not out to storm the world. We're not part of the young beginner nurses, and we aren't part of the older seasoned nurses either. I worked in hospitals for years before nursing, but it's soooo different as the nurse.
I was constantly being asked how long I had been a nurse. People would say they thought it was great I went back to school at started at 37, but I think in their heads, I had already been a nurse for some time. I don't think it's age discrimination, just perception. I used to train phlebotomists and I admit that I probably took the younger ones under my wing just a little more.
Lastly, they had concerns about me too. I'm horribly slow despite the fact that I feel like I'm working as quickly as I safely can. I was brought in and they were going to give me more time, or let me transfer. The next day I was told they would let me resign. If I were you I would start looking for something less stressful. No shame in that. It's what I've eventually come to the decision I had to do, now I just have to learn to accept I might never achieve what I had hoped, but there still is a place where I can excel. Good luck and keep your head held high!
Isn't it illegal for a potential employer to ask or discuss your age during an interview?
Sure is. But I doubt anyone interviewing me would mistake me for being in my twenties. Unfortunately age is one of those things that gives itself away. Plus, if they do a background check and see that I got my bachelor's in 1997 and started having addresses independent of my parents the same year, that makes it pretty easy to ballpark me. And my birth date is on my application, so they don't even have to guess.
Isn't it illegal for a potential employer to ask or discuss your age during an interview?
When the interviewer openly discusses an applicant's age, especially in what can mildly be described as a demeaning tone, it can only indicate that they are so sure of their ability to flaunt the law, because they know that an older person, desperate to put a roof over their head, will not go running to the EEOC to lodge a worthless complaint.
martymoose, BSN, RN
1,946 Posts
Actually age discrimination was my first thought. I am of this age grouping also.
None of the youngers want to put up with us olders, and some of my co- workers are happy to throw us under the bus for being slow.