Strike three? Am I out?

Nurses Career Support

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I've been an RN for two years and recently switched jobs. I love my new employer but really don't like the unit I'm on. At my first nursing job I was precepting students, gaining confidence in my skills and getting about as comfortable as you can be as a nurse. I had a great relationship with my peers, supervisors and the physicians. At this new job, I feel like I keep getting the wind knocked out of me. Really early on a patient complained to my supervisor so she pulled me aside to hear my version of what happened. I was shocked that the patient had made a formal complaint. Then I had a run-in with one of the clinical managers because I had told her I needed help because I had a critical patient but apparently I was not forceful or convincing enough. The patient ended up with a 1:1 nurse and was transfered to ICU by the end of the shift. Recently I had to transfer a patient to ICU for ALOC and now am feeling the repurcussions of that. I have to read and sign the stroke alert policy as well as reviewing the signs and symptoms of a stroke. I have to review and sign information that was covered in a recent staff meeting. My supervisor is also looking for an article specific to the patient's situation that I'll be required to read and sign. Including myself there were six nurses and three doctors involved in the patient's care that night and we were all stumped. Yet it was my bad because my clinical manager went through the wrong line of communication? It was my bad because the first doc wouldn't address the patient's declining status? I'm starting to feel like it doesn't matter what I do, I've now been labeled as a nurse who doesn't have a clue. I have no idea what to do. I really want to stay within the company but I'm not sure my review will be good enough to ever transfer.

What do I do? How do I step up and show them that I'm a great nurse? How do I get elsewhere before something else happens and I'm fired?! I've never been fired but it's feeling like that could be a real possibility. I don't want that on my record! Now I'm sick to my stomach almost every day I have to work. I'm anxious. I'm getting migraines. Is nursing really worth it???

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