Terminated After 8 Weeks X 2

Dear Nurse Beth,

I'm a stale new grad.
I have been very unsuccessful in my first year.

I've had two new grad nurse positions in the hospital, both of which only lasted 8 weeks. In both positions, I poured my heart and soul into what I was doing and was told by my preceptor I was "doing fine" until I got called into the office one day. Both employers told me I wasn't a good fit and advised me to find my niche.

Since then, I have concluded that hospital nursing is not for me. I realize I prefer 1:1 pt contact or non-clinical nursing positions. The problem is I'm now 1 year out without experience and nobody wants to hire me! I feel like a failure.

1) Since I'm "branded", what can I do to recover and regain my career?
2) Is it possible to work outside the hospital as a new nurse?
3) Can nursing still be for me?

Dear Discouraged,

I'm sorry you've had such a rough start.

If you were terminated X 2 after 8 weeks, it could be that acute care nursing is not a good fit. Not everyone thrives in situations with competing demands and multiple responsibilities. You prefer 1:1 patient contact, have you considered behavioral health?

There are jobs outside of the hospital, namely skilled nursing, outpatient clinics, dialysis, to name a few. You are most likely to land a job in skilled nursing with your lack of experience. The most important thing now is to land a job in order to start building a work history.

When you start your next job, ask for regular feedback from your preceptor. Ask what you did well and what you could do better- avoid close ended questions such as "Am I doing OK?"

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

Author, "Your Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job"...and your next!