I worked at a LTC place for two months. I'm fairly new to nursing. I've only been out of school since December last year and got my nclex in early April.
Recently on day shift I had very little sleep and I was overwhelmed. Working at a negative place for five days in a row, being charge nurse, having insults thrown at my face, and my night nurses not doing their duties correctly already had my anxiety through the roof.
As every hour passed more frustration grew...having new residents with IV pumps I've not been trained with...treatments and more medications to give.
A resident after a few hours, complained that they did not get their lunch tray and pouted/cried the whole way they went down the hall in their wheelchair. This is a difficult reside, A/Ox3 but uses every excuse to get people to jump for him and is very manipulative. He got his tray but then got even more upset when it had a food he couldn't eat on it.
I tried my hardest to keep my cool but ended up yelling at them as I walked down the hall to get my tray. I was then contacted by upper management and asked to be given a statement for verbal abuse investigation. Quickly after that I was terminated.
How screwed am I? I've gone now for the last three days with very little sleep and cried every single hour I feel. I'm just so depressed. My licence could be at stake here and I could never be able to find a job...I'm going to seek counseling at a psychologist's office Wednesday but how do i even get my feet back into nursing? How do I explain this to future employees?
Should I just stop nursing and get a retail job/education in something else? Or is there hope for me?
After a few weeks of being unemployed, I managed to get a place at a flu clinic/bio-metric screening place PRN. While not the best pay, it certainly is holding me over until I can find full time work.
I've gotten meds to help with my mood and anxiety. I feel confident for any full time position I might fall into.
I'm being interviewed for a correctional facility next week and I'm crossing my fingers that I say/do the right things to get in. It sounds like a great opportunity. If that doesn't work out, I have a possible school sub nurse position to be interviewed for in the state next to me. Wish me luck.
Specializes in Med-Surg, OB, ICU, Public Health Nursing.
Thank you for your help. I am trying not to worry about this but it is very hard when you have anxiety and are out of a job and pretty much broke with student loans to pay.
I am going to a psychologist today and getting help with anger management and stress management. This was highly recommended by my facility that I was terminated from. When I asked them if my licence was in trouble they could not give me a clear answer. They didn't even give me a clear answer on if they were reporting me to the board or not.
I find that of all the replies I've gotten, yours is the most clear and effective to combat my current stress.
I am applying to jobs frequently. I have received notice on a job that does not require a year's worth of experience and I am crossing my fingers hoping I can get into it.
I did contact NSO to see what they think of the situation at hand and I hope to get information tomorrow.
I reside in Illinois.
The interview process is also what I am worried about. I saw a good reply from NurseFifty about what I should say but I'm worried they won't hire me even if I do explain the situation in good light.
If there is no report to the BRN, why would you disclose that you were fired? Generally, when employers are asking for a reference, all that most will provide is your date of hire and your last day of work. The previous employers are concerned about liability and the employee suing the former employer. If you get asked about why you left, how about "It wasn't a good fit." "I felt unsupported as a new nurse." "The staffing was........"
Specializes in Med-Surg, OB, ICU, Public Health Nursing.
Just an update:
After a few weeks of being unemployed, I managed to get a place at a flu clinic/bio-metric screening place PRN. While not the best pay, it certainly is holding me over until I can find full time work.
I've gotten meds to help with my mood and anxiety. I feel confident for any full time position I might fall into.
I'm being interviewed for a correctional facility next week and I'm crossing my fingers that I say/do the right things to get in. It sounds like a great opportunity. If that doesn't work out, I have a possible school sub nurse position to be interviewed for in the state next to me. Wish me luck.
I would think twice about corrections if you have any doubt about your ability to keep your cool.
Are you part of any Nurses Associations (ANA) to get some legal help and counseling? It's scary to me that they (admin) put you in charge out of school, with no experience! that's a a bomb ready to explode! It would be scary for me as an new RN to work in those conditions. What the managers did with you and the new nurses is so wrong! read and learn all the laws about being an RN for the future. I will do the same for my own sake!
If there is no report to the BRN, why would you disclose that you were fired? Generally, when employers are asking for a reference, all that most will provide is your date of hire and your last day of work. The previous employers are concerned about liability and the employee suing the former employer. If you get asked about why you left, how about "It wasn't a good fit." "I felt unsupported as a new nurse." "The staffing was........"
Per your post, those were truisms.
Sadly i cant avoid explaining termination. A majority of applications require you to provide explainations regarding termination.
On the application for the correctional facility nurse I have put "Overwhelmed/panic attack. Raised voice while walking from a resident" and left it at that. If they ask me further in the interview, i will say that i was overwhelmed, that I was unsure of procedures to be done and thought that the resident walking down the hall couldn't hear me. Management contacted me and we both decided I was not a good fit. I've learned however from that experience how to better manage my anxiety." I've explained it several times on several applications with this company so i assume it's not that much of an issue in this type of environment...i hope.
Sadly i cant avoid explaining termination. A majority of applications require you to provide explainations regarding termination.
On the application for the correctional facility nurse I have put "Overwhelmed/panic attack. Raised voice while walking from a resident" and left it at that. If they ask me further in the interview, i will say that i was overwhelmed, that I was unsure of procedures to be done and thought that the resident walking down the hall couldn't hear me. Management contacted me and we both decided I was not a good fit. I've learned however from that experience how to better manage my anxiety." I've explained it several times on several applications with this company so i assume it's not that much of an issue in this type of environment...i hope.
Being overwhelmed and/or having a panic attack is a big issue. I don't think you're going to get very far in any job application if you put that in as the reason for termination. Go with not a good fit.
I got the insurance one day after I was aware I was terminated. If they really aren't wiling to help me or assist me because of that, then that is poor customer service and they will be losing money. That just doesn't seem quite right.
If your house burned to the ground, could you buy fire insurance for it the next day? Your thinking on this is a bit flawed.
Being overwhelmed and/or having a panic attack is a big issue. I don't think you're going to get very far in any job application if you put that in as the reason for termination. Go with not a good fit.
okay what if it shows up as an interview question?
WorriedNurse25
47 Posts
Just an update:
After a few weeks of being unemployed, I managed to get a place at a flu clinic/bio-metric screening place PRN. While not the best pay, it certainly is holding me over until I can find full time work.
I've gotten meds to help with my mood and anxiety. I feel confident for any full time position I might fall into.
I'm being interviewed for a correctional facility next week and I'm crossing my fingers that I say/do the right things to get in. It sounds like a great opportunity. If that doesn't work out, I have a possible school sub nurse position to be interviewed for in the state next to me. Wish me luck.