Under employed

[kwagner_51]

Hi all I need to talk and am also looking for some career advice PLEASE!!

I was hired as a grad nurse in July 2005 and fired from said job 89 days later. 6 days after passing NCLEX. Got a job in LTC 8 days later and was fired 6 weeks later. Worked 18 shifts. Reasons? Lack of experience and I informed her that I couldn't work swing shifts. [i wasn't informed when I got the job that I had to work swing shifts. I would work 7p-7a be off the rest of that day and the have to come in 7a-7p the day after.]

Completely unemployed until March 2006. I went on several interviews but no job. I was hired at another LTC facility 30 miles away from home. I also applied for Head Start Nurse at the same time. I got the HS Nurse job and quit the LTC. In May 2006, I started working for the LTC again and continued to work for them and HS until January of this year.

I went in to work my Saturday night 12 hr shift and found out I was the only RN in the building. I decided right then and there that I wasn't working there ever again!! I completed my shift, doing my work and the QMAs work, had to call a death, inform the dr., the family and the facility. I didn't get out of there until 0930. I didn't get a lunch break and was there for 14.5 hrs.

When I went in to pick up my paycheck, I checked the schedule and my name wasn't on it so I never went back. I found out from one of the CNA's that State had come in in the middle of the night Sunday after I had worked my shift from H***.

I continued to work for HS and got a job in May 2007 working in HH. I went back to QOSunday in HH to work at Head Start again.

At HS, things went to H*** real quick. I was responsible for ensuring that each chid had a physical before school started. We had switched to new computer program in Feb. None of the enrollments had been done. I didn't get the info needed to inform the bus driver about who could ride the bus. My site superviser ordered me to ride the bus, work as a teaching assistant in the classroom, and to work in the kitchen, because she didn't have enough staff. :angryfire :angryfire

Please don't read that wrong. I don't mind helping in all those areas, but I didn't have my work done. I was trying to get my center ready for health screenings, when I was ordered to do dishes by a teaching assistant. :angryfire :angryfire I told her that as of Oct 12, they would need to find someone else to be their whipping girl, because I was quitting!!

I filled out my resignation form and turned it in to the site supervisor. I continued to work HH and instead of working every other Sunday, I now work every other weekend.

I am also employed with an agency and have worked one shift with them in LTC.

I have gone in to HS several times since I quit to help with paperwork and yesterday we finally finished the health screenings that I tried to do in October. I just didn't feel right leaving the new nurse with all the undone crap. So I helped her out at least once a week. Yesterday, we did capillary lead screenings on 20+ kids.

I can now say that I don't have to go back and help the nurse anymore, because the job I was hired to do there is now done. The nurse is more comfortable with the job and the major screenings are done.

I called the hospital today that I was fired from 2 years ago, to see if I was on their do not rehire list. The lady in HR was nice and asked if it had been 2 years. She then said she ould let them know that I was interested. I filled out apps for them in Oct and November.

Now for the questions:

How do I explain 6 jobs in 2 yrs?

Do I mention that since May 2006 I have worked 2 jobs?

How do I explain resigning from a job but still going in to help the other nurse?

How do I present myself to a hospital?

I really want to work in a hospital, so I can get much needed training.

How do I overcome the fact that I feel like a failure d/t the fact that I have had willy/nilly experience?

Thanks!!

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

You could look on it as having a broad spectrum of experience. I have a couple of friends from nursing school that went through as many as six jobs before they found the one they liked and were comfortable with.

Accentuate the positive, and always talk about patient safety and how important that is to you. I think you will be okay and I hope you find a working "home" soon.

It's obvious that you interview well and people want to hire you. Try to be more careful about what jobs you accept, try to make sure you have examined the job well so you won't need to move on.

Good luck

[nurseinlimbo]

You sound a bit like me.

First Job - Worked as a grad nurse in temporary summer rotation with a psychiatric rehab facility, then when I graduated reapplied as an RN for a full time position. Finally was hired by the manager after weeks of bugging her, and then she proceeded to harass and harangue me until I finally quit.

Second Job- Rural hospital in the same community as above, worked as a summer prn worker, job ok though slow pace, was harassed continually by Night shift nurse who would come in an hour late when I was working evenings and made fun of my oral report.

Third Job- worked along with second job in LTC setting in same community. Small town, facility had bad reputation for going through staff. Once again harassed by staff, both RNs LPNs and Aides. Most unfriendly place I've ever worked. Manager was just evil. Quit them right before Christmas, with 2 weeks notice during which I had no shifts booked.

Fourth Job- worked also prn while at above 2 places, prn, had worked there as an aide for several years, still work there but recently had a tonne of trouble with them when I broke my leg.

Fifth Job- ltc with developmentally and physically disabled clients, as well as 4 bed Community Support Bed ward, still work here but have been waiting 4 years for steady work, was passed over for a temporary full time due to lack of seniority when a prn worker.

Sixth Job- Geriatric assessment/acute care of the elderly, temporary position, lasted the full six months but hated every minute of it. Very cliquey, staff would set me up to fail, I got all the crappy shifts while regular staff had Christmas parties, hot tub parties, Italian potluck etc. Left them to go to take a course in the Operating Room, which I rec'd a bursary for.

Seventh Job- Operating Room, graduated with honours from a six month training program, was hired part time to fullfil the bursary requirements, then was run off by the floor manager who hauled me in weekly for "evaluations' where I would be dressed down and leave in tears. Stressful enough environment without the added BS. Left them after orientation.

Was called in to interview at a rural OR site, where they proceeded to let me know that I would never be hired due to the problems in the original OR. Drove an hour one way to find that out. Nice.

I am now taking my degree PT, apply for homecare positions and day procedures positions when I see them. I have a .6 FTE at the LTC where I started as a PCA, which is where I originally wanted to get out because I thought it was bad. Now is the best of the worst.

I wish I had never gone to school for nursing sometimes, because while I can work enough hours, I am not challenged working nights in LTC, and feel undervalued as well. But can't afford to work for less money, so I stay.

I feel for you.

[nurseinlimbo]

PS. I graduated in December 2003, so that's 7 jobs in four years.