Well, I thought I was doing ok. I thought the only thing I had to work on was time management, which would come with time right? I've been on the NICU less than 4 weeks and I was told this morning I wasn't a good fit. I'm a "very nice person" but my attention to detail isn't good enough right now and it is felt that with time my skills will be good enough...but not right now. Pretty much, I'm a nice person to talk to but I suck as a nurse. I hadn't been written up and as far as I knew from my preceptor I just needed to get used to working with little ones and my time management. My skills were fine. I've been out a few days with a stomach virus, so I get told this over the phone so I didn't have to come in on a off day. Which as of this morning is everyday.
I thought I was doing ok, I had gotten three arterial sticks, two IV starts (actually got one of those), and got to actually hold a feed two little ones last week. Now I find that I am not a good enough fit for them and honestly from my perspective this come out of the blue. No warning that I was doing that poorly. I know my preceptor had to repeat herself on certain things, but I think I'd eventually get it the more I did it.
I am supposed to take my boards next wed. Being told in a nutshell that your skills are lacking as a nurse, that your "really a sweet person" doesn't do much for my confidence.
I'm angry, hurt, humiliated, and wondering if I shouldn't just give up on being an RN since the first job I get doesn't think me much of a nurse anyway.
What I don't understand is why, if I had so many deficiencies, didn't they give me the chance to know about them and fix them?
I still want to work NICU, I actually enjoyed going to work...something that hasn't happened in a very long time. So what do I do now????
Wow. I see that you have adult background as an LPN. I have found that sometimes people coming from adults do have a harder time with time management in an ICU setting and they have other habits from working other areas that sometimes don't cross over to our world. Now, I think that 4 weeks is too little time to eval someone, but maybe they were expecting more from you having 13 years experience as an LPN. That would be my take on it from a preceptors point of view. Without the full story of the 4 weeks, it is hard to tell what your weakness is and truly what needs worked on. Did you ever meet with the educator or the clinical nurse specialist? In our unit, they are both involved and speak to new orientees away from us to hear what is going on. We in turn have weekly conferences with our orientees and have a log they keep. If there is a problem, we identify it early and try to address it.
It may be that NICU just isn't your fit. Can you go to newborn nursery or peds?
Did you have an exit interview with HR? You should have and you can also request your file then. Is this the hospital you have always been at? If so, can you lateral transfer somewhere else. When we have someone that isn't a fit and we know won't make it, they are offered other jobs elsewhere in the hospital. If what the UM is saying is correct, that sounds like a toxic environment and there is no way I'd stay.
Wow. I see that you have adult background as an LPN. I have found that sometimes people coming from adults do have a harder time with time management in an ICU setting and they have other habits from working other areas that sometimes don't cross over to our world. Now, I think that 4 weeks is too little time to eval someone, but maybe they were expecting more from you having 13 years experience as an LPN. That would be my take on it from a preceptors point of view. Without the full story of the 4 weeks, it is hard to tell what your weakness is and truly what needs worked on. Did you ever meet with the educator or the clinical nurse specialist? In our unit, they are both involved and speak to new orientees away from us to hear what is going on. We in turn have weekly conferences with our orientees and have a log they keep. If there is a problem, we identify it early and try to address it.
It may be that NICU just isn't your fit. Can you go to newborn nursery or peds?
Did you have an exit interview with HR? You should have and you can also request your file then. Is this the hospital you have always been at? If so, can you lateral transfer somewhere else. When we have someone that isn't a fit and we know won't make it, they are offered other jobs elsewhere in the hospital. If what the UM is saying is correct, that sounds like a toxic environment and there is no way I'd stay.
I'm so sorry this happened to you.
I met with the educator twice, once when she handed me this huge binder with information about NICU. The second was when she handed me my NRP book. No weekly conference, nothing like that. I honestly don't understand how my preceptor would think my speed wasn't improving...I thought I was.
I guess it was more the unit itself and not me. I know I would have done better given more time. I just wish my preceptor hadn't been so encouraging when she had already decided I "wasn't a good enough fit".
It sounds like the unit did not do it's job with your orientation. It is not reasonable to be suddenly told you're not a good fit without any previous feedback or warning. Just focus on your board exam, get that out of the way, then back to a search for a better place of work. My original NICU orientation was 12 weeks and I did start in the step down unit. Look for an organization that provides a good orientation before you deem yourself "not a good nurse".
Took my NCLEX this morning :heartbeat. It stopped at 75 questions and believe it or not I had no math questions. I did have one question on maintaining the skin intergrity of a 32 weeker, of which I think bathing once or twice a week was the answer. The other 3 possibilities didn't seems right, especially washing everyday with germicidal wash.
Now the waiting game begins. Now I can concentrate on finding a new job, hopefully on a NICU.
Took my NCLEX this morning :heartbeat. It stopped at 75 questions and believe it or not I had no math questions. I did have one question on maintaining the skin intergrity of a 32 weeker, of which I think bathing once or twice a week was the answer. The other 3 possibilities didn't seems right, especially washing everyday with germicidal wash.
Now the waiting game begins. Now I can concentrate on finding a new job, hopefully on a NICU.
As a former NICU nurse manager, I agree with other posters that "something doesn't smell right." I suspect that your dismissal had little to do with competence and everything to do with an undisclosed reason, such as over-hiring or the need to offer a position to the administrator's granddaughter.
Unless you have a union contract, there is very little you can (or may want) to do to get your position back.
But I would strongly advise you to request a meeting with your preceptor, unit educator and manager during which you respectfully insist on concrete examples of your shortcomings so that you can improve upon them in your next position. If they are not able to provide you with believable information, then you are well within your rights to insist that they provide you with a written recommendation on hospital letterhead, signed by all 3 of them. Don't leave the meeting without it.
You will then have proof that your dismissal was not due to lack of ability or poor attendance, 2 issues that may be of concern to future employers.
I'm sorry for your situation. It's bad enough that they have jerked you around thus far. Don't let them impact your future employment.
As a former NICU nurse manager, I agree with other posters that "something doesn't smell right." I suspect that your dismissal had little to do with competence and everything to do with an undisclosed reason, such as over-hiring or the need to offer a position to the administrator's granddaughter.
But I would strongly advise you to request a meeting with your preceptor, unit educator and manager during which you respectfully insist on concrete examples of your shortcomings so that you can improve upon them in your next position. If they are not able to provide you with believable information, then you are well within your rights to insist that they provide you with a written recommendation on hospital letterhead, signed by all 3 of them. Don't leave the meeting without it.
You will then have proof that your dismissal was not due to lack of ability or poor attendance, 2 issues that may be of concern to future employers.
I'm sorry for your situation. It's bad enough that they have jerked you around thus far. Don't let them impact your future employment.
the "granddaughter" thought was in my head, also....and other good suggestions, Jolie...
As a former NICU nurse manager, I agree with other posters that "something doesn't smell right." I suspect that your dismissal had little to do with competence and everything to do with an undisclosed reason, such as over-hiring or the need to offer a position to the administrator's granddaughter.
Unless you have a union contract, there is very little you can (or may want) to do to get your position back.
But I would strongly advise you to request a meeting with your preceptor, unit educator and manager during which you respectfully insist on concrete examples of your shortcomings so that you can improve upon them in your next position. If they are not able to provide you with believable information, then you are well within your rights to insist that they provide you with a written recommendation on hospital letterhead, signed by all 3 of them. Don't leave the meeting without it.
You will then have proof that your dismissal was not due to lack of ability or poor attendance, 2 issues that may be of concern to future employers.
I'm sorry for your situation. It's bad enough that they have jerked you around thus far. Don't let them impact your future employment.
I asked for a copy of the report the NM does on the computer, of which she doesn't know if I can have a copy or not. I also requested a copy of the report she is having my preceptor write up as well. The NM is willing to talk to other managers IF I get an interview with anyone else within the system since in the computer I'm terminated due to "failing orientation".
I'm actually not sure if I want to meet with them at this point simply because right now my temper is a wee bit short right now. I would not be my "professional" best to say the least, and I would prove that I am indeed my father's daughter. I would be nice to be able to actually say what you think of a person without it biting you in the but, because bellieve me....they would get an earful.
I'm going to keep insisting on getting something in writing about my supposed short comings, even if I have to go to the next manager up the food chain. Which I hope I don't have to do.
While I think it is perfectly fine to want to rant and vent, I think it is unfair for everyone to think of this unit as a bad place to work.
I too graduated at the same time as zoobyli... it was hired to this same unit by the same manager. I have had an absolutely great experience.
I was on orientation from June 1st until the middle of September. I took my boards in June, I am now working on my own. I had many different preceptors because my main one was sick a few times and went on vacation. I worked with MANY nurses on day shift- including zoobyli's preceptor. I have never felt any of them expected more from a new grad then the basic nursing instincts and to be SAFE!!!
Im not saying that what happened, ie. discharge over the phone, was ok to do... Im just going to give the facts...
There are 4 other new grads on the unit, including myself.. one other which is off orientation.
We are SOOOOO busy right now that we are pulling nurses from the children's hospital down town to help us.
I have never had issue with my manager. I met with her at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks once I was off.
I am sitting her hoping this in not inappropriate to post... I know many of mine and zoobyli's former coworkers are on here watching our unit be down right dogged. HI everyone!
I think you all need to take a step back and understand that this is the internet and you all are judging based on this one view.
I am sorry you lost your job.... but maybe instead of placing blame... you should take an internal look. Maybe, just maybe, this unit and the NICU really were not a good fit for you.
NicuGal, MSN, RN
2,743 Posts
Wow. I see that you have adult background as an LPN. I have found that sometimes people coming from adults do have a harder time with time management in an ICU setting and they have other habits from working other areas that sometimes don't cross over to our world. Now, I think that 4 weeks is too little time to eval someone, but maybe they were expecting more from you having 13 years experience as an LPN. That would be my take on it from a preceptors point of view. Without the full story of the 4 weeks, it is hard to tell what your weakness is and truly what needs worked on. Did you ever meet with the educator or the clinical nurse specialist? In our unit, they are both involved and speak to new orientees away from us to hear what is going on. We in turn have weekly conferences with our orientees and have a log they keep. If there is a problem, we identify it early and try to address it.
It may be that NICU just isn't your fit. Can you go to newborn nursery or peds?
Did you have an exit interview with HR? You should have and you can also request your file then. Is this the hospital you have always been at? If so, can you lateral transfer somewhere else. When we have someone that isn't a fit and we know won't make it, they are offered other jobs elsewhere in the hospital. If what the UM is saying is correct, that sounds like a toxic environment and there is no way I'd stay.
I'm so sorry this happened to you.