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????
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.
God Bless.
I am sure you can understand that we have based our responses on the information provided by the op, which in our critical opinion, is believable. Obviously, we do not have both sides of the story, but most experienced nurses and managers have fairly accurate BS alarms and can identify "woe-is-me" stories that do not ring true. This isn't one of them. Also,any nurse with any amount of seniority has either experienced or witnessed a co-worker treated badly for reasons having nothing to do with job performance.
I'm glad that you are having a good experience in your unit. However, your good experience does not invalidate another poster's bad one.
If you are concerned about the op and/or unit being identified, you have just increased the likelihood of that happening by posting additional information. If you wish to offer the op support, perhaps a PM or private phone call would be helpful. If you wish to embarrass the op, you have probably succeeded.
I am sure you can understand that we have based our responses on the information provided by the op, which in our critical opinion, is believable. Obviously, we do not have both sides of the story, but most experienced nurses and managers have fairly accurate BS alarms and can identify "woe-is-me" stories that do not ring true. This isn't one of them. Also,any nurse with any amount of seniority has either experienced or witnessed a co-worker treated badly for reasons having nothing to do with job performance.
I'm glad that you are having a good experience in your unit. However, your good experience does not invalidate another poster's bad one.
If you are concerned about the op and/or unit being identified, you have just increased the likelihood of that happening by posting additional information. If you wish to offer the op support, perhaps a PM or private phone call would be helpful. If you wish to embarrass the op, you have probably succeeded.
Not embarrased at the least. AND I'm not dogging the unit. I enjoyed working there, its a great unit. I'm glad you had a great experience. Mine wasn't bad, at least I thought it wasn't. I honestly thought I was doing ok, just had to work on time management...which was supposed to come with time and learn.
Also, not placing blame though if I wanted to I could really be nasty about all of this. Perhaps that particular unit wasn't a good fit for whatever reason, but I know NICU will be. I just have to find the right one.
As for the facts....I posted exactly what I was told.
The NICU is such a specialized field and nothing you really learn in school prepares you for the NICU.
I think to make that decision in 4 weeks, especially since they had no problems with your skills so far, was making a decision too early.
If that is the case with you, then frankly, the rest of us are doomed b/c you don't learn how to work the NICU until you are there.
I don't think anyone is doomed. Mine was just one experience on one NICU. I'm not going to give up working on NICU because of one questionable experience. If I have to work on another type of unit so I can learn how to be an RN first then so be it. I cannot wait until I get my NCLEX results, because until I have them I'm in a holding pattern.
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.
I don't think anyone is doomed. Mine was just one experience on one NICU. I'm not going to give up working on NICU because of one questionable experience. If I have to work on another type of unit so I can learn how to be an RN first then so be it. I cannot wait until I get my NCLEX results, because until I have them I'm in a holding pattern.
I think you misunderstood my post.
Letting you go after only 4 weeks was ridiculous. 100%, ridiculous. NICU is a different animal altogether, as you know, and at 4 weeks you are still trying to remember to do everything right must less doing them as efficiently as someone who has been there for years.
What I was trying to say (and did so poorly), was that if this is the level of expectation to be an expert by week 4 (and I'm being sarcastic here), then the rest of us are doomed....that also aspire, like me, to work in the NICU b/c no way could I learn everything in only 4 weeks!
In other words...you got a raw deal and the rest of us can see that.
I would never suggest you not seek a career in the NICU because of this whacked out experience.
Things to think before posting, or speaking: Is this true? Is this kind? Is this necessary?
What you've said may be true, obviously none of us can know. But kind? Absolutely not. Necessary? No way. What difference does it make to you what a group of strangers on the internet think of your unit? Is it that important to you for us to know that you passed your orientation that you felt the need to come into a thread where someone was just looking for support and validation to say unkind things? What response were you expecting? What did you hope to accomplish here? Take a look at that motivation.
Zoo, I think this bit of kerfluffle just validates what a lot of us said upthread: this is NOT a unit where you want to work.
Specializes in Pediatric Psychiatry, Home Health VNA.
Yuck. Ernie, you just validated everything the OP stated about your unit. What a disgusting display of undermining. You've said nothing constructive and nothing that is going to change anything for her. You came off as hateful and self-righteous. Your good experience doesn't negate the fact that being terminated at four weeks into orientation is premature and unfair. Go skip back to your busy little unit and leave the OP alone.
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.
There are often two (or more) sides to every story. Ernie is giving another side. I think it's imp't to keep that in mind when we read posts.
We can certainly empathize w/ the OP's situation, but what can she take away from the experience? Perhaps she would do better in a slower paced Level 2 nursery, gain some confidence and experience before moving up?
Zoobyli NEVER said anything to BADMOUTH your unit. She simply told us what HER experience was like! From that one experience we have given her OUR advice and own opinions which we are ALLLLL entitled to have.
I have NO IDEA where this unit is, what hospital system it belongs to so it's not like it will hurt your business unless Zoobyli wrote down exactly where she worked and with whom.
So yes, it is the internet!!!! Isn't it great to have a place to rant and rave w/o being completely known?
I'm glad you are having a great experience-I hope it keeps going well for you, but in the mean time, let those who are not having such a great time find comfort and support elsewhere!
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 orientati...........
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..........e 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.
Jolie, BSN
6,375 Posts
I am sure you can understand that we have based our responses on the information provided by the op, which in our critical opinion, is believable. Obviously, we do not have both sides of the story, but most experienced nurses and managers have fairly accurate BS alarms and can identify "woe-is-me" stories that do not ring true. This isn't one of them. Also,any nurse with any amount of seniority has either experienced or witnessed a co-worker treated badly for reasons having nothing to do with job performance.
I'm glad that you are having a good experience in your unit. However, your good experience does not invalidate another poster's bad one.
If you are concerned about the op and/or unit being identified, you have just increased the likelihood of that happening by posting additional information. If you wish to offer the op support, perhaps a PM or private phone call would be helpful. If you wish to embarrass the op, you have probably succeeded.