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????
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.
Please remember there are two sides to every story. I, too, am familiar with this unit (with ten years experience). Sure, there is a clique there, just as there is in almost every unit. I'm not in said clique, so there is nothing to be gained by my posting this except clearing up some misconceptions.
Occasionally, BS alarms can be way off. I'm sure you know that.
Some facts I can relate here:
This particular NM is very "by the book" and would definitely not do anything that would jepardize that. HR is generally consulted about every move she makes beforehand. I can guarantee it was nothing to do with a "granddaughter" or anything of that nature.
There is no 6-9 week orientation. It is much longer than that (normally 12-16 weeks).
A lot of value is placed on attendance, especially in the orientation period when the new nurse is still on probation. At this point, there is not even enough sick time acrued to compensate for ONE shift off.
As a rule, new nurses are given a lot of leeway in this unit as far as picking up new skills and learning time management (way too much sometimes as far as I'm concerned).
As far as identifying the unit, the OP did that herself at the very beginning of this thread. I noticed it in some of the terminology that was used to describe the unit and then again when she mentioned our sister hospital by name.
Regarding census, we are up and down. When this thread was started, we were bursting at the seams. Now, we are budgeting. Two days from now, we'll probably be up again. Considering there are current openings posted, I do not see that as being an issue in this case.
This unit is in the middle of a major (long overdue) overhaul concerning policies and it can be a rather tense place at moments. However, it's still a very good place to work.
There seems to be more to this story than what's being posted.
I never said it wasn't a bad unit, just my experience on being let go from it. I actually enjoyed my time there and what I was learning, the neos, nnp, and nurses had a huge amount of knowlege. I just wasn't learning fast enough. I'm not going to give up wanting to work NICU though from one experience. So if I have to start at a level 2 facility instead of level 3, then so be it.
And yes, there are two sides of any story. I posted mine as its the only one I actually know anything about.
I find it interesting that at least 2 posters have chime in to defend a unit that 99% of the readers of this BB can't identify, especially given that the OP didn't "bash" anyone or anything, but merely relayed her personal experience.
The sad part is, because I have to list this on my resume the chances of my getting into another NICU is slim IMO. I'm trying to be optomistic of my chances, but since I'm still considered a new grad finding anything in NICU....anywhere, is difficult.
I find it interesting that at least 2 posters have chime in to defend a unit that 99% of the readers of this BB can't identify, especially given that the OP didn't "bash" anyone or anything, but merely relayed her personal experience.
LitlBebeGrower
3 Posts
Please remember there are two sides to every story. I, too, am familiar with this unit (with ten years experience). Sure, there is a clique there, just as there is in almost every unit. I'm not in said clique, so there is nothing to be gained by my posting this except clearing up some misconceptions.
Occasionally, BS alarms can be way off. I'm sure you know that.
Some facts I can relate here:
This particular NM is very "by the book" and would definitely not do anything that would jepardize that. HR is generally consulted about every move she makes beforehand. I can guarantee it was nothing to do with a "granddaughter" or anything of that nature.
There is no 6-9 week orientation. It is much longer than that (normally 12-16 weeks).
A lot of value is placed on attendance, especially in the orientation period when the new nurse is still on probation. At this point, there is not even enough sick time acrued to compensate for ONE shift off.
As a rule, new nurses are given a lot of leeway in this unit as far as picking up new skills and learning time management (way too much sometimes as far as I'm concerned).
As far as identifying the unit, the OP did that herself at the very beginning of this thread. I noticed it in some of the terminology that was used to describe the unit and then again when she mentioned our sister hospital by name.
Regarding census, we are up and down. When this thread was started, we were bursting at the seams. Now, we are budgeting. Two days from now, we'll probably be up again. Considering there are current openings posted, I do not see that as being an issue in this case.
This unit is in the middle of a major (long overdue) overhaul concerning policies and it can be a rather tense place at moments. However, it's still a very good place to work.
There seems to be more to this story than what's being posted.