Was fired today......

[TrickieTam]

Today I was fired after being employed at a nursing facility for one week!! The administrator and DON fired me because apparently my preceptor nurse told them that I did not mix my liquid medications with orange juice. I mixed potassium as I always know to do but others I knew not to mix in juice, but the preceptor said that all liquids are to be mixed. I thought it was strange when I would take my residents their medication and they would ask me where is the liguid medicine and I would tell them its in their juice. Most would turn away and say that they weren't going to take it like that or that the other nurses know not to give them their medicine to them in that form. 2 or 3 residents threatened to report me if I did it again. All in all I was mad a complete fool this moring and was given my walking papers. I was supposed to been training today but DON told me to report later today so she could speak with me. I am just really speechless because I have been so careful in my nursing career and have even had to pass a few meds with State at my previous facility. But this facility felt that I would get them into serious trouble administering medications there. Last time I was fired from a job I was 15 years old and it was because a co-worker said I stole money in which later I was proven innocent when the cameras showed it was the co-worker who reported me.

[BigBub1000]

If a resident wanted his liqs mixed in juice, did you refuse to do so?

Glad you got another position but what will you do if a resident there wants his liqs mixed and you disagree with doing that? As for cough syrup being ineffective if mixed with/followed by liquid, I've never seen this happen. It mixes, after all with gastric acid, doesn't it?

[TrickieTam]

BigBub I don't have a problem mixing liquid meds, I have been an LPN for 3 yrs so you would think I should know by now. My issue is mixing for residents who prefer to take liquid meds alone then drink water. As for cough syrup I give that last since most will suppress coughing. And carafate liquid is given on an empty stomach.

[TrickieTam]

Katie5 where I used to work I worked Baylor weekends. I did 12-hr shifts on friday, saturday and sunday. Some facilities just do sat/sun. As for being a charge nurse I would be in charge of my assigned residents and CNA's. I would assign CNA work assignments, handle situations and whatever else required.

[nursenow]

ALL liquid meds with juice? Thats strange. I have patients you couldn't PAY to drink juice. What happens with them?

[jtmonique]

God is good, what is for you is for you that other job seems like it was trouble waiting to happen Congrats on the new job

[cowboy up]

consider yourself lucky for being out of that place. If they fire people that quickly there are major problems in that facility. Move on and learn from what happened to you there:twocents:

[ejonesrn]

Do you think you may have run into the old "I pissed her (preceptor) off because I was right about how to administer liquids" and now she feels that, as an older, and more experienced nurse at that facility, she has taught you a lesson? The old adage "Nurses eat their young" Young being new grads or new employees. Just a slightly bitter observation!!

[TrickieTam]

Do you think you may have run into the old "I pissed her (preceptor) off because I was right about how to administer liquids" and now she feels that, as an older, and more experienced nurse at that facility, she has taught you a lesson? The old adage "Nurses eat their young" Young being new grads or new employees. Just a slightly bitter observation!!

I don't know if that's the case or not. I've moved on to better jobs now so I just consider that fire a blessing. I don't really know the intentions of the preceptor I was with, but working towards my second week of employment and didn't have any mistakes until that day was beyond me. I am prn at a ltc facility and full-time in corrections. I look at it as one missed chance opened a door to better chances. The preceptor wasn't an older nurse, she was a few years older than myself and not as experienced.