Will I ever be a nurse again?

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Hi everyone. I was hoping for some advice or really any words of encouragement.

I'm a new nurse. I worked on a floor for 5 months (2 months out of orientation). One day when coming off shift my manager asked to speak with me and I was told I was suspended pending investigation. Manager said he received multiple complaints that I was not checking on patients. Two days later I was fired, with no mention about the Board Of Nursing. I spent a week recuperating, pretty shaken from being fired from my first job, and my first nursing job. Right as I started applying for new positions I received a letter saying a complaint had been filled to the Board Of Nursing. (I just want to make note, NO-ONE was hurt or injured during my entire employment there)

Everyone I spoke to said to just cooperate and just get it over with, that the most the Board would do was give me a fine and make me take some classes. I did that, and just waited for the investigation to be over. It took over a year, and without being able to get a nursing job the entire time. I finally received word that they were done and I would receive an email about what they wanted me to do for reprimands.

It was then that I was completely blindsided. I got the fine and mandatory classes I expected. But in addition, I was told that I was going to be on restriction. I could not practice nursing without having a supervisor with me constantly for a year.

Ive attempted to contact a lawyer about this but absolutely no one will call me back about this issue. And I can only find one nursing defense attorney in my state.

I just don't understand? I would if my accusation/charge was for diversion, but I have never failed a drug test in my entire life, and still wouldn't now. I'm a new nurse that has been out of work for a year and now I will have restrictions on my license. I'm terrified I won't be able to get a job anywhere. Who wants to hire a new nurse with restrictions rather than a new nurse without? I'm worried I might have to change careers, but I can't think of doing anything other than nursing. I've worked for all my college and high school life to be a nurse. I am just so lost and confused. I don't know what to do.

Anything would be helpful,

GradOf2016

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Can you elaborate of what you meant by "not checking on patients"? Did you not do hourly rounding or maybe charted assessments without actually doing them?

You faced some serious consequences, what exactly did you do wrong?

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I had a shift one day and I was just running around like crazy. Instead of going into the rooms to check on the patients I would look as I passed by or listen to them. Then charted my hourlys, and they viewed that as false documentation. I was taught by my preceptor that it was ok to check non my patients like that. I completely understand I should have done more and gone with my gut and just went into the rooms. I never received any formal reprimand or was corrected in anyway before I was fired.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I wish I knew what to tell you other than, try to get that attorney. I'm sorry this

happened to you. When you do hourly rounds, you really are only expected to

look in on the patient, make sure that they are breathing, that they have their

call light, that the area is safe. You really don't HAVE to go into the room.

Someone at your job didn't like you and was out to get you. That is what

I think, if your story is correct. Get that attorney.

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I had a shift one day and I was just running around like crazy. Instead of going into the rooms to check on the patients I would look as I passed by or listen to them. Then charted my hourlys, and they viewed that as false documentation. I was taught by my preceptor that it was ok to check non my patients like that. I completely understand I should have done more and gone with my gut and just went into the rooms. I never received any formal reprimand or was corrected in anyway before I was fired.

That does seem pretty extreme if there were no problems that occurred as a result. I can only guess that your hourly rounding documentation contained more information than "alive and breathing". Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to fill something like that out, too. I never do it, though. If I'm actually checking on my patients that frequently, then I don't have time.

Will the year move forward if you're not working? Could you wait it out? It might even be worth it to move to an employee's market and take a horrible job to reestablish your reputation. The lawyer is also a great idea, but might have been more useful earlier on.

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I contacted the BON lawyer that was dealing with my case. I explained some of what happened to him and he said that he would talk to the committee about my case. The lawyer called me back about 3 hours later and said the BON committee lessened the time of restriction/supervion to 6 months rather than 1 year. I'm happy that they at least lessened the time, but I'm still very nervous about being able to get a job.

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I contacted the BON lawyer that was dealing with my case. I explained some of what happened to him and he said that he would talk to the committee about my case. The lawyer called me back about 3 hours later and said the BON committee lessened the time of restriction/supervion to 6 months rather than 1 year. I'm happy that they at least lessened the time, but I'm still very nervous about being able to get a job.

I am glad for you that the BON decreased your supervision time. Unfortunately, I have no advice for you regarding applying for new jobs. You will just have to apply and wait and see what happens.

If there is a shortage of nurses in your area, you may have an easier time finding employment than if job market is tight. I have no idea where you are located.

For what it is worth, the teeny-tiny hospital I used to work at defined rounding as walking into the patient's room to see that rise and fall of the chest (if they were sleeping) and speaking with the patient if they were awake.

Just walking by a room and listening for patient chatter wouldn't have sufficed as rounding. I add that not to point a finger at you, but just as input from another facility.

I am very sorry that this happened to you. It seems to me that you were made to pay a high price for something could have been handled by your NM speaking to you, and perhaps a write-up. Turing this over to the BON seems to be a bit much.

Best wishes in job search. You can recover from this!

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