Worst 1st job experience

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Hey all, I am a new grad and got my first job and i quit after 3 days. It took 2 months to find the job and I'm wondering how stupid that was. It was a LTC facility and the first one I applied at. It is in the process of transition and when hired was told by the DON that they are making some staffing changes because they had been having trouble. On my first night my preceptor showed me a few things but mostly sent me off to do things to help her here and there. Nobody was very friendly with me, I wouldn't say rude but not nice either. Second night I was given 15 patients to do the med pass and treatments on, no preceptor with me. So many questions and nobody would help. I left in tears feeling like a failure and that maybe I had chosen the wrong profession. On the third night I came in with a list of my questions and told my "preceptor" that I had needed her help. She said no problem, I will answer your questions after you finish your med pass and treatments, and then handed me my assignment which was 25 patients. I never got any help or any of my questions answered and again I left in tears. I called my DON and told her I needed a new preceptor and that I wasn't getting any help. She said I'll talk to her you just need to go in to work (I had been waiting for her to call me back for 5 hours). I told her I didn't feel comfortable working with a preceptor who wasn't helping. She said, " I said I would talk to her and now you are making me worried because you can't handle the job working with our strongest nurse, go to work or I am taking you off the schedule." This "preceptor" had been a nurse for 1 year and worked at this facility for one year. I asked if maybe I could be precepted on a different shift and I was told no. I felt that it was dangerous for me to be given the patient load I was given with 0 experience and 0 help. I feel that even though there is no shortage of nurses looking for jobs right now I should still be treated with some respect and so should the residents. What are your thoughts?

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Specializes in LTC.

Um..wow. You're a new grad. They had no sense. Should you quit like that in the future? Prbly not, but you did need to get out of there. They were using you and prbly would have gotten rid of you anyway.

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

None of us was there, but you paint a pretty grim picture. If you felt you did what you had to do, then it was the right decision. Not addressing nor answering your questions is a huge red flag. It seems the DON wants new grads who don't ask questions and just fumble along with their head down biting their tongue, which is a colossal mistake on her part. She should listen to your concerns and address them, not tell you to shut up and show up. Sorry this happened. I wouldn't be hesitant to explain in future interviews what happened. This would be a good opportunity to ask them about their orientation program.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Get out. That place is dangerous. They are laying the guilt trip on you. No way would I go in and on the second day be passing meds on that many people. You should still be learning the ropes as in charting, policies, etc...

You are not a failure. The facility is a failure.

Chin up and go find another job.

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Specializes in Mental Health, Medical Research, Periop.

I think you are right. They sound desperate to me. Desperate to fill spaces of other people who felt mistreated and left. Youre not in the wrong profession, you just started at the wrong place. Just keep looking for something else, something better will come along. I wish you much luck!!

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
not addressing nor answering your questions is a huge red flag.

yes!!!

the other red flags:

...they are making some staffing changes because they had been having trouble...
and
i am a new grad... 25 patients... with 0 experience and 0 help....

op: all i have to say is good for you for leaving that situation. too many do not do so until it is too late. i agree with the others, you probably would have been fired at some point. by leaving you definitely saved your reputation from being trashed and you are no longer risking your license. gl!

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op: it's your license on the line and this work situation is dangerous. you are a new grad and you should not be expected to know it all day one. for your "preceptor" to tell you to do your job before answering your questions about how to do your job is ludicrous. besides, she is not really your "preceptor" by definition if you are working on your own without her guidance, she is using you as someone to make her workday easier.

if the organization is not willing to train you and answer your questions...well, that just sends up red flags for me. i am saying this to you as a fellow new grad who is also finding it very difficult to obtain my first rn job, but there is no job in the world worth losing your license over. based on what you said, my guess is that if you "mess up" because you were not trained you properly, well, they will not protect you nor will they accept responsibility for you and you will be on your own. you need to protect yourself, protect your license, you did the right thing!!! :yeah:

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You completely did the right thing and should not feel bad about it! I know how difficult it is right now but you did the right thing. Good luck to you :)

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care, Case Manager.

Carmella, I would've done the same thing. I got hired as a Per Diem Research Nurse. They expect me to be already on my own, when they haven't given me half of the orientation. It's already one month. I emailed my supervisor about shadowing somebody on my day off. She hasn't returned my email. I thought it was too good to be true when the supervisor hired me on the spot. I'm thinking about quitting too. I'm bummed out, because the pay is great and it was a different type of nursing. However, it's not worth losing my license when they don't give you a proper and thorough orientation.

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I think you did the right thing. Nursing is too important a job for you to be fumbling your way through with no assistance. We are dealing with people's lives.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I think you did right thing. You need to protect your license and sanity.

I admire your courage to quit, especially you spent long time in searching for a job.

Good luck finding a new job.

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I have left positions like this early on in my nursing career. You are not held by anyone's judgement. Just take your knowlege, your experience from this and be very selective on your next job. You know what to ask at your next interview?

1.) What is your policy for new orientation?

2.) Will I have a preceptor and how long will she be working with me?

3.) How long is your orientation process??

4.) May I inquire why the person who's position I am filling left? ( that is a great question, grant it they may not tell you the truth, but it gives you an idea on the inner workings )

5.) I'd also ask upfront what is your nurse to resident ratio???

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