Lpn, help was terminated
So I passed my LPN nclex in September of last year and got my first job at a SNF I used to work at as a CNA, before I worked at my local hospital as a CNA for 5 years.
I am at this SNF for 3 months. In that time, a resident was able to pull all of the aides off of the floor for hours at least 2, having the entire floor short and 2 aides having to take care of 50+ pateints. I didnt say anyting but it was dangerous to say the least
After 3 months I applied at another SNF and when accepted, put in my 2 weeks. My DoN asked for feedback and I told them about this resident, as well as a CNA that was causing issues with other aides and about the drama that was going on. I left it at that and started at the new SNF. (I made 0 med errors, was never written up, or verbally warned. The Don said she was sad to see me go but never made any attempt to keep me, neither her nor the Administrator)
I started in Febuary and was there until may. During this time at this SNF, I had 3 med errors that were not issues to cause harm. I was never written up, nor verbally warned. In all actuality I was placed on the floor with 50 patients at night, with 3 adies and just myself as the nurse in the entire building from 10PM-5AM. I got 4 days worth of training and was told by the ADON that I didnt get enough training and I had to come in early for more training as i didnt get enough.
Agian I want to point out that I was never verbally warned nor was I ever written up. About 2 months into my time there, they hired another RN as PRN as there were no open positions. He said he hoped it would turn into a full time position etc in passing to me. During my time there, I had suprapubic catheter oozing liquid from its site, and inside the tube was completely green. Like it had a green sludge I had never seei nebfore in my 13 years as a CNA. At night, being a new nurse and have never changed one before, i waited for day shift to get another opinion on what should be done, as this patients vitals were all within normal limits and the patient had zero complaints ((I found this at 3AM. Not sure why an aide didnt see it sooner)) I decided it was best to wait the three hours and monitor. Day shift comes in, and an LPN who didnt like me when me and here were aides at the hospital, berates me on why I waited and I should have changed it or sent the patient out if her vitals were out of wack which they werent.
I never changed one before but I told her I only waited to get a second opinion. She told me it was "Normal" and to change it. So, I did so then I left. This was one issue that I can think of that may have caused what happened to me to happen. I wasnt rude or mean like she was, I mearly explained I had never done it before and upon her explaining how, I changed it.
The next issue is, Vancomycin balls that connect to ports/IV. My facility had a patient with that antibiotic order. In my state (Utah) LPNs are not allowed to administer those nor are we allowed to even touch a port. I did mention this to the ADON and when we recieved a medication, I picked it up and said "Hey uh, we got some medications I cannot do and there isnt another RN on to do these when they are due". He didnt seem concerned and told me to ask the other LPN on shift to help which she did. It was Port, not a regular IV btw.
Now I understand that LPNs and such are sometimes asked to do things outside of our scope. I guess I could have handled that better but I am super literal, like to a fualt. I dont break the rules, not for anyone for any reason.
A few nights later in the evening, A CNA had a conversation with a few people t about men getting with younger women. It was a normal conversation and asked me what I thought. I said that whatever 2 consenting adults decide to do, is not my business. I have a friend who is 40 and his wife is 20, not my business. She said it was wrong and I guess may have taken offense? I heard nothing of that since.
Now we come to May 20th. I am called into work and the DoON and ADON call me into the office and say
"Heya sorry but we have decided to go into another direction."
The Don hands me a paper to sign and another paper about a medication with no patients name at the top. The medication time and date and such is filled out by me, but the top portion is filled out by another nurse who was helping me learn to access and use the pixis machine, which broke that night in question, and I had zero training on. I was able to pull the med and then it broke somehow. I signed the bottom and went and gave the medication. As I was walking away the Nurse told me she would fill out the top. I said ok and never saw that paper again. ((My mistake which I told the DON when she handed me that paper. It hade the date and time so it would have been reletively easy for me to backtrack and find the patient and fill out the name on the paper, as I my charting was always done, on time for every patient)).
To sum it up I was told that I was being let go "Due to going in another direction, and unsatisfactory work performance". Thats it, never been written up, never been verbally warned nothing. I apply for unemployment and they determine that I am allowed unemoloyment as "Unsatisfactory work performance" without detail isnt a justifiable reason to let me go. So they mark it as that I was let go at no fault of mine.
Then we come to my current situation. I am offered a job at another SNF. They tell me they are going to run a background check. Three weeks go by and as I heard that this can happen, I only called about the job once in that time.
i get the follwing txt, Word for Word
"Sorry its taken me so long to get back to you. We had a few people reach out to me and (The administrator) regarding some concerns with your previous employers which prompted us to take extra time to look into a few things. Unfortunatlye we arent able to proceed with onboarding at this time. I am so sorry as I know you were loooking forward to working with us!!"
I explain to the hiring DoN that I am confused, and wasnt even told as to WHAT I did at my previous job. I also sent her a picture of the paper from my state showing that it was detarmined that "You were not at fault in your dicharge from work"
This was her response
"I'm sure you're super confused but with the information we were given, I have to look out for my current staff and the decision was made from the team to not proceed!!"
So I lost my job, not even sure what the cause is, and now I cant find another one. Was it the med errors? Many nurses made much worse error's especially with antibiotics while I was there. Was it the one CNA who may have gotten offended by me saying it wasnt any of my business what two adults do? Was it that they thought I stole a medication? That would be odd as I would take a drug test immediately. I havent taken anything besides an Ibuprohen for the past 10 years or so. Was it because they hired an RN and wanted him in my spot? If that was the reason, then why would my old job make a big deal about calling me new potential employer? Why would the new job be worried about "protecting their current staff"? Makes me sound like a criminal or something. Also my license is current, and nothing is happening with it.
As a new nurse. I may just give this whole career up. I became a CNA in 2014 to help people and kept with it. In 2025 I graduated nursing school, took my NCLEX right after my dad passed and continued. ATM I am contacting employment lawyers in my state to see what I can do to remedy this situation. Thank you. As a new nurse, I really thought people would be more understanding in this field.
Stressed LPN.