u/Panda_Universe21

Context: https://www.reddit.com/r/newgradnurse/s/Jdz18CY1TJ

Hi everyone! I’m honestly just looking for support and advice, as I was laid off from my first new grad nurse job, a subacute pediatric SNF, today. I linked a post I made about a month ago for more context about mistakes I made in the past. Good amount of text ahead, please bear with me.

In short, my orientation consisted of 3 PM shifts and 3 NOC shifts before I was expected to be on the floor on my own. Shortly after I started on my own, I had made 2 mistakes that I had received verbal coaching/counseling for (mentioned in the post I linked). That, combined with a mistake I had made this past weekend, led to me being fired today. Other than that, I was doing fine and building a routine with med passes and care. Even the nurses that trained me said I was doing great on the floor.

This past weekend, myself and a respiratory therapist were changing one of my kid’s trach ties, when the kid starting wiggling around and pulled out his trach. The RT was able to immediately reinsert his trach, which he tolerated well, and we were able to finish changing his trach ties with no sign of distress from the kid. By the time we stepped out of the room, the kid’s color was still normal and his O2 sats were near 100%.

Per institution policy, the RT and I had to write an incident report talking about the decannulation. I was showing the RT how to write one when she noticed on the computer that the kid’s O2 probe was disconnected. I checked on the kid, the probe had fallen on the floor, he was gasping for air, he had pulled his trach out again, and I immediately asked the RT for help. This was about 5-10 minutes after he had pulled out his trach the first time. Unfortunately, he was sent to the hospital because he was bleeding from his trach quite a bit. I got in trouble because I did not put back on the kid’s trach collar, which would’ve prevented him from pulling out his trach again in the first place, and because when I saw the kid gasping for air, I ran out to find the RT instead of staying with the kid.

I learned yesterday during a meeting with the DON that the kid’s family was filing a complaint about the facility. Combined with the mistakes I made when I was fresh off orientation, the DON voiced that there were safety concerns if I continued to be on the floor. I was either going to be removed from the schedule for 2-3 days (a suspension) or let go altogether. Today, I was let go. They gave me my last paycheck, I turned in my badge, and that was that. I’m honestly very bummed, so any advice or support is appreciated :)

Edit: just to add, I was on the floor by myself for 3 weeks.

Hi everyone! I recently got a job at a pediatric SNF, and last night was my first shift off of orientation/training. My training consisted of 3 PM shifts and 3 NOC shifts, and my facility is long-term, subacute care. My ratios are typically 1:4 or 1:5, and I had 5 patients during my shift. I made a couple of mistakes during my shift and I’m really beating myself up about it.

My first mistake was attempting to change a patient’s trach ties on my own. It slipped my mind that per policy, 2 licensed professionals need to work together to change one patient’s trach ties. I was struggling with the change itself and asked my charge nurse for help, and she quickly helped me while reminding me that I need someone else with me next time. I was lucky that the patient didn’t decannulate or show any signs of respiratory distress.

My second mistake was forgetting to refill a patient’s continuous feeding bag, so he didn’t get his milk until more than an hour after it was supposed to be given.

I know I’m a new grad and I’m bound to make mistakes, but I can’t help but feel so horribly anxious. It didn’t help that one of my patients last night was sick, and his roommate was starting to get sick too, and had changes in his condition. I was also unfortunately falling behind on a couple of med passes.

I’m grateful that everyone at my facility has been so helping and welcoming to me. Even my charge nurse, she was very gentle when reeducating me, and told me that I’m new and to never be scared to ask for help.

I’ve been going in to every single shift incredibly anxious, to the point where my appetite is reduced and I get horrible gagging spells. I’ve also started taking SSRIs for anxiety recently and am unfortunately in the middle of the side effect stage. Any advice on how to navigate new grad nurse anxiety is appreciated 🥹

I think about this specific book I read over a decade ago, every couple of months, and I feel myself going insane trying to remember it. I believe this book had 2 young children as the protagonists, an old man, and they all time-traveled to the 1400s and met Joan of Arc. There was an evil lady pursuing the 2 young children, but I forget her purpose. At the end of the book, the evil lady is burned at the stake instead of Joan of Arc. I believe she sacrificed herself, because I specifically remember her smiling before she died. Joan of Arc ended up time traveling back to the present day with the 2 children and the old man.

This was definitely a children’s/YA book, and I borrowed it from my hometown’s library during my elementary/middle school years (2010s). I checked the library’s catalog and it doesn’t seem like they have the book anymore. I remember there were line work illustrations too 😭