Nurses with Aspergers, how do you cope?
My wife is an LPN. She used to be a CNA.
I believe the key to not getting fired, really, is keeping a written trail of all that you do, so people will not try to screw you. And when somebody needs assistance, provide that.
If you do these things, all you have to be is moderately social, not a social butterfly. Social butterflies tend to screw around--that's why they're social butterflies.
Dot your eyes and cross your tees
It's true...it's essential to be "social." But you could also gain respect for just doing a good job.
I can deal in high stress situations very well. I'm the proverbial calm in the middle of the storm. But in minor stress? I get very flustered very easily. I don't multi task that well. (Waitressing was a nightmare).
That being said, I wouldn't make it in an emergency room or probably even on day shift. Night shift has it's own challenges (Sending patients out, patients coming in-why the you-know-what at 3 am?, mostly sleeping residents, and the ones who are awake aren't sundowning or generally causing trouble. Plus, the ones who ARE awake are pleasant conversation). I'm a night owl though.
The politics and stuff is what made me nuts. Like we had this BSN who thought she was hot sh**. She liked to stump the LPN's, and get them to do her job. Had a patient fall out of his wheelchair (even with a seatbelt), and so he had some abdominal tenderness. She asked me if I assessed him for Blumberg's. I looked at her and told her that he had no rebound tenderness, but that his discomfort seemed related to his fall, and that I was not supposed to be doing formal assessments on patients, so I had been told. I asked her if she would please assess him to confirm my findings, which she did.
The next month, another resident fell/was dropped/who knows. Ended up with a broken hip. The old bat tried to pin it on me even though it turned out that the resident was dropped on a night that I wasn't there (although that aide lied about it).
I can't say I was sad about being fired there for being "not a good fit". Good riddance. It's pretty bad when your residents are telling you that you are too good for the place you are working at.
I'm working on getting a home care position, and using that as experience.
As far as documentation, I didn't have a problem. Except for the inadequacies of that facility.
_________________
Aspie Quiz: 148 ND/50 NT
AQ: 41 (AQ-10: 9) EQ: 17 SQ: 31 FQ: 44 RAADS-R: 178
ASD Diagnosed 4/22/2016
This is my 2nd job this year. I experience at least one bully everywhere I go. I'm not good at getting people to leave me alone once they target me. I do say stuff back but I guess I'm not consistent enough. It takes me a while to even realize someone is trying to bully me. By the time I realize it, the bullying is bad. Also, I don't always have quick comebacks. I think all of this makes me an easy target. I had my last job for eight months and already had one nurse bothering me. I said stuff back but she still continued bothering me. I just couldn't get her to stop. I suck. Telling the manager doesn't work either. I've been there, done that at the first job I quit a few years ago.
I try to laugh and appear friendly at each new job but always end up being disrespected. I really hate putting a lot of effort into building relationships with coworkers just to find that they are still saying awful stuff about me behind my back. It feels like a big slap in the face. I mean, why bother trying? Socializing is unenjoyable and hard enough for me. Co workers have yelled at me, called me stupid, told me I suck---co workers whom I've tried my best to appear friendly to. I'm such an idiot that I often don't say anything back at the time because I don't think of any comebacks until after the incident when it's too late. It takes me a while for social cues to register. Certain people pick up on this and bully me. I'm a socially awkward turtle.
I'm frustrated with myself and am dreading starting over again. Also, I've always worked in a hospital. This new job is at a nursing home so I'm also nervous about this.
As long as you're kind to your patients, who cares how you relate to your fellow nurses? (you should be friendly and professional at all times, though).
Patients count more than colleagues. Patients need nurturance and care. They need kind, decent nurses.
Unfortunately, nursing is one of those fields where your work performance doesn't mean anything unless it is negligent. You can be a fantastic nurse, who is well loved by patients, and still fired because your associates don't like you. Hell, you can be loved by your support staff and coworkers on your SHIFT, and if the other shift workers don't like you, you can STILL be fired for not fitting in, while being told that you are a fantastic nurse.
Take a WILD guess how I know?
Yup, nursing is a very social career. For example, I had orientation on the unit today. I worked with an older nurse who didn't appear to have strong skills. She couldn't get one of her patients to take her meds and refused to call a doctor about a positive urine culture result. This nurse said she didn't want to call the doctor because she didn't know what to say. The meds thing wasn't very bad to me because some patients just won't take meds, but the refusing to call the doctor about a positive culture result was bad. The patient with the positive culture had a uti and needed antibiotics. The doctor really needed to know. I called the doctor for this nurse and got orders for antibiotics for her patient. I also gave her patient the meds. This nurse didn't chart much because she thought it was too frustrating.
This nurse spent most of the shift talking and joking with everyone. Even though I'm the more conscientious and thorough nurse, this nurse is more likely to be liked by peers and do well on this job. She has the social skills. I'm telling you, this nurse did almost nothing but joke the entire shift. She refused to do stuff like call doctors. She's not a new nurse either but her social skills have taken her far.
That being said, I wouldn't make it in an emergency room or probably even on day shift. Night shift has it's own challenges (Sending patients out, patients coming in-why the you-know-what at 3 am?, mostly sleeping residents, and the ones who are awake aren't sundowning or generally causing trouble. Plus, the ones who ARE awake are pleasant conversation). I'm a night owl though.
The politics and stuff is what made me nuts. Like we had this BSN who thought she was hot sh**. She liked to stump the LPN's, and get them to do her job. Had a patient fall out of his wheelchair (even with a seatbelt), and so he had some abdominal tenderness. She asked me if I assessed him for Blumberg's. I looked at her and told her that he had no rebound tenderness, but that his discomfort seemed related to his fall, and that I was not supposed to be doing formal assessments on patients, so I had been told. I asked her if she would please assess him to confirm my findings, which she did.
The next month, another resident fell/was dropped/who knows. Ended up with a broken hip. The old bat tried to pin it on me even though it turned out that the resident was dropped on a night that I wasn't there (although that aide lied about it).
I can't say I was sad about being fired there for being "not a good fit". Good riddance. It's pretty bad when your residents are telling you that you are too good for the place you are working at.
I'm working on getting a home care position, and using that as experience.
As far as documentation, I didn't have a problem. Except for the inadequacies of that facility.
So sorry to hear about your awful experience .
This situation (with the older nurse) is what makes me crazy. Why should someone who is inept be retained when someone who is skilled but not as social is let go!?
Hopefully this works out well for you. I would love to hear updates on how things go for you.
_________________
Aspie Quiz: 148 ND/50 NT
AQ: 41 (AQ-10: 9) EQ: 17 SQ: 31 FQ: 44 RAADS-R: 178
ASD Diagnosed 4/22/2016
sleepingpancake
Toucan
Joined: 14 Aug 2015
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Posts: 282
Location: somewhere in Asia
Patients count more than colleagues. Patients need nurturance and care. They need kind, decent nurses.
I agree with this...one thing i realized about aspie life is that you shouldn't mind what everyone thinks about you all the time as long as you do your job real good
_________________
it's okay to lose people but never lose yourself.
Brittnie, everything is fine. The job is okay and I love my schedule. I alternate working 3 days one week and 2 days the next---5 days a pay period. I work evenings which is much much better than nights. I have way more patients than I did in the hospital. The first week was overwhelming but I managed. Working part time really helps. It gives me time to recover. This is something I can do and stick with. Thank you for asking.
Are there any chances to change fields? Could you, say, go into research? Or something like it? Could you go to your local employment agency and ask for help? (Just did this myself for diagnosis and job-finding help, and they are sending me to college to specifically leave the nursing field).
_________________
Aspie Quiz: 148 ND/50 NT
AQ: 41 (AQ-10: 9) EQ: 17 SQ: 31 FQ: 44 RAADS-R: 178
ASD Diagnosed 4/22/2016