Nurses with Aspergers, how do you cope?

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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.

kraftiekorite, thank you for the advice. Thank you all for the replies.

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.

Dreamsea: How are you doing?

I hate this job, too. Epic fail. I've failed at this one, too.

I wish I could go on disability.

what makes you so unhappy?

try not to let the turkeys get you down.

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).