I just got fired... what the hell happened?

bozkurt · Mar 13, 2011

My goodness!! I just lost my job. I was doing great. I just started to fell comfortable on the job and then a shift change cost me a job. I cannot believe I am terminated from my position. It was definitely wrongful termination. Job market is awful. It is difficult to find full-time position these days. I feel like a failure. As soon as I started the new shift I was terribly bullied and I was never given an orientation. The job was very hectic. As a supervisor you have to answer phone calls, do admissions, talk to MD's. Handle MD order's call RP etc. It was overwhelming. I am really devastated and do not know what to do. I am distress. I cannot eat, sleep. I am panicked that I cannot find a job. Any one experienced similar situation Help.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Mar 13, 2011

You are consumed by ETOH. :eek: It is affecting your perception.

Get immediate professional attention.

Best of luck.

steelydanfan · Mar 13, 2011

Ok , this came out of left field... at least to ME!
I was fired today. Whoa, the reality is setting in now... or is that the wine I'm drinking? UGH.
Got called into a meeting w/the supervisor and HR (or, as I like to refer to them, INhumane resources).
Suddenly - thrust into my lap, are allegations of patient safety issues, complaints made by my coworkers (of a different shift).
Ok.. you're wondering.. "then why are you so shocked?"
Here's the kicker...
THEY ARE ALL, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, LIES LIES LIES!!!!
I normally would question a post where someone stated all complaints against them were lies.. heck, I questioned my own SELF... Did I really do that? Could I have forgotten NOT taking care of a pressure 210/100? Did I NOT give an anti-inflammatory to a pt w/COPD??? Did I sign off meds that I hadn't actually GIVEN??? NEVER.. I addressed each and every one of those issues.. AND documented in notes. *****!!!
Holy crap... I've heard of being bamboozled - but never thought this would exist in a supposed caring profession.
Never thought *I* would be on the receiving end of these falsehoods!!!
And yet, here I sit - without a job - a worse yet, without hope for this profession. WHY are some people so back-biting and just plain EVIL?
And.. WHY .. WHY is their word TAKEN for truth, without being thoroughly investigated? This isn't right, it shouldn't be allowed to happen.. yet it does.
I'm happy for the time off, believe me.. I could use a break. But, damn, the humiliation - the second guessing myself - seeing those s.o.b's act as though they're so righteous, and faultless.. when.. damn, where the HELL is their conscience?
Ok.. so now I feel like a failure - like I've actually been a horrible nurse - but why can't I make myself believe that? WHY do I still find my actions correct in proper and DAMNIT GOOD care of my patients!????
Ugh.. maybe it IS the wine..

If each one of these complaints can be invalidated by your charting, then you worked in an extremely toxic environment, and good legal representation is a MUST.

steelydanfan · Mar 13, 2011

I'm sorry this happened .
Thats one thing I cannot stand about nursing, you CANT TRUST ANYONE.... so much for 'teamwork'.
Good luck with your job hunt, hope you find something worth your time

Part of this lesson: Do not say anything to your co-workers about ANYTHING you don't want repeated or cannot defend; and DON'T party with people you work with!

NocturneNrse · Mar 13, 2011

Yes.. it's happened to me also. In fact, I'm the one who started this post. The firing was a real shock. Being a supervisor, and having switched shifts without a proper orientation... that's b.s. Do you think they "had it out for you"? Sometimes in hindsight, we see certain behaviours that point toward them trying to get rid of you.

I was DEVESTATED when I was fired. I felt like a complete failure! Completely betrayed. Rethinking this nursing career! That lasted a few months. I now am in a new position and a new facility, and although I'm new here.. I am SO glad to be out of that toxic work environment. So, in hindsight... it was really a blessing for me to be fired. I wish it had been handled a different way, and still feel betrayed, but I have learned a valuable life lesson from this and am able NOW to look forward.

I hope you're able to soon find comfort.. the anger and betrayal feelings will be there, but you will come through this, and find a position that you love. The confidence will return to you after you've assessed this, and find a nice job with people you can rely upon.

Hang in there!!!!!

king_of_the_hill_fan · Jul 26, 2011

I know this thread is a few months old, but...

Nocturne, thanks for posting your situation and feelings...I am in this situation myself and your original post resonated everything that I'm currently feeling. I just got my unemployment claimed granted (thankfully), but I'm having a heck of a time finding a new job. Anyhow, I'm going to contact a lawyer to see if I have a case. I suspect discrimination in my case...

nola1202 · Jul 26, 2011

It's not just the wine, it happened to me too, they also went after my license. You got caught up in a vendetta of someone who likely has a Personality disorder. They will seek revenge for a small slight you may not have known you committed. In my case I had the nerve to wake her up while looking for last minute staffing for the unit. I should have known that she only worked her assigned shifts and nothing else. Despite apologizing and letting her know I would know not to call again, nothing had been noted next to her name on the list given to me, and that I was told by the supervisor to call everyone on the list as she was too busy to do it herself...I was on the shi# list.

I have never seen someone so angry and work so hard to hurt another human being. She collected grudges like stamps! I find it amazing how they have any friends at all, but I think it's because they select only one person to focus all their energy and frustration on as the time, and they pick someone who isn't an "insider" on their shift.

Whatever, I decided that some people have made a career of being mean and underhanded in order to feel better about their own inadequacy. Find someone who will give you a good recomendation and use it, leave this behind you. I will always based on my past experience if I am ever suspended for any reason, get a lawyer and bring them with me to the next meeting. I will never allow myself to be alone in a situation like that again.

Good luck to you, keep us updated!

Faithful_RN · Aug 3, 2011

Wow. After reading this thread, I no longer feel so alone and isolated by my situation. I was terminated this summer from my 2nd ever nursing job, also by no fault of my own (I spoke up about something that I should have just kept mum about, even if it was the right thing to do--but sometimes the right thing is not always the best thing in terms of job security, as I found out too late). I was in so much SHOCK, my own personal HELL, just really really miserable, and of course I still am to a degree, but it's gotten with a little time, and I am more thankful for my family than I have ever been in my entire life -- I truly realize what a blessing they are. I am still looking for jobs, and praying -- this incident, if nothing else, has brought me closer to my faith, and clued me in to the fact that sometimes politics is sometimes much more powerful than the actual blood-sweat-tears work we do out on the floor; sad but true. I just pray that we all find better, meaningful jobs in which we can survive and win out these sorts of battles in the future. I can't fathom this happening to me again, especially in this kind of economy.

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Aug 3, 2011

you can do that? i never knew, what company did you go through?

A credit card, and a computer, and you can get a background check on anybody:)