I Thought I Had My Dream Job, but My Past Took It Away...

Nurses General Nursing

Published

So a really stupid mistake I made 6 years ago came to bite me in the rear yesterday. I was working as an agency nurse staffing in correctional facilities when my NM told me I had to clock out & go home due to the fact my security clearance was revoked. My jaw hit the floor & I was stunned. I didn't completely understand why but on the inside I kinda knew why.

I hadn't told anyone I had worked for this company 6 years previous for about a month or two. Or what had happened when I did work for the company. Obviously I am not about to put my business out here on the interwebs, but if you PM I will tell you.

My NM didn't know why my security clearance was revoked but after I clocked out & got to my car I called my agency & they told me that I was unable to work for this company in *any* capacity. So, blacklisted. I figured if I was blacklisted my application wouldn't go through, I don't understand why it would let my application go through but then reject my security clearance.

When I get home I try to make phone calls to an HR but at 1500 on a Friday it's hard to get ahold of anyone. I finally do & she tells me she will get me an answer next week. I figure it's gonna be that I'm blacklisted & there's nothing I can do about it.

My heart is broken & shattered into a million pieces. I love working as a nurse in corrections, it's where my heart lies. Now that, that has been pretty much ended for me I don't know what else to do. I live in a small town so job opportunities are far & few between. The hospital in my town does hire LVNs occasionally, but I never get interviews. I honestly just can't handle LTC or PDN. The school district doesn't pay enough. Then that's it.

My mother keeps telling me to go back to become an RN but I don't even know if I want to any more. When I was working at the prison, I was so happy just working & being an LVN, I didn't even think about going back to school. I'm so lost right now.

I'm so stressed too because I was making so much money, I knew I could keep us out of the hole we were in, financially. We wouldn't have to live paycheck to paycheck any more. There's no way a family of 4 can live on my husband's small paycheck, we're always broke by the second or third week of the month. But it looks like we are gonna go back to that, especially after October when I lose Medicaid.

I don't know if I just needed to vent or need suggestions. I'm also really devastated right now. I get this awesome job, doing what I love to do, getting paid amazingly & then it gets ripped away. Of course we needed it desperately. I just don't know how we're gonna make ends meet after October.

I've already started looking for a new job because I know I'm not gonna get good news next week. But unfortunately, there's not many jobs available out there.

Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
You absolutely have to do what is best for you! You won't do your family any good if you get depressed or manic. I am so sorry you are going through this.

Exactly. I've been there & when I am extremely manic or depressed, it's terrible. I'd rather be a GREAT stay at home mother who is in control of her mental health than so depressed I can't bathe, eat or dress myself or on the other end of the spectrum.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
I'm so sorry to hear this, I wish you the best of luck

Thank you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I just want to say thank you to everyone for the heartfelt comments & PMs. It really means a lot. I am not feeling as depressed today as I thought I would. I currently looking for jobs & started studying again for the TEAS test. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

OC, I don't know the details of your situation but is it something you can clear up before you go on for your RN? I'd hate for you to put the work in only to have the same thing happen again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I want to update my situation. I never heard from (edit) & I won't. I was contacted by my former agency (then surprised on the line by my boss, ugh). They told me that (edit) wanted me to stop contacting them. What?! So my agency wasn't giving me any clarification but I'm not allowed to contact THEM?!

What my (horrible) agency told me was that in lieu of being fired, I was able to resign (d/t unprofessional conduct, which pisses me off. Ugh!) Then when I asked if I could get any other work outside of (edit), they said no because I lied on my application. Yeah, it was a white lie but I also didn't know I was blacklisted. Every time I applied my application went through! Do I think I would've accepted the position if I knew I was blacklisted?!? Lol.

So they didn't fire me, my old boss said she would talk to QC & let me know. I have been applying to jobs & I also applied for unemployment. Hahaha.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well if you "resigned" then you can't get unemployment. You can still try though. That's why they give you a choice... if you chose to resign then you can't get unemployment and they know it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Well if you "resigned" then you can't get unemployment. You can still try though. That's why they give you a choice... if you chose to resign then you can't get unemployment and they know it.

No, I didn't resign from this current job. That was from the first time I worked there. Sorry if my previous post didn't make any sense.

Let me try try to rephrase it. I resigned the first time instead of being fired. When I asked my agency if they had any work they said they didn't want to give me any but they would look into it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Oh ok sorry

Up Vote Up Vote ×
No, I didn't resign from this current job. That was from the first time I worked there. Sorry if my previous post didn't make any sense.

Let me try try to rephrase it. I resigned the first time instead of being fired. When I asked my agency if they had any work they said they didn't want to give me any but they would look into it.

Honestly, I do not think the agency will give you any more jobs. Imo...it may be best to resign from the agency before they get the chance to terminate you. As far as unemployment goes...they could defend the termination by saying "well, she omitted "x" job on her application..."

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Honestly, I do not think the agency will give you any more jobs. Imo...it may be best to resign from the agency before they get the chance to terminate you. As far as unemployment goes...they could defend the termination by saying "well, she omitted "x" job on her application..."

I know they won't, they pretty much said so. But I haven't been officially terminated, that's the thing, I'm still an employee. If I resign, then I can't apply for unemployment & they haven't fired me. That's why I applied, because I haven't resigned & they didn't fire me. So while they're doing whatever they're doing, I'm gonna sit over here & apply for benefits (while I look for jobs).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I know they won't, they pretty much said so. But I haven't been officially terminated, that's the thing, I'm still an employee. If I resign, then I can't apply for unemployment & they haven't fired me. That's why I applied, because I haven't resigned & they didn't fire me. So while they're doing whatever they're doing, I'm gonna sit over here & apply for benefits (while I look for jobs).

The thing is, (imo) termination is not something one should want in terms of nursing. Suppose you were to get terminated - If a job application were to ask along the line "Have you ever been terminated?," you would have to answer "yes" and may have to explain. Though illegal in some states, a potential employer may ask the previous employer what happened.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
The thing is, (imo) termination is not something one should want in terms of nursing. Suppose you were to get terminated - If a job application were to ask along the line "Have you ever been terminated?," you would have to answer "yes" and may have to explain. Though illegal in some states, a potential employer may ask the previous employer what happened.

Oh I know. But if I can qualify for unemployment & make some kind of money while I'm in-between jobs, it's worth it. If I can keep them on the hook long enough to pull benefits, that works for me. If not, then I will put in my resignation.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment