Used as a job reference.

Nurses General Nursing

Published

If you are used as a job reference and the calling facility wants to speak to you, what can you legally say?

The nurse that used my name (told me after the fact) as she was looking for a prn position elsewhere, did not even get off probation before being let go. She was totally unsafe, couldn't even show up on time and had a personality of a moldy pancake.

Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.

I had an RN tell me that she had put me down as a reference ... hmmmm. I didn't like that. She was nice enough but she was a total screw up when it came to dispensing meds. So many errors; I tried to help her.

So the place calls. It's just not any place it's the pediatric ward at the military hospital. "Oh no, I must do something" I think to myself. I can't be responsible for letting this incompetent nurse loose on children!

I politely tell the caller that the nurse is a disaster when it comes to calculating and dispensing meds that in light of the fact that children's meds are often times calculated per body wt etc... etc... Two weeks later the same nurse puts in her notice because she has been hired by the hospital. I'm in shock ... I am very concerned but what do I do? I think of the children and call the DON back. I am basically told that they ignored my input since she got rave reviews from everyone else and had passed the pharm test she was given. Well I tried; I sincerely hope all is well. Always wonder how those kids are doing.

Specializes in Med/Surg.
When I was in a position of hiring/reference giving (non-nursing) our policy was to only state if the person was eligible for rehire or not.

So I would tell the inquirer that was the policy, and then "yes, they are" or more often than not, "No, they're not." ;)

Several people have said this....and this is the response you would give if you are working in HR and you get that call. When someone uses your name specifically, that's a whole other thing. That's the question at hand.

Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

It speaks VOLUMES about a person in general if they don't seek permission from the person listed as a reference. Were they simply too lazy to ask? Too scared? Doesn't care? This is not rocket science...this is basic professionalism we are talking about here.

The simple act of not asking permission or giving a heads-up to someone that is listed as a reference tells me that they don't understand what is important. This reference will directly impact any job opportunities that may arise. I am just flabbergasted that the nurse didn't bother to ask permission. What was she thinking? Or WAS she even thinking?

This is what I would do:

HR: "Hi. My name is Heady Hunter. I am calling in regards to Nurse Moldy Pancake. She listed you as a professional reference, and I would like to ask you a few questions. Do you have a few minutes?"

You: (...four seconds before you comprehend, get over your shock, and find your voice again) "Hi Ms. Hunter. I did work with Nurse Pancake, and I would feel more comfortable if you contacted our HR department with questions. I am sure you understand."

HR: "Oh. Alrighty then. I will contact HR. Thanks for your time!"

You have not said anything negative. You chose to omit any statement regarding Nurse Pancake. If the HR department reads anything into the conversation, then so be it. You said nothing negative or positive.

If you see Nurse Pancake in the hall one day after this convo with HR, pull her aside, tell her that you got the call and that you referred them to HR. I would also throw in that you were caught off guard by the call since she didn't tell you that she listed you as a reference. She may say that she listed you because you were the charge nurse, and didn't think she HAD to ask (this again speaks volumes about her own accountability and responsibility). Then I would explain about professional responsibility and courtesy. Her hackles will probably stiffen at this point, but you accomplished your goal by communicating your thoughts. She will likely remove you quite promptly from her reference list.

Do your happy dance and go about your day :)

It goes like this. Prospect gives references to HR or NM. Everybody says pretty much good things about prospect except you. Seems odd to get a negative from a reference. Don't matter that you didn't want to be a reference for this person, the fact remains that you seem kind of wierd to the reference checkers, like a crazy person when you outline your issues with this prospect. You see, they figure yours is to politely decline and state you were listed in error, nuff said :smokin: You cannot now erase the thought that you are some kind of backstabbing goof-ball. What you have succeeded in doing is allowing the prospect to receive momentary pity. Poor prospect thinks that this wierdo we called will give her a good reference, awwwwww, poor prospect, how cruel!

Ok, my question is, why wasn't this nurse taken off the floor and given more training or had someone work with her on all her mistakes? She was inside her probationary period, after all. Instead of her making mistake after mistake and causing numerous sentinel events, as was previously mentioned, why not try and help her instead of watching her sink? I'm not saying you specifically OP didn't try to help her but she sounds like someone that should have been sent to remediation classes, given one-on-one help, etc... Of course we don't know the whole story and she may have been one of those that is unteachable (i.e. Thinks she makes no mistakes, is never wrong, etc); how many years of experience did she have? New nurse? Maybe she had been written up numerous times before she was let go but if we (her nursing peers, her NM's on up) don't try and help her see her mistakes, show her the correct ways or send her back to the classroom (so to speak), then aren't we part of the problem? I'm sure it was no fun working with someone like that and probably scary at times too. Instead of hoping she quits or gets fired, shouldn't we be trying to help her become a better nurse so she can deliver safe patient care? In the everyday shift world I know that's not going to happen because everyone else has their own patients to care for but someone somewhere needs to stop her unsafe practices and help her to succeed in being safe instead of just letting her move on to another unit and make it their problem (and possibly harm those patients as well). I know this has nothing to do with the OP's original post about calling references but it just made me wonder-and all of these questions may very well have been addressed during her 3 month probationary period so please know I'm not accusing anyone of not doing any the things I suggested-kind of just wondering out loud I guess :o

It speaks VOLUMES about a person in general if they don't seek permission from the person listed as a reference. Were they simply too lazy to ask? Too scared? Doesn't care? This is not rocket science...this is basic professionalism we are talking about here.

The simple act of not asking permission or giving a heads-up to someone that is listed as a reference tells me that they don't understand what is important. This reference will directly impact any job opportunities that may arise. I am just flabbergasted that the nurse didn't bother to ask permission. What was she thinking? Or WAS she even thinking?

This is what I would do:

HR: "Hi. My name is Heady Hunter. I am calling in regards to Nurse Moldy Pancake. She listed you as a professional reference, and I would like to ask you a few questions. Do you have a few minutes?"

You: (...four seconds before you comprehend, get over your shock, and find your voice again) "Hi Ms. Hunter. I did work with Nurse Pancake, and I would feel more comfortable if you contacted our HR department with questions. I am sure you understand."

HR: "Oh. Alrighty then. I will contact HR. Thanks for your time!"

You have not said anything negative. You chose to omit any statement regarding Nurse Pancake. If the HR department reads anything into the conversation, then so be it. You said nothing negative or positive.

If you see Nurse Pancake in the hall one day after this convo with HR, pull her aside, tell her that you got the call and that you referred them to HR. I would also throw in that you were caught off guard by the call since she didn't tell you that she listed you as a reference. She may say that she listed you because you were the charge nurse, and didn't think she HAD to ask (this again speaks volumes about her own accountability and responsibility). Then I would explain about professional responsibility and courtesy. Her hackles will probably stiffen at this point, but you accomplished your goal by communicating your thoughts. She will likely remove you quite promptly from her reference list.

Do your happy dance and go about your day :)

I think it's ok to decline to provide a good reference, but I disagree that you would say your name was provided in error, which is not likely to be true. I also think it's not the best choice.

Edit: Ooops! I just realized that it wasn't you who said you would say your name was provided by mistake. Sorry!

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

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