Nurses getting fired left and right...

Nurses Professionalism

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I've been reading many posts recently of nurses losing their jobs over the smallest things. This is appalling. Are we that replaceable? Yet the nursing "shortage" rumor continues. This really grinds my gears. Is there anything we can do to stop this? I think I'm just venting. I've personally never been fired from a nursing job, but I have been mistreated on a job before. For example, I worked in LTC for 4yrs (2yrs before that as an aid), it was my 1st nursing job. I didnt like the way things were done there, how employees were treated based on what patient families would complain about (mom doesn't like her roommate, so we would constantly be switching room assignments, dad didnt get his pills until 7pm, when they were due at 6pm - things like this would make mgmt jumped down our throats) and this was early 2000s. So I started looking for another job, well the job I applied for called for employment verification and of course all of the managers were made aware and they begin to treat me differently. Even accusing me of being rude to the secretary:confused::confused:. It's like they were trying to find mistakes, eventually I got written up for not wrapping a skin tear (on my 2nd shift, because I'd wrapped it during 7-3, when 3-11 came the 2nd nurse was a no show and they did not provide any coverage, so I didnt get to the skin tear, I missed it somehow. The amount of patients I had was about 30 that night). I refused to sign the write up and argued my case that no harm had come to the patient for this (and that I had no previous verbal warnings), I even had to send two other patients out that night. Also, they complained about nurses staying over their shift time, smh! Other things occurred also, I begin to feel like they were harrassing me, after years of working for them and always going above and beyond for them. I was so happy when I got hired at the other job, it felt so good to put in my notice. They had a lot of unfair treatment in that facility, and I'm beginning to believe that many facilities feel they can treat us badly. Does anyone else feel this way?

Specializes in Mental Health, Medical Research, Periop.
It's definitely regional. Both of the hospitals in my area always have AT LEAST some PRN positions available, and often full-time shift nurses. I just asked my current clinical instructor about the magnet hospital we're working in over the summer -- she said they just hired three of our new-grad ADN nurses this month.

Jobs are out there, but you have to check to see WHERE they are, and you have to be willing to go where the jobs are.

Are you responding to one of the posts? The thread is about turnover rate. I'm sorry if I'm a little confused about how you're responding to the thread. :confused:

Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.
Are you responding to one of the posts? The thread is about turnover rate. I'm sorry if I'm a little confused about how you're responding to the thread. :confused:

Mrs SnowStorm--I am sorry if I momentarily highjacked your thread...I was specifically responding to Peterthescot..see my post before this one..and I believe the next poster was commenting on it as well, that was probably poor form, so I am sorry. I did begin my post addressing it to Peter the scot...maybe you didn't notice.

sincerely, diva:heartbeat

Specializes in Mental Health, Medical Research, Periop.
Mrs SnowStorm--I am sorry if I momentarily highjacked your thread...I was specifically responding to Peterthescot..see my post before this one..and I believe the next poster was commenting on it as well, that was probably poor form, so I am sorry. I did begin my post addressing it to Peter the scot...maybe you didn't notice.

sincerely, diva:heartbeat

LoL! I see that now, how the heck did I miss this? No apologies needed, after awhile all of the threads usually end up somewhere else. LMBO!!! Too funny. :lol2:

Specializes in LTC, Med-Surge, Ortho.

The reason why we have a lot of terminations and can seldomly do nothing about it is because of the "At Will Empolyment" meaning employers can get rid of you for any reason or maybe no reason at all. I, myself was recently asked to resign and to this day i honestly don't know one legitimate reason other than then a guess that they just did not like me or retaliation because i changed my job status with them from full time to prn. I was a good nurse and did my job. The person that asked me to resign even said that "It was not my clinical skills". I am still dumbfounded by there decision, contacted lawyers for advice and they all said the same thing which is an employer does not have to have a specific reason to fire you. Now if i could prove discrimination, i would have had a case. Employers know that they have the upper hand because there are more nurses than vacant positions. I have often said that employers should work with who they have especially if the nurse have great clinical skills or other qualifications, but may be weak in another area, they know who they have but they do not know whos coming in the door!!! It is really sad and disappointing concerning nurses getting fired left and right but the only way this will change is for us to become unionized and stand together because where there is unity there is strength to make a change!!!!

Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

As I've said for years now, many people couldn't care less what nurses do/don't do in their job, unless they get sick or a close family member/friend is sick - even then they think we are all lazy.

Unless we as a profession keep going on strike (and some nurses won't if they work in critical care areas as they say it's unethical), and we demand better treatment and the ceasement of bullying, nothing will happen.

We LET it happen to us.

Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
Peterthescot,

The market here is very tight, I am sure you have seen thread after thread dealing with the lack of jobs all over the USA...but I think it is regionally directed. South Florida is VERY tight (that's where I live) and it has been for some time, it's not impossible, but not easy. Depends on your years of experience and specialty--the Critical Cares are still pretty good, as is long term care b/c of the elderly population. I understand California is tough and Seattle is VERY tough, I know b/c I have been looking to relocate there. New York City is all but impossible. I am not sure about South Carolina, but it is a pretty state.

I am sure you will still have a much better opportunity here in America than in the UK....of course, we don't have the Royals.....:D....Good Wedding, No?;)

Good Luck in your hunt.

Seattle? Really? We have openings galore! Two of our nurses left for Seattle hospitals.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatric, Hospice.

YUP. This is exactly the situation at my place of work right now and I think about how appalling it is every day. Since when did we become so disposable?? The DON is FINDING reasons to fire people, and it doesn't have anything to do with pt care issues. It's if she simply doesn't like you, she will find a way to get you out the door.

Specializes in geriatrics.

When I read these posts, I thank god I'm in a Union. They can't arbitrarily fire us. I feel for you nurses.

Once a facility wants to fire they will find a way.

They make up lists of mistakes and call you into the office for all kind of things.

Best thing to do is once you notice that something is wrong go ahead and find a job, get out of there before they have a chance to make you nothing but miserable.

Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.
Seattle? Really? We have openings galore! Two of our nurses left for Seattle hospitals.

Dear tokmom

Really? I have been corresponding with several nurses out there, and my daughter has been on the lookout for me too (she is an epidemiologist and is all over the state of Washington in and out of all types of healthcare institutions) and I keep hearing it's tight. I am looking for case management/utilization review or along those lines. I am currently working for nation wide insurance companies doing medical case review and would like to stick to something like that--but I'm open to anything. What have you seen? ( I have a Bachelors and Masters in Health Administration)-don't know if that will help

For what it is worth I think this is happening in alot of different occupations right now. Companies need to " downsize" and by firing someone, the employee will have to fight for unemployment compensation. Very sad state of affairs here in Ohio.

Something I've noticed too. I was fired last month for forgetting to clock-in one morning. They let me work through the day, clock-out, go home, then called me to let me go over the phone. Sounds ridiculous? Yep. At least potential employers will think so too (hopefully). If I can get an interview, that is. Near impossible right now....

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