should I include this experience?

Nurses Career Support

Published

So I was termiantated from my first hosptial job ater 4 monthes for writing 1.0mg of dialudid instead of 0.1. Fortunately the mistake was discovered before it was impeltemented and I wrote the order clarification. I did not change the PCA pump settting to 1.0 and I set it to 0.1. But the nurse manager said this is a safty issuewashouldterminated me. I am currently working PRN at nursing home in the last 1 year. Shoulo nd I put this job when I apply to a new job or whould I just leave it out?

Specializes in geriatrics, IV, Nurse management.

I would put it down. Just explain during the interview process if they ask why. It was a learning experience, and you caught the error, and had it corrected. No one is perfect - my first nursing interview I had no med errors. I was a new grad. 1 year lately, I have two tiny ones that I will be the first to tell you is my own fault, and they didn't harm the patient, and I had it corrected.

You were terminated from your first job... for a med error.

First of all.. shame on them.

Secondly.. why would you include an employer of only 4 months.. where you did indeed make an error . ..that lead to dismissal?

This should NOT show as an employment gap.. there would be NO need to explain.

LEAVE IT OUT!

Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.
I would put it down. Just explain during the interview process if they ask why. It was a learning experience, and you caught the error, and had it corrected. No one is perfect - my first nursing interview I had no med errors. I was a new grad. 1 year lately, I have two tiny ones that I will be the first to tell you is my own fault, and they didn't harm the patient, and I had it corrected.

I agree.

We are all capable of making errors, and if that's all there was to it, it is explainable. At 4 months you were presumably off probation, and most places would not then terminate for a near miss.

The risks of omission is that, depending on how the application is worded, it could be construed as falsification, and could potentially lead to termination. Also, you may at some point run into some one who knew you there, or you let something slip about working at ABC Medical center, that no one knew about, Then they wonder what else you may be hiding.

Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

I strongly advise you to include ALL previous employment experience because it will show up when a prospective employer does the background check required by Federal laws. This includes collection of information needed to screen for "true identity".... which brings up your FICA history. So if the employer deducted FICA, it will show up when they run your SSN. It's much better to be honest in the first place than to try to explain why you were withholding information.

+ Add a Comment