Coping Up After Job Rejection

My article is all about my journey in coping up after a rejection from the job that I was aiming for. It is about asking all the other nurses for support so I can continue my dreams and be able to bring myself back after a bad job rejection and be able to believe that I am still a nurse! I will be a good nurse and to never give up on my dreams! Nurses Announcements Archive Article

Coping Up After Job Rejection

I am an international graduate that migrated in US way back 2012 and I've always been dreaming of continuing my dreams and be able to practice nursing again. I've been thru a lot of rejection in the past. But yesterday was the most painful one.

I am writing so I can put all my emotions in here and help myself from falling apart.

It's been 5 years since the last time I practiced in the nursing field. It wasn't my choice to stop and be away from field for that long. being an international graduate, there was a lot of obstacles before I was finally able to take my NCLEX. and so last year, I was able to pass my NCLEX for LVN in California and my NCLEX-RN for New York.

I am a big dreamer so I decided to give it a try in leaving California and go to New York to be able to practice as a Registered Nurse. I was full of hope and very grateful when a hospital in upstate New York accepted me and gave me an offer.

I left my job as a school nurse, wellness nurse and caregiving job in order to move to New York and give it a shot in this hospital. I was ready and I prepared myself in staying for over 3 years even if I get a smaller Salary. I signed for a 3 year contract for an apartment as I planned of enhancing my skills in that hospital and get into a specialty. I gave up my relationship, I invested money and time and so last month, started to work and get into the orientation phase.

I was very much overwhelmed. New environment, New people, New machineries. I thought I was doing very well in adapting this new environment until last week I received a call saying that I don't have to work on the coming weekend and I will have a meeting instead on a Monday. I was nervous. I was thinking though that maybe they would want me off orientation phase already. But then that Monday, they said that it was my last day at work already and they decided that maybe I should try to work to a less acute area first. I asked if I did something wrong but they said, I just needed to enhance my skills a little more and be back in the hospital after a year and they let me signed an involuntary termination papers.

I shattered in tears. I feel broke and helpless. My dreams and goals got all ruined. I walked for 5 miles while crying not knowing where to go. I am like a butterfly that's all starting to fly then suddenly somebody cut my wings and I can't move.

a lot of things come to mind specially on how to pay my bills. I am in a place that I'm not familiar. I have no car and there's not much option or place for me to apply that is close to the area. I spend my day crying and not eating, I can't move my body. I do not know what to do.

Then this morning I opened up my face book and saw an article about how Albert Einstein even got rejected. I got inspired by it and read inspirational quotes. I start moving again and decided to walk about 8 miles and drop a resume to a nursing home. I cannot even call a taxi as I was saving my remaining money. Tomorrow I will walk again to another nursing home and I needed all your prayers for me to be able to make it and get accepted to a new job opportunity.

My self-esteem has been lowered and I'm afraid that these nursing homes would not accept me as I was rejected by the hospital. I'm afraid that no one will trust me and so I needed words of encouragement from all of you wonderful nurses! I needed your prayers and I need to put back my self myself confidence and believe that I can survive all of these and show the world how capable I am in becoming a good Nurse!

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jamb

About jamb, BSN, RN

I am a New York Registered Nurse. California LVN, Filipino Registered Nurse. I believe that I can do all things thru Christ!

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.

It looks like you've burned some bridges, moving so far from your social supports. That's rough. But I also see you starting to pick yourself up, applying for a new job. Good for you!

Do you already have nursing experience? Perhaps you could try private duty home nursing? (that's my favorite!)

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I am sorry that you are having a rough time! I am a foreign educated nurse and had to go through the whole process of getting my license here in the US. Needless to say that it took literally forever.

You do not write which specialty you tried but in general there is an adjustment phase when you come from a different culture and work environment. The system in the US does not support long adjustments and you may be evaluated in a way different from what you are used to.

However, I think you just need to keep applying to jobs that may be a better fit to start your career in nursing in NY. If you have already some experience also look into the Visiting Nurses in NY as they are huge in NY and seem to have a good reputation.

Good luck!

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It looks like you've burned some bridges, moving so far from your social supports. That's rough. But I also see you starting to pick yourself up, applying for a new job. Good for you!

Do you already have nursing experience? Perhaps you could try private duty home nursing? (that's my favorite!)

The worst part is that I don't have any idea if I did something wrong or if I hurt someone which I doubted. They even refuse in putting me to a step-down unit. I am thinking of talking with Department of Labor regarding what happened as terminating me left me with nothing and it felt like someone stab me on my back.

Here in US, I don't have any experience yet as a Registered Nurse but I use to practice way back before 2012 in the Philippines. I only had few months experience as a school nurse (LVN) in California as I decided to move to New York to make my dreams happen.

Now I'm thinking on going back to California and just work as an LVN/LPN for now then get into Home-Health Nursing.

I'm really confuse on what to do as financial problem is a big part of it since I just move in to NY but I was left with nothing :(

Thank you for your advice! I really appreciate it!

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
The worst part is that I don't have any idea if I did something wrong or if I hurt someone which I doubted. They even refuse in putting me to a step-down unit. I am thinking of talking with Department of Labor regarding what happened as terminating me left me with nothing and it felt like someone stab me on my back.

Here in US, I don't have any experience yet as a Registered Nurse but I use to practice way back before 2012 in the Philippines. I only had few months experience as a school nurse (LVN) in California as I decided to move to New York to make my dreams happen.

Now I'm thinking on going back to California and just work as an LVN/LPN for now then get into Home-Health Nursing.

I'm really confuse on what to do as financial problem is a big part of it since I just move in to NY but I was left with nothing :(

Thank you for your advice! I really appreciate it!

The department of labor won't do much in this case if you did not meet the necessary safety and efficiency expectations of the job you were hired. You were in orientation and did not apparently have the necessary skills or experience to do the work. Involuntary termination for failure to meet expectations likely excludes you from unemployment compensation but it sounds like you didn't work the minimum 12-18 months to qualify for unemployment compensation any way.

The state will not care if you endured expenses to move across the country for work as you made a free will choice to move across the country.

If you cannot afford to move to CA, get applying to jobs. Just because you didn't have the nursing skills and experience for an acute care hospital does not disqualify you for long term care or subacute nursing homes.

With no recent or US RN experience you won't qualify for VNS or home care at this time.

Start applying and move forward

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The department of labor won't do much in this case if you did not meet the necessary safety and efficiency expectations of the job you were hired. The state will not care if you endured expenses to move across the country for work as you made a free will choice

Oh I see.. It's just that they terminate me without enough reasons. If only I know what I did wrong like med error etc. then that's more acceptable in my part. if it's only about my skills, I recently had learned that they have a fellow orientee which has been on orientation for 3 months already and almost did a med error but they just kept on teaching her. That was not fair enough I guess. :/

I'm also thinking of applying for unemployment but then some people advice me not to do it as I might get hired somewhere else right away. I was also thinking if I should put on my resume my experience in this hospital as I got terminated only after 6 week and that does not look really good

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Plan A apply for NY jobs. Plan B move back to California. In the interim, find out what happens to tenants if they break a three year lease agreement (check the NY tenant's rights guide).

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I am sorry that you are having a rough time! I am a foreign educated nurse and had to go through the whole process of getting my license here in the US. Needless to say that it took literally forever.

You do not write which specialty you tried but in general there is an adjustment phase when you come from a different culture and work environment. The system in the US does not support long adjustments and you may be evaluated in a way different from what you are used to.

However, I think you just need to keep applying to jobs that may be a better fit to start your career in nursing in NY. If you have already some experience also look into the Visiting Nurses in NY as they are huge in NY and seem to have a good reputation.

Good luck!

Hello! Thanks for your comment! Anyways, same thing happened with me. that's why it's just now that I was able to go back to the nursing field. I was in the Progressive Care Unit and I even beg if they can just put me in the MedSurg area instead but then they refuse. they said that there's gonna be more patients and procedures in there and they think I wouldn't be able to handle. It felt bad because they're already judging my skills without them seeing how I perform by myself...

just one question... If I get an LVN experience from California. would that count for me to be able to start as a visiting nurse in NY?

I don't want you to get confuse about the idea of just endorsing my NY license to California. Let me make it clear that California wouldn't honor my license for re-endorsement not until I repeat studying my MS and Maternal & Child Nursing. :( (perks of being an international graduate)

Thank you again!

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One of the best things you can do for yourself, at this point, is to focus on putting a positive spin on your previous experience. I wouldn't mention "stabbed in the back", "terminated without enough reasons" or "Department of Labor" to any potential employer. Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Oh I see.. It's just that they terminate me without enough reasons. If only I know what I did wrong like med error etc. then that's more acceptable in my part. if it's only about my skills, I recently had learned that they have a fellow orientee which has been on orientation for 3 months already and almost did a med error but they just kept on teaching her. That was not fair enough I guess. :/

I'm also thinking of applying for unemployment but then some people advice me not to do it as I might get hired somewhere else right away. I was also thinking if I should put on my resume my experience in this hospital as I got terminated only after 6 week and that does not look really good

Legally they can terminate you and give you no reason.

The fact that you think a colleague got extra training and it's unfair is heresy and irrelevant. The other colleague lasted twice as long as you and may have a better performance record. You did not meet their expectations. The other employee getting training has no impact on your termination after 6 weeks for not meeting expectations for skills, time management, efficiency & experience.

You only worked 6 weeks and were involuntarily terminated due to performance. You are not eligible for unemployment. Not enough work credits plus terminated. The employer will fight your claim and win.

LVN experience generally does not credit towards RN experience in most specialties. But you can ask.

If an application asked you to list ALL employment then you must include this job

Instead of focusing what opportunities others may have had move forward and seek other opportunities

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

You can't work as an LPN/LVN if you are an RN. It doesn't matter if your RN license is in NY; if you go back to CA to work as a nurse, you will need to let the BON know that you have a license in another state and that it is a different one from the one you currently hold.

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Plan A apply for NY jobs. Plan B move back to California. In the interim, find out what happens to tenants if they break a three year lease agreement (check the NY tenant's rights guide).

Ooh looking to the NY tenant's right guide seems to be a good idea! Thank you! I've never think of that!

Hmm I'm actually giving myself few weeks if there would be any miracle and if I can get any job offers for NY. Financially speaking if there's none, I will move back to California as I already assured a job from my former caregiving employers and get an lvn job on a skilled nursing facility

this is actually a hard decision as I really wanted to use my RN license that's why I moved to NY :(

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