Current job refuses to give professional references

[P_B_Q]

I just completed my BSN from WGU and am wanting to continue my education with CNW with Frontier University. Part of the application process is to provide two professional references and they give a detailed form to be filled out. My current position in a small facility has a policy against giving references. What?!?!?! So, here I am in a position that will not help me progress in my education. To be able to get what I need to go to the program I want, I'll need to find a new job in a company that will provide professional references. Goodness! Then how am I do know if the new company will do so? I am not the only one out there that has experienced this problem. Please, advice. I have a feeling it will be a while before I gain this.

Shane BSN, RN

[JKL33]

I don't believe this policy to be uncommon at all. Lots of companies will only officially confirm dates of employment these days.

That doesn't mean you can't still ask individual professionals (with whom you may work) who can vouch for your strengths/aptitude/etc. to serve as a reference. Have you exhausted all of these options? You've asked everyone who meets the qualifications needed for professional references and they are all declining to help you based on company policy?

Do you have a professor or instructor from your recent program whom you could ask?

What about professionals at the provider level who are familiar with your work?

This is not a work reference for a job. It doesn't have to have anything to do with someone who supervises or evaluates you (unless the application says otherwise, I guess...). People with whom you work may be willing to personally serve as your professional reference in a way that isn't formally associated with the employer (i.e. doesn't speak on behalf of the employer).

You need to ask more questions. You aren't the first one to encounter this. I suspect someone at your workplace is willing to help as described above.

Good luck!

[P_B_Q]

Small company with a DON and one supervisor on 3rd who has observed me though is not receptive to my request. I guess I just need to be in the field longer in a larger organization where I can get more exposure to being observed. I graduated last year. My current BSN was online so, no observations happened. This whole thing came up by the DON forwarding my request to human resources.

[caliotter3]

Have you asked your school for assistance? Surely, as you say, there have been others with the same problem. I've encountered it myself. People just love to get out of an inconvenience by claiming company policy excuses them from the inconvenience.

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

When I have applied to graduate programs I have asked for references from professionals I've worked with, but not really from the organization itself. In my instance it was MDs or NPs that I had worked with in a professional capacity and had developed a relationship where they felt comfortable offering a recommendation. It may be difficult to develop those relationships in just a year but it's worth it.

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

On 5/31/2019 at 11:51 PM, P_B_Q said:

Small company with a DON and one supervisor on 3rd who has observed me though is not receptive to my request. I guess I just need to be in the field longer in a larger organization where I can get more exposure to being observed. I graduated last year. My current BSN was online so, no observations happened. This whole thing came up by the DON forwarding my request to human resources.

Your professional reference does not have to be a person who supervises you. The last set of professional references I got were from a Physician who see's patients at the facility and a fellow RN I work with.

Hppy

[mangopeach]

Do you know any professionals at your facility? My references have been physicians I've worked with, other staff RNs, MSWs. These are people I've known over the years at work. They don't have to be direct supervisors.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

On 6/1/2019 at 3:32 AM, caliotter3 said:

Have you asked your school for assistance? Surely, as you say, there have been others with the same problem. I've encountered it myself. People just love to get out of an inconvenience by claiming company policy excuses them from the inconvenience.

Some companies actually do have policies that prohibit anyone from doing this, either as company rep or as an individual. Because of litigious idiots in our society, or people who have "issues" and are a ticking time bomb, are among reasons that many companies have adopted this stance. Very common in my area and others that I've talked to

[KCMnurse, BSN, MSN, RN]

This is really not uncommon. I have developed relationships with professionals that do not supervise me but can speak to my character and professionalism. Cast your net out and see if you have someone in your network that can help you with his.

[zoidberg, BSN, RN]

Ask your student mentor from WGU. When I finished there mine said to give her a call if I ever needed a reference or help when I went back for my MSN.

[P_B_Q]

I did ask mentor. Zero response. Shrug. Due to lack of work in the medical field, I’ve not had time to gain connections like other nurse peers and other medical professionals. I just got my nursing license last year and was a grocery store employee before that. The reference requires specific observations of my nursing practice. It is a preestablished form with specific questions. For me at this time, seems I need more time. I need to get into a different position too, Hospital is goal.

[zoidberg, BSN, RN]

A job on a med surg (or other acute unit) would be great. You will develop so many professional relationships you will have your pick of people to ask after even just a year.