Do you mention past disciplinary action on application?

[Bella RN]

Quick question--If you were discplined by your employer in the past and it DID NOT affect your license--do you mention that on your new application of employment? :confused:It is a government job and they ask have you ever received discplinary action due to clinical incompetence or was forced to resign or retire due to that;do you state yes if you were disciplined for a clinical decision that did affect the patient; but was never found guilty by the state.

Or it was investigated but the state found nothing that the nurse did wrong;they didn't even contact the nurse who was found at fault by the employer and written up? :confused:Most private sectors ask about action against your license but it seems that the Federal government jobs look at every nook and cranny. I know if you don't answer truthfully you can be terminated at any given time, but if you do state you were disclipined at your old job will that mean they will toss the application? Even if that employer after the incident states how the nurse is stellar and is willing to give excellent references.....advice please.

[Angel0411]

As stated frequently in past posts, it is a common misconception that employers have their hands tied when it comes to references concerning former employees. They can state anything about your job performance that was "true" and they can state anything about your job performance that is their "opinion". This is how they get away with blacklisting people, according to employment attorneys. Their word is taken when it comes to the "truth" and "opinion" leaves plenty of leeway to badmouth former employees. Difficult or impossible for the former employee to prevail in court. Employers count on that. Furthermore, there are many venues where discussion can occur and no one is the wiser.

^^^^ THIS

[Bella RN, BSN, MSN]

One of my friends has a governement job and she said she has seen many nurses be terminated a year or two after being hired because they failed to mention something from their past. She says all government employees are vetted for 2 years, and after the 2 year mark once everything is okay you are okay. I think it is better to be truthful about it. Only because it asked "Have you ever received discplinary action at a institue tor clinical incompetence and then resigned or retired as a result" I was never ever once asked to leave, I chose to resign and they Begged me to stay--from the CNO to the VP of Human resources, they knew what an asset and a valuable nurse I am. I chose to leave and they all stated they would give me excellent references and wished I didn't leave. But I am choosing to be honest about it.

I have worked with someone who failed to mention a DUI and she was an EXCELLENT supervisor and then one day she was terminated on the spot because they found out years later. My circumstance wasn't that severe in the least. I just don't want to love the job and then fail to mention this and then a year later be terminated, and then when applying for another job having to put on application terminated from a federal position or for any position for that matter.