DON fired during state survey

Nascar nurse, ASN, RN · Apr 8, 2011

Wow...no advice really. The best you can do is pull yourself up by your boot straps and move on.

I think I would also ask to resign rather than be fired. I don't believe you will be able to collect unemployment. But, in my state, when you renew your license you must state if you have been terminated since your last renewal. I have heard of some nurses getting put thru the 3rd degree to explain a situation just so they could get their licensed renewed.

I start my first DON job next week. I have already warned my family that this is the type of job where the "suits" sometimes walk in unexpectedly and fire you without warning. It just happens (although it sucks).

Best of luck to you. (The bright side...you don't have to write a plan of correction - only said to make you smile!).

Bella'sMyBaby · Apr 8, 2011

Getting booted out during a Survey sure sounds to me like your facility used you as their "Scapegoat". Unfortunately, tactics such as this are common in LTC. Forget about this place & move on...Good Luck! :)

diane227, LPN, RN · Apr 8, 2011

Instead of fixing the system problems, they terminate someone so they can say they did something about the "problem". The really good facilities don't practice this way. They have learned that the long term retention of staff is good for business.

caliotter3 · Apr 8, 2011

Better to have resigned than to have been terminated. And from what I have heard through the years, it is a natural occurrence for DONs to leave in conjunction with the state survey, although they usually leave after it is over. In my former home town, the DONs of each of the facilities pretty much traded jobs after each survey cycle or two. I would not be overly upset over this situation. If it bothers you too much, then consider whether you want to continue in these roles. Perhaps returning to staff nurse positions might be a better solution for you.

americanTrain · Apr 8, 2011

I feel like this was a forced resignation, because I was being fired with no advanced warning. Under duress, I asked if I could resign, they said "hurry up and write your letter and exit the building". Now I want legal advise. I didnt even get my 90 day evaluation, which was due last week. I was told that I was doing a great job. I know the state survey had alot to do with it, but I was being held responsible for something that happened over the last year before I even started. I went to lonestarlegalaid.org for assistance. Does anyone think I have a case? Forced resignation should be against the law.

caliotter3 · Apr 8, 2011

Forced resignation is quite common.

txredheadnurse, BSN, RN · Apr 8, 2011

I feel like this was a forced resignation, because I was being fired with no advanced warning. Under duress, I asked if I could resign, they said "hurry up and write your letter and exit the building". Now I want legal advise. I didnt even get my 90 day evaluation, which was due last week. I was told that I was doing a great job. I know the state survey had alot to do with it, but I was being held responsible for something that happened over the last year before I even started. I went to lonestarlegalaid.org for assistance. Does anyone think I have a case? Forced resignation should be against the law.

Seek legal guidance if you feel that is appropriate. However every job I have had in my 36+ years has always had a probationary period of 90-180 days. In that time frame an employee can be let go for any reason without recourse; as in turn, the employee has the right to leave without necessarily giving 2 weeks notice. Personally I would just chalk this one up to a bad fit, avoid that companys' facilities in the future and start a job hunt in earnest. One of the biggest downsides to being a nurse manager in LTC is the fact that you run a higher than average risk of being the Judas goat. It is the way of the business world in both health care and non healthcare.

americanTrain · Apr 8, 2011

Im done with management, forever! Not worth the stress, not to mention having your license on the line at any given moment. Even if you do the best that you can, know the rules and regs, have excellant staff. There is always someone willing to step in and take it all away. No wonder that place has has 4 DONs in the last year. I guess they fire them every quarter. I was told that if we didnt make our bonus, that someone would be fired. And they wanted me to do all of the marketing. Its not my fault that our census wasnt what it should have been. Eveyone has to market. Hey, at 3:00pm, guess where every department manager was? In their cars going home. While I stayed at the bldg until 7:00

helping out in the dining room. Now theres thanks for ya.

As far as state surveyors go, dont care if I ever see another one. While they were in our bldg, one dumped her coke in my lap, didnt even appologize while I was getting up to get paper towels, they all just sat there and stared at me. One just stood there with hand on hips while watching a resident fall. Did not make a move to assist me at all. No one else around.

Luckily I got help. Im sure theyre not all this way, but from what Ive seen on the boards here, most of them think they hang the moon. Ive heard stories of them dumping water in residents beds, just to make someone do pericare, and tagging a facility for not having shaved a womens legs. Whatever! I guess if they cant find it, that make it happen.

Yes, Iam finally mad. Having been forced into resigning from a job that I had no intention of leaving. Now I cant even draw unemployment? In my area, nursing jobs are scarce, most nurses I know are working 2 jobs just to make ends meet. I did make an appointment to see an attorney on Monday, just to know where I stand on getting some assistance until I can get another job. They were going to fire me , but I was forced into resigning.

elkpark · Apr 8, 2011

Maybe I'm missing something important here, but I'm not getting how this was a "forced resignation."

As already noted, every healthcare employer I've ever worked for has had a policy of at least 90 days "probation" (often longer) during which either party can decide to withdraw from the employment relationship for any reason (i.e., they can let you go for no reason). They told you they were firing you, you asked if you could resign instead, and they allowed you to do so. In my book, that's doing you a favor. They could have simply insisted on firing you and not given you the option.

Did you know when you took the job that they had gone through four DONs in the last year? That would be a big red flag for me. How much did you know about this organization before you took the job? How much research did you do?

(BTW, you also can't get unemployment if you were fired for cause, which I'm sure they would argue you were if they hadn't allowed you to resign. So your unemployment situation would have most likely been the same either way.)

zacsmimi · Apr 9, 2011

Ive got to agree... what happened sucks but it is NOT uncommon. I wouldnt decide all management is bad. Obviously the place you were isnt something you wanted to keep knowing how they operate in the end. A resignation is MUCH better on your record than a termination. Dont let that bitterness consume you, Move on, find your next step and keep on keepin' on. Good luck.

marthyellen · Apr 9, 2011

You can file for unemployment whether you get it or not is up to whether the facility chooses to fight you.

Obviously you did not have a good mentor and I am sorry your first experience in LTC management was bad. If you decide that you want to try again, remember the relationship you have with the administrator is very important, When you interview, make sure the administrator is someone you want to be "married" to.