Feeling terrible after being terminated from job wrongfully

Nurses New Nurse

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Hi. First of all, let me explain that today I was terminated from my job today at a Psychiatric facility for children 5-22 years of age. My parents' neighbor, who works at the facility made the recommendation for me to try the facility, and hence told the ADON, his friend, about me. Well, I was hired March 1, 2011 on the spot in an interview last week of Feb 2011 after they started their background check on me last week of Feb 2011. Well, I was on Nursing classroom orientation March 1-4, and I was at Nursing orientation on the floor March 7-11; however, I could not interact with patients hence I ended up listening to the patients mostly through the infirmary door. This was mostly, because my background check did not come in yet. I was also told that I couldn't really look at the pyxis, because my background check was not completed yet I could look at patients' records?!! Does this make sense to anybody?

Well, on March 11th they said they were going to re-submit my background check,and on March 11th they re-did my fingerprints. The HR manager realized the I was hard to fingerprint, and said that's why it's taking so long for my background check to be completed. I was in HR orientation Mar 14-15, and the ADON was telling me that she hoped my background check would come in. It didn't.

Well, from Mar 16-24, I called twice if my background check was in and twice they said no. Then, today Mar 25th, I was told that I was terminated as of the 24th of March. ***!!!!

Well, they said the reason was because I had to be frequently re-directed and demonstrated poor comprehension. Also, I failed two required tests for orientation. The HR manager said I failed the Pharmacology test, which was take home..I didn't know I received a failing grade. Plus, I thought they would go over it. I know it required an 80% or more to pass, but I was reassured by the previous orientees they'd go over it. Plus, they said I failed the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention test, and that the certificate I received, according to HR, was just for attendance. If that's so, then why did I receive a certificate from this class that said I "successfully completed the course"? I mean, I know that I had trouble with the holds, but I finally got it. They said this was the re-direction they were talking about. But then, why did I receive a certificate of successful completion?

I'm sorry. I had to rebuttal. I don't really want or expect to get re-hired, but I wanted to write something down.

I talked with my husband and my parents about this. My dad says it's 100%their fault, and they're just covering up their A$#! My mom thinks breastpumping during the orientation sent a red flag to them, and that they're just looking for an excuse. Well, maybe mentioning to them I just had twins didn't help. My husband thinks it's a blessing in disguise, because the kids in that facility are pretty dangerous.

In my previous job, I held the position only for 10 months. I was suspended because I left someone's meds in the cart. I decided to quit anyway, bcz of my twin pregnancy.

Overall, my husband thinks i have bad karma. What do you all think about this? I think what they did was full of b.s.!

Sorry so long..had to vent!

Ewok

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Specializes in Critical Care.

.....um, You breast pumped during an interview?

This may be the nursing profession and all, but that is no way appropriate for ANY interview in any career.

Additionally, why was it necessary to mention you just had twins? (hint, it was not. your family/private/reproductive life is not their business and can only be used against you in the hiring process)

I'm in nursing school now and we cannot pass meds each semester without passing a pharm test with 90-100% accuracy each semester. It seems annoying, but its totally fair. If you were the patient, having an RN who can only pass meds correctly LESS than 8 in 10 times is scary.

Enjoy the time off you have with you babies, but make it a point to study up. Both for your professional development and the safety of your patients.

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I never said that I pumped during the interview! You're not reading correctly. I pumped after the interview. That's insane. The interviewer, my boss, actually allowed me to pump during classroom orientation in the infirmary. In fact, she encouraged me since a lot of the nurses are pumping in the infirmary. Plus, I didn't fail the self-defense class like they said I did. I got a certificate that said I "successfully passed" on the certificate in black and white, which the HR manager said was only a certificate of attendance. If that's so why didn't it say "certificate of attendance?"

I also never got the Pharmacology test back. It was a take home test with a lot of psych medications that I didn't know that much about. In fact, I was asking some of the nurses in the infirmary about helping me with the take home test, which they couldn't help me much on. They told me that the ADON actually helped them with that test two months ago when they were being oriented. So, why couldn't she help me? BTW, I didn't have help with the test, I did it on my own with the help of the handout they gave me. Plus, I didn't volunteer how many kids I had, she asked me if I had kids during the interview. I knew that was an illegal question anyway, but I decided to take the job which she hired me on the spot for, because there weren't a lot of jobs available at the time for new grads.

Well, anyway, maybe they based my firing on the pharm test anyway, but still the HR manager should be familiar with the certificate for the self-defense class indicating successful completion of the class. Besides, the self-defense instructor said no one ever fails his class, and if we did we'd be kept after, and I wasn't I received a certificate of passing.

Anyway, thanks for listening!

Ewok

P.S. I always passed my Pharm tests with 90 or above. I have to admit though, that Psych test was kind of tough..wish I knew what grade I made.

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If you were breastpumping during the orientation, that was really probably all they needed to see that you weren't going to fit their idea of an employee who fit into the atmosphere there. I would not do something like that in the future.

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all i can say is ......W O W

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

The first 90 days of employment is considered a probationary period at most workplaces. During this time, your employer can terminate your employment at any time and for any reason. Likewise, you can resign at any time and for any reason during the first 90 days.

You were employed at this facility for less than 90 days. Unfortunately, the people at this psychiatric hospital might have seen some trait in you that prompted them to hurry up and terminate your employment, or else they would have bent over backwards to keep you working there.

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The first 90 days of employment is considered a probationary period at most workplaces. During this time, your employer can terminate your employment at any time and for any reason. Likewise, you can resign at any time and for any reason during the first 90 days.

You were employed at this facility for less than 90 days. Unfortunately, the people at this psychiatric hospital might have seen some trait in you that prompted them to hurry up and terminate your employment, or else they would have bent over backwards to keep you working there.

i would say that it was just a "bad fit"

i have worked some places & i was loved

other places i just didn't fit all that well with the others

life goes on , good luck

piglett

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Yeah. Thanks to everyone who posted. Whatever the reason they terminated me I have to agree that I really wasn't a good fit. It's just a pain finding the right fit, and having to go through Kubler Ross stages of grief to realize that.

It's very hard though... Guess next thing on the drawing board.

Ewok

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Specializes in Critical Care.

OP,

phewww I apologize. i did misread the breast pumping statement. nonetheless, they wouldn't actually "forbid" you to do so...that wouldn't go over well either. i do however suggest that you keep your breasts out of the equation during your next orientation!:p

best of luck girl

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yeah. no worries there since this will definitely will be the last pg. btw not like i have any ;0p

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Specializes in Hospice.

It sounds like you were sending up red flags all over the place. by your own account you didn't ace a take home test....even if someone told you they would review it i would think you would have done your very best through researching to make sure almost every answer was correct..... and that you struggled with learning the holds. Just because they gave you a 'completion certificate' does not mean that the instructor did not express their concerns to your superior. I'm sorry but i don't think you were unfairly terminated. the first 90 days is a 'get out of jail free card' for a bad fit for employers and it sounds like they decided you weren't a great fit. Hopefully you will find your niche somewhere else. Good luck

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Yeah, I know. Thanks for the input. I realize that already. People can stop replying to this message now LOL! I just want to move on. This is very painful as it is.

Ewok

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