I still hate to utter the words, even five months later...I was fired from my first job after only eight weeks. I just applied to a different department, and somehow my application snuck by HR. I had an interview today, and explained the situation to the manager of this unit. At the end, he said that he would contact HR to find out if I was eligible for rehire, and I said that I would also look into it. I spoke with someone in HR who apologized for allowing my application to slip through, but I in fact was not eligible for rehire. She said that the only time that she had seen that decision overturned was when the request came down from the CEO. "If you know some big whigs, you might have a shot".
Is this how it works? You get fired from the only hospital in your town, and that's it??? I would like to fight to change this status, but I don't know where to begin. HR isn't going to help, and I doubt the manager who stuck by his decision to fire me will either. I am in an "at will" state, so I am fully aware that we can be fired without reason at any time, but if hospital policy wasn't followed in the process, or a preceptor blatantly lied about some of the complaints she made against me, who would be the best person to turn to? Any feedback, advice, criticism, backlash, pity partying, or slap in the face is welcome! I still feel that this organization is where I am supposed to be, and it makes the most sense for me right now. I have had several months to reflect on the situation, and have made some life changes. I have always been willing to take full accountability for my actions.
If you are in orientation/probationary period, you CANNOT be late or miss work at all. Not once. At least that has always been my understanding. That's the way it works in many jobs, not just nursing. We had to let a good employee go one time because she couldn't make it through the probationary period without being late. She was in tears and said that she had issues going on and that she explained it and had good reason. She didn't seem to understand that all of us have things going on all of the time as well but if you want a job, you just can't miss or be late during orientation/probation. When you are not there it means someone else is having to do your job for you. Its time to move on from this job.
Any nurse is sympathetic if somebody comes in 15 min late ONCE but if you are late more than once, found missing in action after clogging in (even if you go for a "smoke break") or do not come in prepared to take report nurses and managers will not su.pport that behavior. And while "stuff" happens it tends to be the pattern that gets people fired.
Most of us who have worked for a good number of years, regardless of profession, notice that while "stuff happens" to everyone at some point, it seems to happen all the time to certain people. "Life gets in the way" for them, while others manage to overcome their obstacles and challenges and make it to work every day, and on time every day. The habitual offenders always have some emergency or bizarre bad luck that always seems to conspire against them to get them in trouble. They are never at fault, things are always happening to them, the fates are simply against them.
Most of us who have worked for a good number of years, regardless of profession, notice that while "stuff happens" to everyone at some point, it seems to happen all the time to certain people. "Life gets in the way" for them, while others manage to overcome their obstacles and challenges and make it to work every day, and on time every day. The habitual offenders always have some emergency or bizarre bad luck that always seems to conspire against them to get them in trouble. They are never at fault, things are always happening to them, the fates are simply against them.
People with an external locus of control believe that things happen to them despite their best effort to stay on track.
People with an enternal locus of control will always focus on how their own action (or lack of) caused their situation.
The externals typically drive the enternals crazy.
I just wanted to make a comment on the multiple times I have read "you can't ever be late when you are in orientation". Why would you even want to work at a facility who has this short sighted approach? Nurses are human, we are not superheros who are immune to the circumstances of life...just because we are on orientation.
I just wanted to make a comment on the multiple times I have read "you can't ever be late when you are in orientation". Why would you even want to work at a facility who has this short sighted approach? Nurses are human, we are not superheros who are immune to the circumstances of life...just because we are on orientation.
Actually it's the 90 day probationary period that's more critical: your employer can lay you go at any point during those 90 days, and they don't have to give any reason .
Why would you want to give them ammunition against you by being habitually late?
I agree with other posters that the job is gone. However, it does leave you with a "do not rehire" that really affects your life in the future. IF the preceptor was truly lying, you clocked in and were there working (not gone for coffee, or whatever), then she is guilty of libel/slander, depending on if there was a written report made. You could hire a lawyer and challenge the "do not rehire" status, or file a suit against the preceptor. Keep in mind that even if they remove the "do not rehire" status, that doesn't mean they'll hire you, especially if they know you are someone that hires lawyers, and fights hospital decisions. Best case...you get off the "do not rehire" list, your preceptor is forced to pay your legal fees, and you get closure. I don't think the emotional fight would be worthwhile for me.
I'm NOT a lawyer, just been in nursing a long time, and seen a lot of shady stuff. Good luck.
Don't have time to read through all the posts so will just wing this one....
It isn't just healthcare/hospitals, but pretty much standard procedure for all sorts of employers/industries; when one is discharged for cause it means no longer eligible for employment at any other connected subsidiary, department, division, owned by, related to, or whatever from the same organization.
Truth to be told once written up and put on notice an employee really is on the way out the door; employer is just seeking to create a legal paper trail to justify discharge.
Have been employed by various sorts of places for more years than care to recall and have seen it many times. This includes someone written up for attendance/tardiness who was late due to a problem on the NYC subway system (train derailment caused system wide delays). She was terminated and did not get unemployment which was upheld on appeal because she had been officially warned about her attendance and lateness.
OP: unless this is the only healthcare game in town, dust yourself off and move on. The sad (and disgusting) truth of the matter is far as this particular system is concerned you are blacklisted. Unless or until someone high up reverses that decision you are banging your head against a brick wall.
I just wanted to make a comment on the multiple times I have read "you can't ever be late when you are in orientation". Why would you even want to work at a facility who has this short sighted approach? Nurses are human, we are not superheros who are immune to the circumstances of life...just because we are on orientation.
Yet most all of us manage to accomplish a blemish-free orientation.
It's not just a facility or 2 that has this "short-sighted" approach - it is universal.
Your best bet is to take any job you can find. In a few years, you may be able to come back to the hospital. I know I am not eligible for rehire due to leaving my old job. I don't care and I cut my losses. I am now working three jobs in my current hospital system.
(There is also an argument about when I left. They say November. I say June. I think they hired me again for per diem but forgot to tell me.)
Nutella, did you call 40 middle-aged?? Ha!! I'm laughing over here, I keep hearing it's middle-age, but I just can't accept it, because you know, I'm living in good health until I'm 120!!!
You said yourself you are in a right to work state where they can fire you for any or no reason and you were on probation and they just decided to let you go even though they may not have followed the policy to the letter. Management always has the final say and leeway to change the terms. There is nothing you can do to change the situation now. Consider it a blessing that you don't have to work with a coworker who would flat out lie that you weren't there for report. Hopefully you were really there taking report and not socializing getting coffee. I say this because I work with coworkers that dilly dally getting their coffee etc while we are all tired and waiting to punch out and go to sleep! It is frustrating when it's quarter after and you still haven't started report because the day shift is clowning around!
Oh see I'll go in the break room, while they are getting coffee and give them report while they pour the cup.
Mr. Pedi
12 Posts
Do you actually believe the terrible, terrible advice that you give in these sorts of threads, or are you just trolling?