fired if they don't like the color of your nail polish...

[fungez]

I read that a lot. But I've only seen a few people get outright fired in my career. Either for 100% objective reasons, like excessive absences, or for major errors (like giving the wrong chemo, to more than one person) and that was after multiple warnings for other errors.

Has anyone ever had a coworker or herself fired for purely personal reasons? And if so, what official reason did they give?

[danh3190]

Well, I think if I were a pt and my nurse had purple hair or gothic makeup I'd request a new nurse.

I think I'd like it.

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

i've seen several people fired who thought they were getting fired for "no reason" other than the color of their nail polish or something equally trivial. most of them were so clueless about the job they didn't realize that they weren't cutting it and so overconfident they didn't get it when someone tried to tell them. there was the guy who insists he was being fired because he was "so close to retirement, i'm at the top of my pay scale." i'm sure it had nothing to do with the notes he put in a patient's chart blatantly stating that the attending physician was an incompetent idiot. not just once, but several times. he'd been counseled for it over and over.

and there was the guy who was sure he was fired because management was homophobic. of course, he also "took care of" a patient for an entire shift without realize she was dead.

there was the woman who insisted she was fired because of her religion. (calling in sick every saturday, sunday and holiday probably had nothing to do with it -- nor did the coming in late and leaving early.)

there was the manager who was fired "so they could put the director's best friend in my job." or it may have had something to do with the fact that she insulted half of her staff at a staff meeting and they all gave their notice over the course of the next couple of months -- as soon as they could find new jobs.

there was the guy who was sure he was fired because he used to date one assistant manager -- until he eloped with another. that might have been a good reason to fire him, but i suspect it was more due to the fact that he "forgot" he was taking care of his third patient, or insisted he wasn't assigned to that patient (when the assignment sheet clearly stated that he was) or otherwise failed to see, assess, chart or give meds to one of his patients. anyone can screw up once -- but every day?

i hear you you

[onetiredmomma]

Dress codes, non-smoking campus policies, tardy policies, etc. Management know just how far they can push toward that fine line wo going over it and finding themselves sued. Choose your battles. If there is a policy that you choose to ignore then be willing to accept the consequences that will no doubt be spelled out in those policies. Grown ups not only have the right to "decide how to wear their hair ..." they also need to be grown up enough to know how, when to challenge a policy and what they will and will not tolerate. As for no smoking I am almost positive all the campuses in my metro area have that in place now and, yes, smokers will get written up and fired based on steps in that written policy. Part of being a grown up is knowing when to say when.......and move on if you don't like the rules.

[leslie :-D]

What matters the most is to take showers and have clean clothes on :)

actually, what matters most, is to be aware of policy upon hire.

if it states no makeup, no smoking, hair up, certain uniform...

by accepting employment, you are accepting their policies and subsequent expectations.

to me, that is most important.

and no one has the right to rebel if they don't like what they hear/read.

meaning, they can always go elsewhere.

so yes, if policy states "clear nailpolish", then expect to be penalized if you show up wearing anything else than clear.

leslie

[coolpeach]

I go to work with nice, clean, fresh non-wrinkled scrubs. I myself am clean and smell of soap, and a dab of some light body spray. My shorter hair is styled and looks nice. My nails natually just grow like crazy on their on so I have to file them once a week to keep them short so I don't poke through a glove or poke a patient. I usually wear them natural or use a light see through glaze on them. I never wear makeup, but its my personal choice that has nothing to do with nursing. I have always hated makeup because I have really sensitive skin and it bugs me. When I was in the business world I was expected to wear makeup everyday, and now I don't have to so I am happy. Of course I still wear makup for pictures, a night out etc. I don't care what the other nurses wear at work as long as they do their job. Give me a purple haired, goth nurse with a good attitude and work ethic any day.

[belgarion]

Believe it or not I was once denied a promotion because I don't drink coffee. The taste literally makes me sick to my stomach and the smell isn't much better. The big wig who stopped the promotion said he just couldn't put any faith in a man who doesn't drink coffee at his meetings.

[CrazierThanYou]

I live in a Right To Work state and you can be fired for whatever. And speaking of nail polish, its not allowed at all around here because they say that chipped polish harbors bacteria.

[CrazierThanYou]

Believe it or not I was once denied a promotion because I don't drink coffee. The taste literally makes me sick to my stomach and the smell isn't much better. The big wig who stopped the promotion said he just couldn't put any faith in a man who doesn't drink coffee at his meetings.

Pure idiocy. Of course, I can totally picture an idiot saying it...

[elkpark]

I have heard the facility I work is planning on going to be tobacco free. They are going to have to go near the street to smoke. I dont know how this going to work. There are so many nurses and staff smoke there. How about the patients, we just have to order more nicotine patches not just for the patient for the staff, too. This is going to be disaster in planning.

I've been a participant in a number of psych facilities going entirely smoke-free and, apart from the smokers on staff being unhappy about it, it just hasn't been a big deal. It's only going to be a "disaster" if people expect it to be a disaster. I'm surprised your facility is only doing this now -- all the hospitals and other healthcare facilities in my state did it quite a while ago.

[CrazierThanYou]

I've been a participant in a number of psych facilities going entirely smoke-free and, apart from the smokers on staff being unhappy about it, it just hasn't been a big deal. It's only going to be a "disaster" if people expect it to be a disaster. I'm surprised your facility is only doing this now -- all the hospitals and other healthcare facilities in my state did it quite a while ago.

Our local hospital has been smoke free for years now. There in NO smoking on the premises, not even in your personal car. They have surveillance cameras everywhere. If you want to smoke, you can walk across the street to a defunct factory and smoke in their parking lot.