Fired!!!

[Shoe_Gal]

I recently began a job in a small MD office. The doctor's wife is the "office manager" - but they also have another office manager - the one who interviews prospective employees, does the payroll, etc. The wife simply comes in for a few hours and answers the phones and walks around the office.

I have school-age children who routinely get off the bus and are home alone for about 45 minutes until my husband gets home from work. We normally have no problem getting a sitter if school is out so that we can both go to work. My husband was scheduled to have the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off so, of course, we didn't make other arrangements for child care. His boss told him Tuesday afternoon that he had to work - he is a supervisor and there was no one else to call in to cover the team. I contacted our sitter to see if she would be free to watch the kids on Wednesday. She was unable to do it as she had already made plans to go out of town to visit her father.

I informed the MD's wife of the fact that I would not be able to come into work Wednesday and explained the situation. (The other office manager was not available as she was taking time off for the holiday.) The wife asked me if I could get a sitter...I had just explained that the reason I couldn't come to work the next day was because I could NOT find a sitter. (Guess she wasn't listening the first time.) I told her again that I was unable to find a sitter and went back to work. Nothing was said about it again for the rest of the workday. I glanced at the schedule and Wednesday's patient load was very light. There is a CMA that could easily handle the patient load...as she had been doing so for the month prior to me being hired. Being new to the practice, I had just handled a FULL schedule for 2 providers alone the previous Friday without any problem.

I went home and received a call from the wife. She told me that they really needed to have someone there for the next day since it could get really busy. I explained my situation once again and she then said "Well, this will serve as your notice. You are no longer needed." She then hung up.

I live in a at-will employment state and was only there for 1 month so unemployment is not an option. I've already applied at several other facilities but have not heard from anyone yet...doesn't surprise me because of this time of year.

Has anyone else ever been through something similar?

[caliotter3]

There are all kinds of examples of people going on power trips. That is exactly what this was. The woman probably does this often and more than likely is the reason for several people leaving the position.

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

I would never work for an office where the manager is the Doctors wife.....is she even a nurse? I suspect it is like the previous poster said, she is on a power trip...her husband wanted to help her get out of the house and she thinks because she is the wife she runs the show.

[mazy]

I don't understand the logic of firing a staff member because you can't function unless she comes into the office.

Consider yourself lucky to be out. I have worked for a couple of companies managed by a husband-wife team and it is always a disaster. Husband-wife butting heads, wife on power trip, husband hiding in the office, staff being pulled one way and the other, no professional or personal boundaries.....

Someone mentioned that perhaps the wife was there because hubby wanted to give her something to do. I would be willing to bet that is what was going on.

I'm sorry you're out of a job, but please don't let this get to you, it had nothing to do with you or the quality of your work.

You thought you were in a professional environment, turns out you were dealing with a dysfunctional pair of married nut cases.

[tainted1972, ASN, RN]

In the future, do not call off work because you cannot find a sitter.. if you cannot find a sitter, then you need to call in sick.. diarrhea, vomiting and fever.