Okay, to follow up on my previous post: I got fired because I wasn't a "good fit" with the company. I feel like crap, but am picking myself up and immediately starting my job search for a place that doesn't permit or reward nurse-to-nurse violence. I learned a hard lesson in the unfortunate politics of nursing.
Now, my question: I technically only worked 2 days following an intensive 6 month ED orientation as a new grad. Should I leave it off my resume (which would leave me with 8 months of unemployment since graduation), or put all the skills I've acquired in 6 months of working in a trauma center and hope for the best?
Long story short, I was harrassed from day one by a nurse who had been there 8 yrs. The longest any other nurse has lasted there was 2 years. The month before my orientation ended, 22 nurses left the department.
I am an "older" new grad, so I tried to ignore the gossip and cruel rumors she was spreading about me. Then she began degrading me in front of my peers and tarnishing my reputation with the doctors, even interfering with patient care in order to "set me up".
I was warned not to go to my DON because they are friends, but that choice was made for me. More than just a few volunteered to make formal statements on my behalf. Others cited fear of retaliation for not going forward.
My claim of harrassment was found to be "unsubstantiated" and I was fired
Sadly, I learned a lot early in my nursing career who nurse on nurse bullying works.
How am I supposed to get a job now when I'm a new grad AND I've been fired?
Long story short, I was harrassed from day one by a nurse who had been there 8 yrs. The longest any other nurse has lasted there was 2 years. The month before my orientation ended, 22 nurses left the department.
I am an "older" new grad, so I tried to ignore the gossip and cruel rumors she was spreading about me. Then she began degrading me in front of my peers and tarnishing my reputation with the doctors, even interfering with patient care in order to "set me up".
I was warned not to go to my DON because they are friends, but that choice was made for me. More than just a few volunteered to make formal statements on my behalf. Others cited fear of retaliation for not going forward.
My claim of harrassment was found to be "unsubstantiated" and I was fired
Sadly, I learned a lot early in my nursing career who nurse on nurse bullying works.
How am I supposed to get a job now when I'm a new grad AND I've been fired?
Ok, I am interviewing you.... You tell me in writing and on your resume.... I received outstanding training and orientation for 6 months...I learned..... I have a strong skill set: (name these)... You should hire ME to work for YOU because: ( I am a quick learner, patient advocate, come from patient advocacy...... understand the mentor/protege role of new nurse, ready to set out on my own, confidently.....). My strengths are.... my weakness are : fairly new nurse, still learning.... (not really weaknesses, but you gotta give me something).
I don't want to hear a word of what you just posted. Frame it up totally different, period. Let it all go, write about it here and in a journal, then burn it, file it and move on. The truth is, as in all professions, there are people that do bad, mean things, for whatever reasons. Many try to throw others under the bus, to save their own ass, some are ignorant, some are silly. DON'T become one of those and you have learned a valuable albiet scary and sad lesson, but I bet you don't let anyone else bully you. You learned what it is, how to stand up to it without fear, continue in that vien, document all, keep your own home/personal files and stand up when you need to and back down when you don't need to. Carry malpractice insurance and contact a lawyer from time to time. People who are bullies can be civilly charged, and some times its good to remind them of that fact .... or.... move on. Depends on how valuable YOUR time is, how much time to devote to it.
A resume isn't a legal document, so you can leave it off it you want to. On your future job applications, however, you are legally required to list that job.
I am sorry to hear about your situation dear, but I have to agree with 1hotnurse08. This is a common practice in nursing. Nursing is nothing like what they teach out of nursing books. Nursing is an applied science which means you learn on the job! Not every patient will be text book.You have peoples lives in your hands (why is it wrong to ask an experienced nurse?) I also have had a hard time with nursing and nurses with their stupid idiosycrasies. Its a shame that experienced nurses are behaving like children, they are teaching and breeding these super cocky, undereducated fake it until you make ass nurses that will turn right around and take care of us when our health fails or one of our love ones for that matter! We should work with those that are struggling, pull them to the side and encourage them because we know it is hard for those of us with experience to show up to work some days. Always be yourself dont change a happy nurse equals happy patients. Nursing needs a swift kick in the rear it is really getting harder and other nurses are not working together we are lining up to through each other under the bus just to appear confident and competent! I also agree that this job has no place on your resume. Your new job doesnt have to know a thing, take it as learning experience. Yes it hurts! Yes its embarrassing! Will you get over it YES! It will only make you stronger. Anyway I dont let them change me, I know why I became a nurse and please believe me there is always someone that will be willing to let you be the best nurse that you can be! We all have had our journey from novice to expert and you will get there too!
Okay, I'm new here and I sat for 15 minutes wondering if I should post this reply. I decided yes, maybe it's time to give some bully back to bullies.
Why doesn't someone film one of these bullies in action with their phones? Request a 1:1 talk and ask her politely and professionally to stop. If she doesn't, request another quick 1:1 and let her know if you go down from her interference, she'll go down as the biggest Utube bully ever!
Okay, I know there's been a collective gasp, but what the heck, the OP lost her job over this. That's serious folks. No matter how she frames it, the next manager will always wonder if she can hold her own on the next unit. This poster may go months without a job. Professionalism is great, but she has no paycheck.
At the very least she can't be fired because of no evidence of harassment. A picture with sound is worth a million words.
Until Rodoon invents a bully zap app what is a new nurse suppossed to do?
I know I shouldn't be disgruntled, but had I known how rampant nurse violence is, I may have chosen a different career. I'm an older nurse and a single mom who had to overcome many life struggles to become a nurse, which I thought had helped shape me into a hard working and ethical person.
The first 2 times I ignored it, thought "well, she's just a miserable person." Co-workers who witnessed it said "That's just her personality. She's just a *****, ignore it." I avoided her, and tried not to let her nastiness affect me. I was warned not to report it because she and the manager were friends, and I didn't want to seem like the new nurse who was a whiner and difficult to work with. So, I refused to answer to the gossip...The next 2 times I approached her with my preceptor. When it continued beyond that, we spoke to my supervisor about it...twice more. When she starting interfering with patient care to set me up and make herself look like the hero, I went to the manager. Now I'm without a paycheck and scared about how long it will take to find another job...
I know you run into these types of people in every profession, but it seems that in nursing, you're darned if you do, darned if you don't
I am so sorry this is happening to you; no other profession (with a similar steep learning curve, such as medicine) treats its novices as shamefully as nursing does, it's awful. I feel for you, been there, it is so wrong
That said, maybe you can salvage the situation. What you must do, and do it quickly, is get in touch with your manager and beg, plead, whatever you have to do to get her to accept your resignation instead of terminating you, and give prospective employers the appropriate reference (i.e., tell prospective employers that you resigned; state that you're eligible for rehire, although you will assure her that you will not apply for any position at this hospital again). As an incentive, you can tell her that this will make you ineligible for unemployment benefits (which may or may not be true, not sure about labor laws in your state. However, it could be a powerful incentive for the manager to accept your resignation. If you depend on unemployment, you may want to consult an employment lawyer first).
Actually, getting a lawyer may not be a bad idea at all, especially if you don't succeed in having this termination turned into a voluntary resignation (I'm thinking about all the bullying going on... a lawyer may pounce on that - you're an older nurse, after all, and if over 40 also part of a protected group! - and one letter may be enough to convince your manager).
Again, this is so wrong. You were never given a fair chance. Please do all you can to get this situation come out as favorable as possible for you!!!
Otherwise, you may have a lot of problems in the future. There is no way you can hide an employment of > 6 months from a prospective employer's background check (those can find out anything about you nowadays, and you must of course give them permission to do just that); nurses who give such advice are not doing you a favor. You should definitely list this job on your resume, along with all the skills you have learned; no reason for leaving needs to be given here. However, you have to list all jobs on your application (not that job at McDonald's 20 years ago, but you get the idea). Unfortunately, nearly all applications today ask "Have you ever been terminated?" So you can't get away from this question, even years from now. During the last nursing shortage, which ended about 5 years ago, no one asked any questions; this is not the case today, employers have their pick of many, many desperate job seekers, so why should they even talk to someone who has anything negative on their resume?! (Not that it isn't possible, with connections, etc.; however, if you can avoid having to anser "yes" to this question, do try!)
I wish you the very best of luck.
DeLana :hug:
P.S. And if you can't get it changed to voluntary resignation, perhaps someone here has some good advice on how to handle the Have you ever been fired/reason for leaving questions. You are far from alone, this has (sadly) happened to many, many nurses.
I'm sorry about this. I have been declined a full-time position because there was another employee who was "a better fit" Mainly I was told that everyone loved this other nurse, regardless the fact that I had more experience... It's pretty annoying and it sucks. I hope you were able to find another job. I am currently seeking one myself, as this is the second time i've been turned down due to staff favortism. Unfortunatley I think this happens more often than it is reported.
Traum-a-Rama
57 Posts
Long story short, I was harrassed from day one by a nurse who had been there 8 yrs. The longest any other nurse has lasted there was 2 years. The month before my orientation ended, 22 nurses left the department.
I am an "older" new grad, so I tried to ignore the gossip and cruel rumors she was spreading about me. Then she began degrading me in front of my peers and tarnishing my reputation with the doctors, even interfering with patient care in order to "set me up".
I was warned not to go to my DON because they are friends, but that choice was made for me. More than just a few volunteered to make formal statements on my behalf. Others cited fear of retaliation for not going forward.
My claim of harrassment was found to be "unsubstantiated" and I was fired
Sadly, I learned a lot early in my nursing career who nurse on nurse bullying works.
How am I supposed to get a job now when I'm a new grad AND I've been fired?