Fired (Wrongfully?) And It Hurts

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm an experienced RN and was fired from a new nursing job. It was not due to any misconduct or patient care issues. I was shocked when it happened. The way it went down was upsetting. Later I started thinking about things and realized it wasn't justified. I think some of my former co-workers set the wheels in motion and this is the end result. The issue at hand was greatly exaggerated and not told in context. I was never spoken to about this issue nor asked for my side of things. I was so upset that I just accepted the news and walked out; didn't even try to argue or defend myself. 

I'm so hurt by this entire experience. I'm hurt that fellow RN's would take steps that affected my ability to earn a living and my professional life. I'm so disappointed in my supervisor for not defending me to my manager. I'm so disappointed in how my manager made untrue statements that I wasn't given the chance to defend. I don't understand why I wasn't given the chance to transfer elsewhere in the organization. The unfairness of how I was treated is hard to swallow. It's hard not to take personally. I realized that nursing is rife with unfairness but I think I'm naive in that I expect things like this handled in a professional and respectful way and it wasn't. 

Needless to say my confidence is non-existent. I have no idea how I'm going to put myself out there and find a new job feeling like this. 

5 Votes
13 minutes ago, joansmith1 said:

Needless to say my confidence is non-existent. I have no idea how I'm going to put myself out there and find a new job feeling like this. 

I am sorry this happened to you. Your disappointment and other emotions are understandable.

You can't let others' poor actions shake your confidence, though. Logically-speaking there's no reason they would:  People colluded and lied, colluded and lied some more. That doesn't have anything to do with you. These people have problems of their own. BIG problems.

Now--if you're disappointed that you didn't speak up for yourself, that is possibly worth reviewing. It may be that it wouldn't have made any difference whatsoever and it's possibly just as well that you walked away. OTOH if you're someone who has been bullied and walked on before this should be a catalyst for positive changes on your part.

But losing all confidence in yourself because other people can be horrible? Don't go there.

You can move on. They're going to have a much harder time moving on from their problems.

Hang in there ~

 

14 Votes
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

The best things in my life came about as a result of someone treating me poorly.  So I owe a debt of gratitude to a lot of despicable people.

Someone suckered someone at your job and it'll probably happen a few more times before someone wises up to it.  Not your problem.

Go out and get yourself a new job and don't look back.  A life well lived is the best revenge.

21 Votes
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

With all due empathy and respect, joansmith, I can say from experience that it gets easier.

You are understandably shaken from this injustice  done to you and your whole world has become topsy-turvy. 

We learn from these experiences, become more wary, desensitized, see signs, and head problems off at the pass.

The first time I was unjustly fired from a job was 1990 and I cried all the way home. The fourth time that I was unjustly fired from a job in 2020, I drove home expecting it, and excitedly readied myself for what was to come.

I am at your disposal, joansmith, to assist you in both emotionally and logically dealing with this situation.

The very best to you.

 

15 Votes
Specializes in Dialysis.

It sounds like you got out of there in perfect time, even if by firing. If they were that backbiting, you're much better off. Head up, get back into the game, another job is looking for you

10 Votes
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

Good advice, Hoosier, to get back into the game. However, a closure needs to take place; a regrouping- healing process.

Writing down, and not typing, every detail of the events is not only a good catharsis, making thoughts and feelings into something tangible, but can also serve as evidence in applying for unemployment benefits.

The employer has to prove the termination was justified when the employee files for unemployment. In my cases, I felt better when I had government documentation that I was unjustly terminated. With my last termination, after meeting with an Attorney,  I also learned that I had grounds for a wrongful termination suit.

Getting back into the game with the knowledge that I was not at fault, that I had acted prudently, allowed me to move forward with confidence.

As a side note, and this is meant to assist joansmith, after every termination, I found a better job with more pay. In two instances, I got positions as a nursing supervisor!

12 Votes

I got fired after two weeks.  The manager accused me of lying on my resume. I did not . I got fired for ..not smiling  enough.  I was one of the best  nurses that ever  that walked into that  facility.

Yes it hurts.  You will be  fine. I managed  to make it through the  day.. only took a pint of whiskey.

10 Votes
Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

I was fired during my orientation because the nurse manager said that I lacked the critical thinking to work in an acute care environment. She recommended that my level of thinking was commensurate with staying in long term care, where I was working concurrently. I was also devastated, and really wondered whether I was going to be able to make it in my new career. I also thought the "reasons" for my termination were inaccurate, but I didn't speak up as much as I should have. Fast forward a few years, not only do I work in critical care, I'm the charge nurse in the ICU. And that manager was walked out of the building within a year of firing me. Turned out to be a great move for me, because I've met MANY people from the other facility that left there and came to my hospital for numerous reasons.

The fact that the other nurses in the facility had anything to do with your termination leads me to believe that as tough a pill as this might seem right now, they've done you a favor. You will not have to work in a toxic environment with unsupportive coworkers. You can brush yourself off, take some time to be upset, but move on knowing that you're a good nurse and you will find the job that allows you to be successful. 

Better things will come along!! Good luck. 

13 Votes
Specializes in Ambulatory Care, Community Health, HIV.

I haven't yet been fired from a nursing gig, but I was unjustly fired from a previous "dream job." I gently called out the bigoted new CEO from out of state on her extreme transphobia (mind you this was at an LGBTQ youth center). She came in like a monsoon and behaved in a way that went against all the tenants of the literal contract we all signed agreeing how to treat one another as coworkers. It was hurtful and damaging. She wanted a top-down kind of leadership that did not fit with the long history of the organization. However, since I was still in my probationary period, I was fired the next day. It stung, but my confidence was bolstered when my supervisor walked out  with me in solidarity. Even so, my confidence was badly shaken for like a year afterward. I felt insecure in unfamiliar ways. So I completely can commiserate with the second guessing yourself that can come with being fired.

Ultimately, that same new CEO drove the center into the ground, and it ended up closing just 6 months after she came on board, despite efforts for the staff to unionize. Another casualty of the power-hungry. 

 

6 Votes
Specializes in ER, Pre-Op, PACU.

I haven’t been fired from a job, but I have left due to a completely toxic workplace and due to circumstances beyond my control, etc. It does affect your confidence…..tremendously sometimes. I know I went from being a very confident ER nurse who wasn’t afraid to rise to a challenge ever to second guessing myself, questioning everything I did, and feeling like a failure. I wish I could wipe that workplace from my memories, but I can’t. So instead, what I try to do is allow it to try to improve myself in the aspect that I try to really welcome other nurses, never assume anything, etc.

Others have given you great advice - I do hope you find another job where it builds you up and moves you to better things. I know I actually have developed a much higher level of patience since that miserable workplace I was in.

3 Votes
Specializes in Critical Care.
On 7/24/2021 at 3:49 AM, joansmith1 said:

I'm an experienced RN and was fired from a new nursing job. It was not due to any misconduct or patient care issues. I was shocked when it happened. The way it went down was upsetting. Later I started thinking about things and realized it wasn't justified. I think some of my former co-workers set the wheels in motion and this is the end result. The issue at hand was greatly exaggerated and not told in context. I was never spoken to about this issue nor asked for my side of things. I was so upset that I just accepted the news and walked out; didn't even try to argue or defend myself. 

I'm so hurt by this entire experience. I'm hurt that fellow RN's would take steps that affected my ability to earn a living and my professional life. I'm so disappointed in my supervisor for not defending me to my manager. I'm so disappointed in how my manager made untrue statements that I wasn't given the chance to defend. I don't understand why I wasn't given the chance to transfer elsewhere in the organization. The unfairness of how I was treated is hard to swallow. It's hard not to take personally. I realized that nursing is rife with unfairness but I think I'm naive in that I expect things like this handled in a professional and respectful way and it wasn't. 

Needless to say my confidence is non-existent. I have no idea how I'm going to put myself out there and find a new job feeling like this. 

❤️ I can only say that I'm going through something like this. My manager accused me of things that are not true (literally, no evidence exists) however, it set a tone, and it was a very bad accusation. Suddenly my co workers don't work with me. Then patient safety issues come about. Also, my schedule is verbal for a month, and I get "dinged" for not showing up to work on time.... My name was not on a schedule on paper nor electronically available. Per HR - its my fault anyway for not showing up on time (blah blah blah). HR: "We understand there were some challenges. You have to take responsibility for your part as well."

OMG if I here this one more effing time... 

Im disappointed too. Looking to get by with my RN license and eventually get out of the nurse world. 

2 Votes
Specializes in oncology.

Make sure you apply for unemployment insurance. You should get at least 50% of your previous pay...not much to live on though....but it costs the facility who let you go increased payments in the future for unemployment insurance. 

6 Votes
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