Fired (Wrongfully?) And It Hurts

[joansmith1]

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. 

[Granuaile, ASN, RN]

Joansmith,

My heart goes out to you! I literally just went through the same thing 2 days ago. It was the first nursing job I have ever been fired from. The director, who is an interim director that replaced the director that was fired a few weeks after I was hired, literally gave me no reason, and 2 things she said were not true. I did not try to defend myself because I was stunned. She said "we've already extended your orientation, and I've talked to the higher ups and we can't extend it anymore." They had extended my 3 month orientation in the ICU by one week, and upon hire had said the orientation length was flexible. Anyways, yes, I felt and feel devastated. I finally felt like I found my niche in nursing! I loved everything about the job. I am so sorry that you just went through the same type of thing. I found your post as I am definitely still reeling from the experience; it helps to know I'm not alone! Reading people's responses is helping me, as well. 

[SmilingBluEyes]

I was not fired, but I came close. I was told during orientation that I was not "cutting it". I had several different preceptors, showing me several different ways how to do things and given very little time to learn.

I would have been fired, no doubt. I left before that could happen. But my self-esteem took a big hit. I have been a nurse nearly 25 years and in only that setting did I not make the cut.

I licked my wounds a while and then moved on. This was a group of people with whom one either fits in or not. I did not fit in. And I was never going to. Some were quite mean.

Take time you need to feel how you do, and honor those feelings then pick yourself up, dust off, and move on.

Many of us have been there.

[Queen Tiye, RN]

I’m sorry you are experiencing this.  I was also terminated from a position unfairly and it was jarring.  I was at a complete loss in trying to understand how nurses can be so egotistical and unkind, I was stunned that there was no investigation.  I was floored that one staff nurse had so much influence over the unit manager.  I was pretty down for months because I loved this job and I was good at it.  However, I found a position that I love even more and I make significantly more money now and I have a great schedule.  
 

Many of us have been there, you will get past this.  When one door closes another one opens.  God sees all and knows all?.

[klone, MSN, RN]

(my period key is broken I apologize in. advance for any randomly placed dots)

I was fired from my last job as nurse manager of an L&D unit of. a large urban. hospital last fall. I. was hired by the. interim director. I relocated across the country for this position. A month later, the. hospital. "appointed" a new director (I say. it like that because there was no formal interview process - she was the director of the adult acute care departments. and. she approached leadership and said that she wanted the women's. services. director. position and they gave. it. to her).  In her first week on the job,  she. came into my office, and. said "I know that you were a director at your last job. Is this going to be. a problem that I'm the director and not you?" I found that conversation bizarre, to say the least.

This. director    then approached me somewhat out of the. blue two months. later,  said that I  wasn't a good fit for the organization,  that had she been the director. when I was interviewed, she never would have hired me, and that she had someone else in mind for my position, and that they were going to give me a month of severance pay (guilt. money?). No coaching, no previous conversations about performance,  just "Sorry, bye."

This was a HUUUUGE blow. I. have been working in nursing leadership for 5 years, have held 3 leadership positions in that time, all of which I excelled at. When I left my last. leadership. job,  one. of the nurses said something I will never in my life forget,  something that keeps me going when I question myself "Please stay in leadership because. you truly have a natural talent for. leading people and you are one of the good ones."

It. took a few months. of licking my. wounds and questioning. my life's purpose. I've never been fired from. a job in my life. But to. be fired because my boss personally didn't like me, and didn't even. give me a chance. That was really hard.

Turns out, a better job was waiting just around the corner. In January I started as the nurse manager of a large primary care clinic, part. of. one of the largest health networks in the upper midwest. And I enjoy going into work every day.  I get along well with the staff I work with, as well as leadership. My current. supervisor is someone I would consider a friend, and we truly have a partnership. The regional director recognizes. my leadership skills, and has already appointed me to be a part of an annual "think tank" to help improve quality measures across the organization.

Anyway, this is my VERY. longwinded way of saying that you might not see it at the time, but getting. fired might be the best thing. that's happened to you. It might open doors that you would otherwise not go through. There is probably something better right around the corner. It's. hard to see that. now. (believe. me, I know). Best of luck to you, OP.

[guest1163268]

Everything everyone else said, except that I would take a look, especially with your experience and review why you weren't able to know about this beforehand? 

People ALWAYS project their personalities from their behaviors and speech! 

I would be more worried about not being able to foresee their treacherous behaviors and why in such an environment you felt happy enough to be even bothered about being sacked? 

I'm not being cruel, but learning to understand people's behaviors translates into other areas of your life that only has upsides! 

Also, in this shortage environment of nurses, you won't have any problems finding your ideal job. Don't leap though, take a good look at what you really want and forget unemployment. Get right back on the horse after analyzing your own contribution to your sacking, because you did allow yourself to get blindsided! 

Good luck! 

[guest1163268]

On 7/28/2021 at 2:55 PM, Granuaile said:

Joansmith,

My heart goes out to you! I literally just went through the same thing 2 days ago. It was the first nursing job I have ever been fired from. The director, who is an interim director that replaced the director that was fired a few weeks after I was hired, literally gave me no reason, and 2 things she said were not true. I did not try to defend myself because I was stunned. She said "we've already extended your orientation, and I've talked to the higher ups and we can't extend it anymore." They had extended my 3 month orientation in the ICU by one week, and upon hire had said the orientation length was flexible. Anyways, yes, I felt and feel devastated. I finally felt like I found my niche in nursing! I loved everything about the job. I am so sorry that you just went through the same type of thing. I found your post as I am definitely still reeling from the experience; it helps to know I'm not alone! Reading people's responses is helping me, as well. 

Look, I'm not trying to offend anyone but don't your parents or grandparents ever sit you folks down and explain life to you? 

I have three siblings and we were repeatedly lectured about how life unfolds, with the treacherous people and pitfalls and how you are likely to feel and how you rebound. How to find the right friends to build a support group during trying times and when to come home and how long to wallow etc etc! 

I just turned 29, and I rarely run into situations that surprises me. I expect certain behaviors from certain people that blatantly advertised how they are likely to behave. If I'm surprised, I blame myself for not predicting the outcome. 

People, we are not unique or special! Everything that's happened to you has happened to millions of people before and they prospered. Don't reinvent the wheel! 

Prioritize your emotional outlay and control your future! 

Personally, the original OP, if it had been me, I would have very likely known about the traitorous staff and I would have tortured them before getting fired or leaving, just for fun!

If I decide that you are just a bad person deliberately(back stabbing, untrustworthy, gossiping, lazy, inconsiderate, ungrateful etc etc) and are likely to betray me eventually, I would literally shred your mind! I would make you so unhappy and paranoid, because of I absolutely know that you have done this to others before and you need a taste of your own medicine. 

Believe me, it's better to be in the driver's seat than a passenger in your own life! 

[klone, MSN, RN]

2 hours ago, Curious1997 said:

Look, I'm not trying to offend anyone but don't your parents or grandparents ever sit you folks down and explain life to you? 

Don’t be an ***

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, klone said:

Don’t be an ***

Are you surprised? There was bragging about pre-emptive "mind shredding" like it was a badge of honor.

[guest1163268]

59 minutes ago, Jedrnurse said:

Are you surprised? There was bragging about pre-emptive "mind shredding" like it was a badge of honor.

It is a badge of honour, thank you! I believe in deterrents! 

Apparently in your universe bad people should be understood, while they wreck havoc. Sorry, doesn't work that way for me! 

I catch you being an as**ole, you can bet that I will call you on it and I really don't care who you are! Evil flourishes when good people allow it! 

I believe in consequences all the way! And I enjoy, literally, enjoy, making bad people suffer! I have seen too many times weak, insipid, cowardly, bullies, hurt others for their enjoyment, regardless of the consequences! 

We live in a civilized world of laws and when you break them, you suffer consequences. Social laws such as inconsideration, ungratefulness, selfishness etc frequently go unpunished. Do you think for an instance they considered the OP's feelings or what the future might hold? A simple discussion might have allowed the OP to change or given her?, a decent opportunity to leave instead of being fired. 

The way I see it, is that I could have been working on that unit and the behavior of the staff to the OP, could easily be pointed in my direction next! If they realize that there are consequences however to their actions, it makes them think twice! 

2 hours ago, klone said:

Don’t be an ***

Why not, you apparently have cornered the market in that dept! 

Maybe you could give me some pointers? I'm always striving to be better! 

[chare]

3 minutes ago, Curious1997 said:

2 hours ago, klone said:

Don’t be an ***

Why not, you apparently have cornered the market in that dept! 

Maybe you could give me some pointers? I'm always striving to be better! 

You don't need any.

[guest1163268]

Just now, chare said:

You don't need any.

Well, I take that as a compliment from someone who has mastered the art! Thank you so very much! 

[Melilem]

There's a little psych in every psych nurse ? (I say that from experience)