Healthcare Termination Process: You're Fired!

Nurses General Nursing

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If you were discharged, terminated or fired by Maxim Healthcare, what was the process that occurred?

a) Who by title (not name) performed the termination: recruiter, GM/AM, DOCS, Clinical Supervisor, RDOCS or other?

b) Was the reason explained to you? Was your understanding of why the discharge occurred, the same as the reason given or another reason? If different, how did you correct it?

c) Did you experience a personnel process before the discharge, such as verbal warning, retraining, performance improvement plan (PIP) or other?

d) Did you receive any discharge documentation or sign a form?

e) If you were a manager, DOCS or Clinical Supervisor, what was the process?

f) Did the discharge affect your references for new employ?

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

If you were let go by a nursing agency then it would not be unusual to just be dropped like a hot potato with no explanation. I don't know why this is possible, but it happens all the time. It is usually a little more involved getting fired from a regular staff nurse position.

And yes, you might never know why

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Are you collecting data for your attorney?

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This had more to do with the state and its rigid adherence to "At-Will-Employment" than anything else.

I am assuming that through this agency you are not under a union contract or any other kind of contract? Unless you are under contract, any employer in an AWE state (that's just about all of the 50) can terminate you with or without cause.

Now, if the institution soundly follows a process clearly described in say an employee manual, and they don't follow that process up to and through termination, then you may have some recourse.

See an employment attorney. It may or may not be worth your money, and as specialists, they tend to be expensive, and you have to make sure in using them there is no conflicts of interest with your former employer.

Generally AWE means you are screwed if they don't want you for ANY reason. So, if someone of influence doesn't like you or the way you part your hair, or b/c your teeth aren't white enough, or you are too smart, or cute/pretty, or somehow deemed a challenge to some folks of influence in the group--it's "See you later" time. Thus they may say, "It's not a good 'fit.'" Sometimes there is bogus stuff put in people's files. You may not ever get to see it, b/c, even with a lawyer, well, files can be multiple, moved around, you name it. I remember seeing two nurses changing documentation--that is right and the God's honest truth. Changing documentation to render someone "unfit" in their documentation and practice. If you think squirrely and illegal stuff doesn't happen in hospitals, think again. If weird stuff can happen through companies like Enron, yes, it can and does happen in hospitals too--yes, even those with all kinds of nice accreditation and other highly praised labels--like Magnet Status.

AWE seems like it's fair both ways, but really it isn't. This is why physicians and other professionals ONLY work under carefully written/worded contracts. Now, at the end of a contract, the employer may opt not to renew; but at least you have something reasonable and specific while you work there under contract.

Nurses need to start seeing themselves as professionals, and they need to start working under contract. There is just too much capricious nonsense within the hospitals with people today. No good nurse should be dismissed for capricious reasons--or under pretext or false causes.

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Specializes in Emergency, Case Management, Informatics.
Are you collecting data for your attorney?

^ +1.

This is an attorney or paralegal trolling to build a case. User joined for the sole purpose of making this post (check the join date and number of posts).

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Maybe we nurse should get the word out to the legal and governing communities- that the healthcare systems are not playing fair, honest and ethical in our employment realm or with any one they deal with(patients and patients families included). If their not conducting employment practice business with their nursing staff in an honest, fair and ethical fashion, we know they are not dealing with the patients they have admitted to their healthcare institutions any different. We ALL know, ALOT of chart fixing goes on- to alter legal responsiblity and for finanicial gain. How many times have nurses been terminated because it was felt by the management they say too much- ALOT. And alot of slanderous things have been said about the departing nurse to cast aspergions on that person to destroy their creditiability.I personally think it's high time nursing exposed these hospitals for the dishonest places they really are. These hospitals have had very questionable staffing and hiring practices over the past 2-3 years.- Nurse have left by hook and by crook(terminated, forced to resign in no win situations/consentual discharges, literally ran out of town on a rail, "forced to retire"/offers they can't refuse- take the pension and go or stay, be fired and loose it! Nurses not replaced- too costly but the CEO and Administrators don't cut one penny of their multi million dollar salaries or bonuses-They have hung on to their salary with a TIGHT fist, while they have slashed nuring salaries to the 1990's pay level, then there's the ever so popular patient satisfaction survey- if the patient satisfaction scores rises, the CEO gets another number of million dollars in a graduated over 3-5 year bonus!, Hiring freezes- yet we have a job description"HIRING MANAGER" who are these people hiring during hiring freezes??? and why are they driving brand new silver mercedes convertible sport cars??? Yes, one of these is in my neighborhood- I know!! Are they hiring ghostbusters!! Enron was kindergarten compared to the american hospital systems!!!! Enron was not responsible for life and death and patient safety. Enron didn't run OR's, dialysis units, ED's and ICU's.!!

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Specializes in PACU, OR.
^ +1.

This is an attorney or paralegal trolling to build a case. User joined for the sole purpose of making this post (check the join date and number of posts).

August 2002? :confused: I've read dozens of Caliotter's posts and yes, she has a strong belief in legal recourse but also a sound knowledge of HHC....

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Specializes in CVICU.
August 2002? :confused: I've read dozens of Caliotter's posts and yes, she has a strong belief in legal recourse but also a sound knowledge of HHC....

Caliotter3 is not the original poster, she simply posed a question. The original poster is "Joytoworld" who joined just this month.

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Specializes in PACU, OR.
Caliotter3 is not the original poster, she simply posed a question. The original poster is "Joytoworld" who joined just this month.

Ah, I see-the one I responded to quoted Caliotter, so I assumed he was referring to her.

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Specializes in Long term care, Rehab/Addiction/Recovery.
If you were discharged, terminated or fired by Maxim Healthcare, what was the process that occurred?

a) Who by title (not name) performed the termination: recruiter, GM/AM, DOCS, Clinical Supervisor, RDOCS or other?

b) Was the reason explained to you? Was your understanding of why the discharge occurred, the same as the reason given or another reason? If different, how did you correct it?

c) Did you experience a personnel process before the discharge, such as verbal warning, retraining, performance improvement plan (PIP) or other?

d) Did you receive any discharge documentation or sign a form?

e) If you were a manager, DOCS or Clinical Supervisor, what was the process?

f) Did the discharge affect your references for new employ?

:uhoh3: Joytoworld, I don't know if you are indeed fishing for info for some kind of legal remedy?? If you were on staff with this agency for a sufficient amount of time, working the required amount of hours /week..you are eligible for unemployment. Its paltry for sure, but it helps til something else comes along. Also, I'm curious..Do you feel Maxim is badmouthing you to future employers? Any proof??:confused:

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Not an attorney. GOAL is raising consciousness of employ rights and manager responsibility and to learn about experiences of others at Maxim. Interested in termination procedures experienced at Maxim specifically and of others in general.

Have noted at Maxim that recruiters, job position without management or supervisory authority and staffers without personnel experience were terminating nurses.

Concerned that these nurses then had to struggle with a discharge/ termination on their record for future employ. UNEMPLOYMENT insurance is NOT granted if someone is terminated unless the person challenges the reason the company terminated them.

Also noted that DOCS (Clinical Directors) disappear within a year of hire then a rumor is circulated about their poor performance [not following policy, out of compliance, did not know something]. Interested to know if some former DOCS have experienced this. The turnover in DOCS is high.

At Will Employ (AWE). Montana has a law that the discharge must be for good reason. Any other states you know of?

AWE is invalid if the employee was discharged for a PUBLIC POLICY reason. Meaning a violation of a right granted to employees by State or federal government: disability, family-medical-leave, workers compensation, age-race-color, etc., reporting OHSA violations. There should be POSTERS of these RIGHTS on the wall wherever you work to self educate yourself on your rights. Some States have whistleblower laws - meaning reporting company unlawful activity within company or to State (depends on law). If public policy rights have been violated the employee can file a CLAIM with the State or federal govt, whichever applies, without an attorney. If the State/Fed investigator opines that public policy right has been violated then the State/Fed agency (like EEOC) will represent the employee without an attorney, for no fee.

Personnel/HR files: Some States grant employee right to copy their HR file. Oregon. Anyone know of any others? Concerned that Samadams8 has seen HR files changed unethically. Encourage all employees to obtain a COPY OF ANY HR FORM SIGNED, especially performance evaluations, as soon as they are signed.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

Please do research on your own and don't bother us here. This is a nursing forum, not a lawyer's.

Thank you and goodbye.

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