how to get a new job after being fired?

[RobotNurse]

has anyone here ever been fired for being sick too often? i'm worried because i've been sick with one thing after another what seems like all year - bronchitis, gastroenteritis, sprained ankle and foot fracture, chronic migraines (if i do get fired it'll probably be for calling out for another migraine with vomiting and aura), and now i've got conjunctivitis and when i told my supervisor she was like "it's Thanksgiving weekend, you can't have pinkeye" so I worked all weekend with my eye oozing pus.

i'm worried that i'm just one more migraine away from being fired for excessive call-outs. as i said in another topic, i'm not eligible for FMLA d/t being PRN and not having worked the minimum number of hours per calendar year to qualify.

if you were fired, how did you get your next job? and how long did it take you? most importantly, who did you use as references? I kinda doubt i could get a decent one from my supervisor if she is the one who fires me! what would you do?

[acim]

Sorry to hear you have been sick like this so often. I'd say the only things you can do is cover yourself by getting documentation from your pcp maybe and presenting it to your job when you are ill or (and I hate to encourage it) go to work sick and have them send you home.

I have no sound advice for references and such if you get terminated...if you had to explain to a potential employer that you were often sick they may view you as a risky hire

Take care of yourself first. I hope your health improves soon.

[THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN]

My advice to you before you get fired is to get control of what you can. So, work with your PCP and Neurologist and figure out a treatment plan for your chronic migraines. I have had chronic migraines since I was a small child and I have only recently figured out a regimen that actually works to prevent them.

I believe this is your opportunity to take control of your health so you don't have to worry about being fired at this or any future job.

[mago8388]

Sounds like you're having an awful time. Try a prebiotic maybe? Your immune system is obviously compromised right now. Eat well and try to control stress as well. Keep a folder with your doctor's notes. Did you use all your sick time? If you have sick time left they can't fore you since you're entitled to that. Hey people do get sick! It's amazing how much us in the Healthcare field don't realize that and if it wasn't for people getting sick we'd be out of work.

[SasZcats]

I have never had this problem, but did you have doctor notes for each of these occurences? Also did you have copies of them? If you did, and she fires you, you should be able to collect unemployment until you DO get another job. Also, you could use them as evidence that you really did have a bad year if this is not normal for you. Everyone can have a bad time. I hope you don't get fired, and you shouldn't if you had notes, but if you had copies, you should definitely get unemployment ASAP!

[NOADLS]

Hint: don't let your next potential employer know that this is why you were fired. Even if you are the most qualified person out there, they aren't even going to look at you.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

i'm not eligible for FMLA d/t being PRN

You're a PRN employee. In my experience, most employers will not go through the trouble of firing a PRN nurse because it is unnecessary.

If they want to get rid of you, they'll simply stop putting you on the schedule. If you haven't been on the schedule for 30 or 60 days, your employment will simply be autoterminated. That's it.

[RobotNurse]

You're a PRN employee. In my experience, most employers will not go through the trouble of firing a PRN nurse because it is unnecessary.

If they want to get rid of you, they'll simply stop putting you on the schedule. If you haven't been on the schedule for 30 or 60 days, your employment will simply be autoterminated. That's it.

OK, this actually makes me feel better. Auto-terminated sounds much more legit than fired. Although at my facility you're not auto-terminated until you've been off the schedule for a year!

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

This. I have a friend who went from FT to casual because she was tired of getting grief about calling out so often (seriously, if she's sniffling, she's not going in). Well, she hardly ever gets put on the schedule now and I'll bet at least half of the time she still calls in sick and then complains that they never put her on the schedule. Oy vey.

You're a PRN employee. In my experience, most employers will not go through the trouble of firing a PRN nurse because it is unnecessary.

If they want to get rid of you, they'll simply stop putting you on the schedule. If you haven't been on the schedule for 30 or 60 days, your employment will simply be autoterminated. That's it.