Hi, I'm pretty new here. I just started posting since I had a problem at my last job. Here's the basic rundown:
I am a new grad: Graduated May 08: got a job immediately, completed my 12 weeks of orientation with no problems and had been off orientation 8 weeks (total of 5 months on the job) and on my last shift I made a med error: Error was wrong PRN med given to patient (right patient, her med, just not time to give med): My patient had orders to be kept within SBP range of 160 to 200. I gave hydralazine when her BP dropped to 143 thinking that H=High=hydralazine and L=Low=labatalol. Why I thought this, I'm unsure, somehow got it wrong in my head and I didn't look it up. Sooo, pt put on Neo, also a PRN med of hers, SBP within range in 45 minutes, off NEO within 1 1/2 hrs and finished shift with no problems. Charge nurse knew of error in 5 minutes of error, charted in both MAR and patients chart. I didn't try to hide anything. Got called into the bosses office after my shift and was basically told that he couldn't use a nurse who made medication errors, he would have understood it more if I had taken pt A's med and given it to pt B. That error he could understand...
So, I've applied for jobs since then: I was told that I was still hirable through this facility, just not this unit. I didn't keep my job search at just that facilility. He told me that when a prospective employer called him he would have to tell them of the incident (he was obligated). Well, he also said that if I quit that it would look better and that HR would just say to anyone calling that I was rehirable. So..., I've had interviews, 4 almost immediately (it's been almost a month) and then I waited til I heard back from them because "nursing shortage"...I was sure I would get one of the 4...well, no I wasn't hired for any of the 4, I was honest during the interviews and all but 1 was shocked that I was fired for 1 medication error with no write ups prior to this...So, I interviewed for 1 on Monday and then 4 yesterday and so far I've heard back from 1 of those 5 and it's a no...I was advised to seek legal attention (on this site) but didn't want to take it to that level because I did make a mistake but I don't want my career to be screwed up over this either and it seems I can't find a job.....I also don't have the money for a lawyer to fight this...
I haven't been telling them that I was fired, I've said that I made a med error (explained the details) and then said that it was mutual between me and my director that I didn't work there anymore because technically I quit even though I was asked to leave (I didn't WANT a firing on my record)...
I'm not certain what the benefit of a legal consult would be. If you are in an "at will" state, you can be fired or resign for any reason, with the exception of certain protected situations (race, gender, etc.).
Do you believe that your former manager is sharing untrue information when called for references? If so, that is certainly easy enough to find out. You can either have a friend pose as a Human Resources employee and contact him for a reference, or you can go to one of the employers who turned you down. Ask for an informational appointment with the hiring manager to request that person's help in improving your chances of finding new employment. Ask whether s/he would be willing to disclose to you why you weren't offered a job and how you can improve upon your presentation in future interviews. Most people are willing to offer honest feedback. If the med error is the problem with your job eligibility, I think a hiring manager would say so. If that is indeed the issue, you can then find a way to re-mediate it, such as taking an on-line med safety course or devising a self-improvement plan to present to future employers.
If your manager is providing false information to prospective employers, then you may have cause for a legal action. Unless he is a complete moron, though, I doubt that is the case. Most institutions have strict policies on what information can be released when a reference is requested. You also have an option to decline potential employers permission to contact this job. In that case, you would need to have references from co-workers, the unit educator or any other RN who felt your work was good. If you go this route, ask those people to provide a written letter in advance that you can take to the interview with you. (Copy those letters on nice paper so that you don't have to go back to the writers for new letters for every interview.)
I understand that on first glance it may seem as though you are being blackballed by your former boss. But it is best to remember that times have changed since you were first hired. The economy has tanked and jobs are more scarce. Those that exist are more likely to go to experienced nurses, so your difficulty in job hunting may have nothing at all to do with your former manager.
I had a person call to try to get information, when they called my unit, the boss wasn't there and all they got was voice mail, so she called back and called HR who refused to give her any info other than the dates of my employment without the signed release from me. I'm assuming this is what we all sign when we sign at the bottom of the applications (sorry so say, I've never read the fine print on an application) and by signing that are they allowed to say anything??
It may be economy but the 2 specific hospitals I've been applying at have hundreds of positions open....yes I'm applying for select ones but at the 1 hospital, in the one specific area that I'm applying at has at least 5 openings (between PT, FT, PRN, days/nights)....
I appreciate all the help guys, it hasn't changed anything but me knowing that if I don't get a job from one of these interviews then I WON'T be saying anything in the future even though I always thought honesty was the best policy!!
My thinking (if I were interviewing you) would be this: Your were asked to leave over one error. Either your former boss is a doofus, or there is something else going on. I'd wonder what else happened to make it come to the decision that you needed to leave.
I'm not saying that is what happened or that you're being untruthful. I'm saying what I would think if I were interviewing you.
Frankly, I see this as intentional self-sabotage. I'm not trying to **** you off or start an argument, but from an outside point of view that's what I see. No one is that naive that they quit a job, know that HR will then only give dates of hire and that they are re-eligible to be hired, and then goes and is "honest" at every job interview.
I mean, when the new interviewer waved their hand like it was no big deal, did you then say, "No, I really might have killed the patient by not following the doctors orders. I really screwed up and shouldn't never be hired again."? (Of course, I'm being facetious.).
I think you want out of nursing. I think you want any reasonable person to say it's ludicrous that you were fired and not re-hired. I think you want to be on the side of good by being honest, but you really don't want to work as a nurse any longer. Maybe you can't even admit it to yourself. I don't know. But to me, this is how it looks.
When people apply for a job, the only true thing on the application is their name and SSAN. Everyone knows the rest is mostly garbage. The interview is garbage as well, but you can get an idea if the person is energetic, easy to get along with, pleasant, etc. If they don't have a criminal background, and their drug screen is clear, and their nursing license is real and unencumbered, and most of all, they don't mind working nights and weekends. Bingo. It's a match made in heaven.
The costs of saying, "I don't want to be a nurse," is too high. We all know that to do so means one wasted a lot of their own money and time, or someone else's money. It's far better to say, "I would be a nurse but I injured my back saving a patient." or "I would be a nurse, but I will never be dishonest if that's what it takes to be one."
I fully admit I could be completely wrong, and you might be absolutely right to consider me a big mouth ass. I fully admit the potential is there for me to greatly offend someone who is far more committed to the truth than I am and is willing to suffer the consequences for being honest. I may have just doubted a saint. If I have, please understand that I am just a stupid man who shoots his mouth off too much, and take pity on me.
But if I'm not too far off base, consider business, law, or engineering, or maybe even sales. Being a nurse is probably only one of the things you can do well.
Hello, I am SO sorry that you had to go through that kind of mess where you were working hard to be an honest and compassionate staff member. I have been a nurse for more than 17 years now, and I know that most of the nurses that say they have not made a med error are just now being dishonest. I'm the first to admit that I have made mine.
You should not be punished for admitting your error - just my .02!!
Are you sure that there are no personality problems here, or any other reasons that your boss may not want you on his unit. If not, he is a real douchebag. And I would not volunteer any information on this subject to any prospective employer. If asked just be truthful, afterall you are the one who caught the error right.
Frankly, I see this as intentional self-sabotage. I'm not trying to **** you off or start an argument, but from an outside point of view that's what I see. No one is that naive that they quit a job, know that HR will then only give dates of hire and that they are re-eligible to be hired, and then goes and is "honest" at every job interview.
I mean, when the new interviewer waved their hand like it was no big deal, did you then say, "No, I really might have killed the patient by not following the doctors orders. I really screwed up and shouldn't never be hired again."? (Of course, I'm being facetious.).
I think you want out of nursing. I think you want any reasonable person to say it's ludicrous that you were fired and not re-hired. I think you want to be on the side of good by being honest, but you really don't want to work as a nurse any longer. Maybe you can't even admit it to yourself. I don't know. But to me, this is how it looks.
When people apply for a job, the only true thing on the application is their name and SSAN. Everyone knows the rest is mostly garbage. The interview is garbage as well, but you can get an idea if the person is energetic, easy to get along with, pleasant, etc. If they don't have a criminal background, and their drug screen is clear, and their nursing license is real and unencumbered, and most of all, they don't mind working nights and weekends. Bingo. It's a match made in heaven.
The costs of saying, "I don't want to be a nurse," is too high. We all know that to do so means one wasted a lot of their own money and time, or someone else's money. It's far better to say, "I would be a nurse but I injured my back saving a patient." or "I would be a nurse, but I will never be dishonest if that's what it takes to be one."
I fully admit I could be completely wrong, and you might be absolutely right to consider me a big mouth ass. I fully admit the potential is there for me to greatly offend someone who is far more committed to the truth than I am and is willing to suffer the consequences for being honest. I may have just doubted a saint. If I have, please understand that I am just a stupid man who shoots his mouth off too much, and take pity on me.
But if I'm not too far off base, consider business, law, or engineering, or maybe even sales. Being a nurse is probably only one of the things you can do well.
Wow you gained all that insight about a person just from a few posts :icon_roll And I hit the thanks instead of the quote....
Just maybe the OP is being honest about what happened because they think it's the right thing to do, prevent being fired again for dishonesty from their interview?
To the OP:
If they don't ask at the interview why you left/were fired then don't go into specifics about the med error because it's clearly not working for you. Just state that the place wasn't a good fit. This isn't lying either , because considering they fired you for a med error that's just outright stupid. This is the sort of thing that makes nurses not report errors, for fear of losing their livelihood. If they ask 'have you ever made a med error' then tell them the truth about it.
Separate from everything else is the fact that with only the experience that you have had, you are still considered a new grad nurse and this is more than likely the reason that you are not getting hired as a start.
This has nothing to do with your former boss, so do not focus on that, but the fact that what happened could have been quite damaging to the patient and that is what caused all of this to begin with. Please do not assume that I am being harsh with you, I am not, but only being honest.
No matter what the med, whether Hydralazine of Labetalol, you need to know that they will lower a blood pressure, they are not going to raise them. With a pressure being down, why in the world were either even considered in the first place? Normally, you just need to wait for the pressure to return on its own and it will. Or you would give something to raise it. There specifically had to be a reason that the physician had ordered such high pressures to be maintained in the first place as this is not a normal range for a pressure in the first place.
Jobs are tight all over the country right now, and the facilities can have their pick of whomever they wish to hire. When you have left a facility in the first few months after starting there, that can always follow behind you. Whether it had anything to do with job performance or not is not the issue but the fact that it usually costs close to $10,000 plus to train a new RN; if you left one place after just a few months, then there was a chance you would do it there as well. And that is what is not in your favor.
Best of luck to you. Also, do not expect any hiring right now, not until after the holidays and the beginning of the new fiscal year. Hospitals do not want to have to pay holiday pay as well when you are still going to be on orientation. Something that many do not think about either.
Wow you gained all that insight about a person just from a few posts :icon_roll And I hit the thanks instead of the quote....
Just maybe the OP is being honest about what happened because they think it's the right thing to do, prevent being fired again for dishonesty from their interview?
ICURNIAM
21 Posts
I haven't been telling them that I was fired, I've said that I made a med error (explained the details) and then said that it was mutual between me and my director that I didn't work there anymore because technically I quit even though I was asked to leave (I didn't WANT a firing on my record)...